Grading the 2011 Tennessee Titans: Offensive Line

by Jimmy on Jan 20, 2012 5:00 PM CST in Tennessee Titans Commentary

Keep in mind here that the offensive line provides two things to a football team. One is run blocking. I think we can all agree here that the offensive line was terrible when it came to run blocking this season. The interior of the line was especially bad, but Michael Roos and David Stewart weren't blowing people off the line either.

The line was not helped by Chris Johnson looking like he forgot how to run the ball for half of the season, but even when Johnson was running well there were times where it seemed like he was getting tackled as he got the handoff.

The other function an offensive line carries out is pass blocking. This offensive line was very good at pass blocking. They kept Matt Hasselbeck, who has been nothing short of fragile for the last few years, upright for most of the season. That was what allowed Hasselbeck to put up the numbers he did this season.

For a long time I was baffled by how a line could be so good at pass protection but so bad at run blocking. Then I heard someone on the radio, and I cannot remember now who it was, talking about the difference between pass protection and run blocking.

Pass protection means letting the defender come to you. It is more of a reaction than an action, while run blocking is all about attacking.

Since Kevin Mawae left, we have talked about the Titans needing to add a guy that has a nasty streak to the middle of the line. I think the fact that the Titans don't have one of those guys is one of the main reasons they have been so bad at run blocking. They don't have the attitude right now to get it done.

So obviously they get and F- for run blocking and a solid B for pass protection. The following grade is what I arrived after running those two through my very complicated and weighted formula.

Grade: C-

Poll

Grade the 2011 Offensive Line

A

6 votes

B

39 votes

C

203 votes

D

175 votes

F

44 votes

467 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

D

Roos and stew i grade out as B
but the 3 pile-o-fails in the middle are F’s

The best sig ever, reason 1, reason 2, reason 3, reason 4 Just got even Better, 0ne L0ve To Ben Breedl0ve

by Ice0ne (CAJ) on Jan 20, 2012 5:18 PM CST reply actions

Agree

Titan and Ole Miss fan that curses during games... It's not necessary but it happens.

by workingfarmer on Jan 20, 2012 5:21 PM CST up reply actions

Spot on…

by Cld12pk2go on Jan 20, 2012 10:41 PM CST up reply actions

A for pass protection and double F for run blocking = D

by Mikeyy on Jan 20, 2012 5:20 PM CST reply actions

gave them a D for the run game blocking

CJ was also a problem but none of our guys seemed to get any run game going. Could have gone with a C but, when we had a chance, Houston came out better. Don’t like that a bit.

Titan and Ole Miss fan that curses during games... It's not necessary but it happens.

by workingfarmer on Jan 20, 2012 5:21 PM CST reply actions

I gave them an F

Simply because of what we were told to expect at the start of the season. A strong run game with a pass game to keep us ticking over. I think a large reason our pass blocking looked better than our run blocking is because of hasslebeck getting the ball out early. I had such high hope for our O line, remember in the pre-season when jamie harper was running through massive lanes and we couldnt wait to see what cj would do with those holes. Unfortunately those holes didnt come anywhere near freequently enough. So just because of the major let down I went with F for the unit. But individually the tackles get B’s and the others get U’s. Which is a grade here in the UK you might not have in the US but it means “Ungraded”, basically you didnt do well enough to achieve a grade, but you still took part

I watch the Music City Miracle every time I visit MCM just because I can

by alijeal on Jan 20, 2012 5:49 PM CST reply actions

So a U is like a participation grade?

Or a: Hooray, you made an effort to show up to work today! So here’s a gold star-type grade?

Fan of: New Jersey Devils, Tennessee Titans, New Jersey Nets, New York Mets, and the U

by NJD28 on Jan 20, 2012 7:15 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Yes

Its a oooh look you showed up, but were too bad to graded at the same level as everyone else

I watch the Music City Miracle every time I visit MCM just because I can

by alijeal on Jan 20, 2012 7:18 PM CST up reply actions

Let me put it this way

If we want to make any noise next season within the division we must upgrade in three areas: interior offensive line, defensive end, and wide reciever positions. If we don’t upgrade in at least two of those three areas we are looking at another season without an appearance of the two toned blue in the post season.

I’m highly optimistic about the future of our team. However, I have a hunch that the 2012 Titans will have a worse record than our 2011 Titans. I say this due to the fact that out of all the draft eligible teams that missed the postseason, our Titans have gone 9-7 with the easiest SOS in the league.

Fan of: New Jersey Devils, Tennessee Titans, New Jersey Nets, New York Mets, and the U

by NJD28 on Jan 20, 2012 7:12 PM CST via mobile reply actions

Did we really have the easiest SOS? Thought the NFCN and AFCN were good divisions...

I’m also worried about next year, just because we play the NFCN and NFCE. That will be rough.

by NoMoreMustache on Jan 20, 2012 7:30 PM CST up reply actions

Preseason it was the tied easiest with the texans

I watch the Music City Miracle every time I visit MCM just because I can

by alijeal on Jan 20, 2012 7:37 PM CST up reply actions

Yes, but what the SoS was before the season and now could be COMPLETELY different. The Bengals were expected to have like 2 wins and they had 9. The Panthers had 6. etc. etc.

by NoMoreMustache on Jan 20, 2012 7:49 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah and the bucs went from 10 wins to 4.

I watch the Music City Miracle every time I visit MCM just because I can

by alijeal on Jan 21, 2012 9:29 AM CST up reply actions

they were the only ones whose record dropped off considerably from last years record

by jv1222 on Jan 21, 2012 1:04 PM CST up reply actions

Apart from the colts?

I watch the Music City Miracle every time I visit MCM just because I can

by alijeal on Jan 21, 2012 5:35 PM CST up reply actions

The Jags went from 7 to 5, Atlanta went from 13 to 10 and the Browns went from 5 to 4

Considering it was the easiest schedule before the season, that’s quite a few teams who failed to do as well as last year

I watch the Music City Miracle every time I visit MCM just because I can

by alijeal on Jan 21, 2012 5:53 PM CST up reply actions

D.

Their above average pass blocking at the beginning of the year keeps this from being an F, but they were worse in pass blocking as the season progressed.

You have been banned from Stampede Blue.
You apparently aren't interested in commenting on the Colts, but instead just want to take shots at editors for how we manage our blog. Thus, you're now no longer welcome.

by WinnipegTitanFan13 on Jan 20, 2012 8:10 PM CST reply actions

yeah man, it was sad to watch

The best sig ever, reason 1, reason 2, reason 3, reason 4 Just got even Better, 0ne L0ve To Ben Breedl0ve

by Ice0ne (CAJ) on Jan 20, 2012 10:06 PM CST up reply actions

C- is actually fair.

I was ready to grade out at D and the staff needs a mean streak. Heck we’ve all known that since we chose not to resign Mawae. But they held up well in pass protect, giving Hass time to use the check down and those dragging underneath crossing routs across the middle to convert and move the chains. You need time in the pocket for 5 step drops and he had plenty.

by -Erock on Jan 21, 2012 4:33 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions