Raiders Did Not Have One Above Average Pass Blocking O-Lineman in 2010

by Rich Langford on Jun 16, 2011 11:05 PM PDT

A few days ago I posted an article about ProFootballFocus.com's team breakdown of pass protection. The sum of the Raiders assessment was that they were 30th in pass protection efficiency for the 2010 season. Well, PFF continued the look by grading the players at each position along the O-line.

Here is their formula:

As with all these pieces it’s a simple enough formula. Our grading has seen plays where hits and hurries are given up, valued at roughly three quarters the worth of a sack. So our formula includes a pretty basic weighting that correlates.

Sacks added to three quarters of Hits and Hurries, divided by the amount of snaps in pass protection multiplied by a 100. That’s the Pass Blocking Inefficiency formula. Only players who stayed into pass protect on at least 200 occasions qualified.

They posted the top and bottom 15 players. Check it out, after the jump....

No surprise that the Raiders tackles did not fare well. Jared Veldheer had the sixth worst rating among left tackles, and Langston Walker the tenth worst tackle among right tackles.

Veldheer's poor rating certainly indicates he needs to improve, but it is also not all that concerning. Given his rookie status, his jump from a small school to the NFL, and the fact that he faced a murderer's row of pass rushers almost immediately after gaining the starting spot.

Among others, he was rated ahead of bigger name tackles like Eugen Monroe, David Diehl and Levi Brown. He was also just three spots behind the much higher profiled and drafted fellow rookie, Trent Williams.

I'm not even going to bother talking about Walker, and to be honest I am surprised he is not lower. It is worth noting that free agent to be right tackles that we have discussed rated well. Sean Locklear was first, Marshal Yanda fourth, and Tyson Clabo sixth (remember, that is just among RTs).

Onto the guards. The guards were not broken down to side. Cooper Carlisle registered a lackluster seventh worst. Carlisle had a decent year run blocking and he was especially good with downfield blocking, but he continues to struggle in pass protection.

It is also worth noting that Robert Gallery's absence from the top 15 does not bode well for his lucrative contract dreams.

Center is a harder spot to grade as centers are often doubling up in pass protection. Samson Satele if firmly ensconced in the middle of the pack. They only rated the top and bottom 10 and he didn't appear in either.

They also charted the top and bottom 15 for tight ends, and Zach Miller did not appear in either. It's no wonder this team was ranked 30th in pass protection when not one individual could crack the top 15 in pass blocking at their position.

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And we didn't have 1 DECENT QB either.

And that may or may NOT change. Look , Jason Campbell has to prove himself PERIOD! No more bullshit ,injury etc. . When the smoke from this debacle ( N.F.L. lockout) clears we better get a PROVEN VET QB on the payroll A.S.A.P. or kiss the whole enchilada goodbye. You can’t teach cool in the pocket …..period. Line or NO line. We all see the "Deer in the headlights " look that Campbell Has and grad doesn’t Grad over J.C. ,NO! But if we are adament about “J.C.” being the man we better have a backup that can take us to the level we need to be at with the rest of the team. Campbell WILL deflate our expectations Nation , it just isn’t there. R.F.F.R.

by Wyoraider on Jun 17, 2011 6:42 PM PDT reply actions

Now take the receiving corps.

And you can see the predicament we may see ourselves in. WHO steps up? When? At what point? With What QB? we have a ways to go Nation, I’m riding high don’t get me wrong , PLEASE. But after 44 years of “Raiderdom” I just (as Hendrix sang) "I hear my train a’comin!. Can’t shake it gang , It’s just a downright shitty feeling.R.F.F.R.

by Wyoraider on Jun 17, 2011 6:53 PM PDT reply actions