According to many of the game’s aficionados, football is “the ultimate team sport.” Fans rave about the individual matchups the game provides, but it’s the factions on the team that make NFL franchises what they are. Corps such as the Los Angeles Rams “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line, the Pittsburgh Steelers “Steel Curtain” linebackers and the Cowboys bulldozing offensive line of the ‘90s contributed mighty toward their team’s success.
To further highlight the importance of group efforts, I’m working on a series entitled Boisterous Brigades. During this sequence, I will rank and breakdown the NFL’s premier duos, corps, tandems and fronts. Rounding out the offense, the focus will be on the offensive line.
The quarterback and skill position players constantly receive praise for their achievements, but the frontline guys are more than worthy of respect and appreciation. Considering that they have to create running lanes for halfbacks, allow the passer adequate time to throw the ball and to maintain continuity at all times, they simply deserve more credit. Regardless of who’s under center, in the backfield or on the outside, no offense is successful without the five men up front.
Several fronts could have easily been on this list. Based on statistics, some lines were excellent in creating holes in the ground game, yet gave up countless sacks and hits on the quarterback. Other fronts were the complete opposite, solid in pass protection with subpar efforts in the rushing game. The key was to find offensive lines that had respectable success between running and passing.
With that, the teams with the top five offensive lines in the NFL are as follows.
1. San Francisco 49ers
Much discussion about the Niners involves defense, but their physical offensive line has been consistently productive. Led by Pro Bowlers Joe Staley and Mike Iupati on the left side, this quintet has given Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore room to roam year after year. The line is not too shabby in the passing game either. Right tackle Anthony Davis has been a nice young piece for them. If all goes well with Center Alex Boone’s contract situation, San Fran will continue to dominate upfront.
2. Chicago Bears
2013 was an intriguing season for the Bears. A franchise known for its defensive reputation was immensely carried by its surprisingly-stellar offense, all starting with first-year head coach Marc Trestman. Coming in from the Canadian Football League, Trestman used his offensive prowess to construct the league’s eighth-best offense. Quarterback Luke McCown, receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery and running back Matt Forte had outstanding years, but the offensive line was the biggest difference. In years past, the Bears front five was among the worst in the game. They first hired New Orleans Saints O-line coach Aaron Kromer, a respected figure in the NFL. Then they acquired Saints Pro Bowl left tackle Jermon Bushrod via Free Agency. Chicago would go on to draft right guard Kyle Long in the first round. With the presence of these guys, along with veteran Roberto Garza, the Bears played tremendous.
3. San Diego Chargers
Establishing a favorite target in rookie wide-out Keenan Allen, Phillip Rivers enjoyed a superb Comeback Player of the Year campaign under new coach Mike McCoy. Finally healthy for a full season, running back Ryan Matthews rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second time in his career. Despite the production from the skill players, the NFL’s fifth-ranked offense benefited from solid line play. With veteran center Nick Hardwick and tackles King Dunlap and D.J. Flucker, the Chargers surrendered the fourth fewest sacks in the league (30) and rushed for 1,965 yards as a team.
4. Detroit Lions
The Lions have built one of the premier offenses in the NFL in recent years. Starting with drafting Calvin Johnson in 2007 and Matthew Stafford two years later, there has been no shortage of scoring in Motown. To become more balanced, Detroit added Reggie Bush to complement Joique Bell in the backfield. An offensive line led by left guard Rob Sims and center Dominic Raiola, the Lions gave up the second-fewest sacks in football (23) and rushed for 1,792 yards as a club.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
In just three seasons, the Bengals have assembled an efficient offensive attack. The most notable pieces are Andy Dalton and A.J. Green, a respected quarterback-receiver duo around the league. With rookie running back Jeremy Hill to split carries with Giovanni Bernard and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincy will have a three-headed monster in the backfield. Ultimately, their success will come from their line. Having two great tackles in Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith, Cincinnati allowed the third-fewest sacks (29) and ran for 1,755 yards on the ground in 2013.
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