In The Trenches: Second Quarter Review - AFC
November 2nd, 2002
The first 8 weeks of the season have flown by, and now it's time to take another look at the performance of the various AFC teams' offensive and defensive fronts. Which teams are improving, which are regressing at the half-way point of the season? Who's lost out to the injury bug, and who's avoiding that particular bane? After the review is said and done, I'll highlight the three most improved and the three most degraded offensive lines and defensive fronts in the AFC over the second quarter of the season.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills' offensive line has been redeeming itself as far as run blocking goes over the second quarter of the season. They have improved from 78.8 yards per game to 96.8 yards per game (+18 yards per game) at the half-way point. That improvement moves them from 26th in the league to 22nd. Their yards per carry average increased from 3.7 (21st) to 4.1 yards per carry (19th) - almost � a yard per carry better. They remain very poor at protecting the passer, though, allowing 30 sacks so far this season (31st in the league) - 17 more in the second quarter of the season!
Their defense has held steady at an unimpressive 125 yards per game allowed (24th in the NFL), exactly the same per game average as during the first quarter of the season. They allow opposing backs to gain 4.4 yards per rush, (18th in the NFL), down slightly from the 4.5 yards per carry clip in the first quarter of the season. They remain aggressive pass rushers, with 19 sacks to their credit (9th in the NFL) - 7 more than at the � mark.
Linebacker Brandon Spoon and back-up running back Shawn Bryson are on IR, but otherwise the Bills remain healthy thus far in the season.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins' line continues to be dominant in pass blocking, allowing only 3 more sacks in the second quarter of the season, to rank 1st in the NFL with 7 sacks allowed in 2002. The rushing attack dropped a bit, from 165.3 yards per game (3rd in the NFL, first quarter) to 141 yards per game (6th at the half-way point), a decline of ~ 25 yards per game. Their per-carry average also dropped to a more commonplace 4.3 yards a rush (14th in the NFL), down from 5.1 yards per carry (3rd in the NFL).
The defensive front has dramatically improved their sack total - going from only 6 sacks in the early going (20th in the NFL) to 17 sacks at the half-way point (13th in the league). They are holding steady in the top 10 in rushing defense, allowing 93 yards per game (1 less on average than during the first quarter) which ranks 7th in the NFL, and allowing only 3.7 yards per rush (5th in the league), a slight increase from their first quarter mark of 3.6 yards per carry.
Offensive tackle Brent Smith is on IR, otherwise the Dolphins passed through the first half in good shape on both units.
New England Patriots
The Patriot's rushing attack regressed in the second quarter of the season, dropping 12 yards per game on average to 91 yards per game (23rd in the league) from 103 (17th). The per-carry average remained almost constant, dipping slightly to 4.0 (20th in the NFL) from 4.1 (16th). The number of sacks allowed have also jumped by 10, from 6 (9th in the league) to 16 (18th).
The defensive front has improved somewhat, going from dead last in yards per carry allowed (5.6) to 23rd in the NFL (4.5) - still bad, but not absolutely terrible. They are constant at 29th in the NFL allowing 142 yards per game (up one from their quarterly average of 141). The rate of sacking has dropped dramatically - the Patriots only managed to add 4 over the second quarter, to 17, dropping from 4th in the NFL to 13th.
Guard Steve Neal has landed on IR for the Pats, and starting DE Anthony Pleasant has a serious shoulder injury that is hampering him quite a bit through the last few games.
New York Jets
How bad is the Jets' offensive line? Well, they improved their average yards per game by 18 yards in the second quarter, and still rank 30th in the NFL at 78 yards per game! They managed to improve their average yards per carry to 3.8 (from 3.6) but remain 22nd ranked in the league. The Jets did cut down on the number of sacks allowed, only 6 occurred in the second quarter, compared to 13 in the first (19 total sacks = 23rd in the league).
The defensive front improved their numbers somewhat (but not their rankings) - they allowed 157 yards per game (31st in the league) down from 185 per contest in the first quarter. They are still trampled for 5.0 yards per carry on average (no improvement, 31st in the league) and only added 3 more sacks in the second quarter (to 10, 30th in the NFL.)
G Dave Szott remains on the PUP list with his torn right ACL.
Baltimore Ravens
The Raven's rushing attack really improved in the second quarter, adding 29 yards to their per-game average (from 72 to 101 yards per game), and now rank 21st in the league (up from 30th). Their per-rush average moved up from 3.1 (29th) to 3.9 (21st). Pass blocking remains solid - the team now ranks 5th in the league with only 12 sacks allowed (+6 since the first quarter).
Even with the loss of Ray Lewis, the defense has remained strong against the rush in the second quarter, allowing an average of 103 yards on the season (a drop of 2 yards per game in the average) - 12th in the NFL. They keep opposing rushers to 4.0 yards per rush, 10th in the league (a drop-off from the first quarter, when they allowed only 3.6 per rush, 5th in the NFL). The Ravens also added 10 sacks to their total, they now rank 17th in the league with 16 sacks.
Huge losses on defense may negatively impact the team in the third quarter - Ray Lewis may be gone for the season, and Michael McCrary is unable to play right now with a knee injury. DE Marques Douglas is on IR (Lewis may join him shortly).
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals keep losing, and Corey Dillon keeps playing like a winner (whenever possible). The Bengals have the 17th ranked rushing attack in the NFL currently, generating 111 yards per game, on average. That is a 28 yard per game improvement in the average during the second quarter of the season (from 83 yards - 22nd ranked). They have improved their per-carry average from 3.6 yards per rush (22nd) to 4.3 yards per rush (14th in the NFL). They also cut way down on the number of sacks allowed, from 14 in the first quarter (30th) to 20 during the first half (+6, ranking 25th in the league currently).
The defense still stinks, though. The Bengals are dead last after half the season with 8 sacks (+3 over the second quarter); rank 28th vs. the rush at 141.7 yards per game allowed (no improvement in the second quarter) and rank 18th allowing 4.4 yards per carry, and increase of .2 yards per carry over the first quarter (18th in the NFL).
OT's Richmond Webb (torn left pectoral muscle) and Jamain Stephens (torn left rotator cuff) are on IR for the offensive unit.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland rushing attack collapsed in the second quarter of the season, dropping to dead last in the NFL per game at 75.3 yards per game, on average - a decline of 12 yards per game on average from their 21st ranked average of 87.3 yards per game at the � mark. They now rank 27th at 3.5 yards per carry (a drop of .3 yards per tote since the � mark), a decline from their 21st spot early in the year. Only the pass blocking has remained constant, allowing 7 more sacks for a total of 15 on the season (15th in the league).
The defensive line has not improved and actually is a little worse over the second quarter - they held constant at 135 yards allowed per game (27th in the NFL, currently) but are now allowing an average of 4.5 yards per carry on the season, up from 4.1 4 weeks ago. The Browns have added 10 sacks to their total, now ranked 17th with 16 for the season.
Defensive end Felipe Claybrooks (knee) and linebacker Jamir Miller (Achilles) are on IR for the defensive front so far in 2002.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are vastly improved in the second quarter of the season. They have added 43 yards per game to their average over the second quarter, moving from 79.7 yards per game (24th in the league) to 123.1 yards per game (13th). Their per carry average skyrocketed from 3.1 yards per carry (29th in the NFL) to 4.3 yards per carry (14th) a 1.2 yards per carry improvement in the average! The line is steady at pass blocking, allowing only 13 sacks this season (7th in the NFL) - an additional 8 sacks in the past four weeks.
The defense has also clamped down, improving their yards per carry allowed average to 4.0 (10th in the NFL) from 4.8 (27th ) at the � mark. They allow only 88.4 yards per game, down from an average of 94 (4th best mark in the league, currently) and have added 10 sacks to their total in the last four weeks, ranking 13th in the NFL with 20.
No members of either unit are currently on IR.
Houston Texans
The Texans may be the worst pass blockers in the history of the NFL. Poor David Carr has been sacked 44 times in the first half of the season! That's another 28 sacks to add to their league-worst total of 16 from the first quarter! Their rushing attack has improved only marginally over the past four weeks, going from 98 yards per game (18th ranked) to 101 yards per game (20th). The per-carry average has crept up .2 yards, from 3.4 (24th) to 3.6 (25th).
The defense held it's ground in the second quarter, adding 9 more sacks to total 20 on the season (6th in the NFL), and also held their per-carry allowed average almost steady at 4.2 yards per rush (17th in the league), a slight .1 increase from the first quarter. The Texans rank 22nd at 122.4 yards per game allowed, up 5.4 yards from their previous mark of 117 (22nd).
OT Tony Boselli, who was supposed to protect Carr's blind side, never made it back to game-shape, he's on IR now.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are definitely headed in the wrong direction in the rushing phase of their game - they have dropped ~24 yards per game off their average rushing total (from 111.7 to 88.1) - they rank 28th in the league at the half-way point. Their per-rush average declined .3 yards per carry from 3.9 (18th) to 3.6 (25th). Also, they have allowed 10 sacks in the last four weeks, moving from 3rd in the league at 4 sacks allowed to 12th in the league with 14.
The defense is also spiraling downward over the past four weeks - the Colts are allowing 11 more yards per game on average (to 147.4 (30th in the NFL) from 136 (26th)). Their yards-per-carry allowed average has shot up to 4.8 (29th) from 4.2 (22nd), a gain of over � a yard per carry. They dropped to 26th in the league at rushing the passer, with a total of 12 sacks (6 more than their 20th ranked total at the quarter-way point).
Defensive lineman Chukie Nworkie (back) is on IR for the Colts.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville's offensive line backslid quite a bit in the past four weeks, allowing 11 more sacks (one of which resulted in a severely concussed Mark Brunell), to drop from 1st in pass protection to 12th. They dropped 18 yards per game from their average (declining from 157 to 139) moving them from 4th to 8th in the NFL. Their per-carry average also declined slightly over the past four weeks, from 4.7 (9th) to 4.5 (10th).
The defense improved in their sacking totals - going from only 4 in the first quarter to 16 at the half-way point (from 31st to 17th in the NFL). They held the average yards per carry allowed steady at 4.1 per rush, and allowed a slight increase in yards per game from 107 yards per game (18th in the league) to 125 yards per game (23rd).
Offensive tackle Maurice Williams (broken right leg), defensive end Tony Brackens (knee surgery), defensive lineman Tim Morabito (groin), offensive tackle Chris Ziemann (torn left ACL) and guard Derrick Chambers (neck) are on injured reserve, at this point in the season.
Tennessee Titans
Tennessee has improved their rushing offense quite a bit over the past four weeks, going from 72 yards per game (30th in the NFL) to 90 yards per game (24th) on average, an improvement of 18 yards to their season average. The average yards per carry moved up from 31st (2.9 yards per carry) to 27th (3.5), over � a yard of improvement. They line continues to protect the quarterback well, the Titans have allowed only 13 sacks this season (7th in the NFL), and addition of 6 over the past four weeks.
The defense is moving in the opposite direction, though. The Titans have only added 4 sacks to their season total, dropping from 7th in the NFL with 12 to 17th in the NFL with 16. Their yards allowed per game skyrocketed to 115 yards per game (16th in the NFL) from 82 yards per game (5th in the league) - an increase of 33 yards to the season average. The yards-per-carry average also jumped, from 3.7 (8th, NFL) to 4.4 (18th), a .7 per rush increase in the average.
Defensive tackle Kris Kocurek (shoulder) is on IR for the Titans thus far in 2002.
Denver Broncos
Denver's rushing unit maintained it's top ten ranking through the second 4 weeks of the season, and are currently the 9th ranked attack at 134 yards per game (a slight decline from the first quarter mark of 141 yards per game) and the average yards per rush have declined from the astronomical 5.0 yards per rush to a still-excellent 4.5 yards per tote (10th in the league). The line is allowing way too many sacks though, currently at 23 (28th in the NFL), although they did cut the number allowed in the second quarter by half, to 8 (from 15, 31st in the NFL).
The defense continues to play excellently, adding 10 sacks to their total in the past four weeks to 20 (6th in the NFL). They are still the top ranked rushing defense allowing only 74 yards per game (up from 57 in the first quarter) and only 3.5 yards per rush (up from the miniscule 2.9 average in the first quarter).
Center Tom Nalen (knee) and running back Terrell Davis (knee) are the missing members of the offensive unit so far in 2002 (both are on IR).
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs continue their dominance as a rushing team, currently ranking as the 3rd best attack in the NFL at 159.4 yards per game on average (a slight decline from their 169 yard average in the first quarter). They are 2nd in yards per carry at 5.2 per rush (a small decline of .2 yards from the early going). The pass protection is excellent, too - only 13 sacks allowed (7th in the NFL), although 9 of those came in the second quarter of the season.
The defensive line remains mired in mediocrity, managing only 5 more sacks in the last four weeks (for 12 total - 20th in the league). Opposing backs gain 4.9 yards per carry (30th) on the Chiefs, moving up the average by .5 yards from first quarter's mark of 4.4 (25th). They are 15th in the league allowing 114 yards per game, up 16 yards on the season average from the first quarters' 98 yards per game mark.
Defensive tackle Ryan Sims (elbow) and defensive end Jabbar Threats (shoulder) are out for the season on the Chief's defensive front.
Oakland Raiders
The Raider's units are both coming back down to Earth after a stellar start. On the offensive side of the ball, the average rushing yards per game has fallen to 104.7 (19th in the NFL) from the first quarter mark of 135.3 yards per game (9th), a decline of 31 yards in the season average. The average yards per carry had droped from 5.2 (2nd) to 4.9 (4th) - Charlie Garner is averaging 7.0 yards per carry on his rushes, a decline of � a yard from the first quarter. The line has also allowed 17 sacks so far (+8 in the second quarter), ranking 21st in the league.
The defense has really collapsed, going from 53 yards per game on average (1st) to a season average of 100.1 yards, an increase of 47 yards per game in the season average! The yards-per-carry allowed average has mushroomed to 4.1 (14th in the NFL) from 3.2 (2nd in the NFL), a change of almost an entire yard per carry. The Raiders have finally started to sack the opposing quarterback, adding 13 to their first quarter total of 5 to rank 11th in the NFL at the half-way point.
San Diego Chargers
It's hard to stay at the top, and the Chargers have plummeted all the way to #2 in the NFL after their break-neck start in the first quarter of the season. They are 2nd in the league averaging 161.7 yards of rushing per game (a 20 yard decline in the average from the high-water mark in the first quarter), and are 5th in the league averaging 4.8 yards per carry (down from 4.9). The team has only allowed 8 sacks all season (+3 over the past four weeks), which is good for 2nd in the league.
The defense is in the top 5 across the board, ranking 4th in sacks (22, +6 in the last four weeks), 2nd in yards per game allowed (78.7, a drop of 2 yards from their first quarter mark of 77 (3rd in the NFL at the time)), and have dropped the average yards allowed per carry to 3.6 (4th in the NFL) from 3.8 (then-11th).
Gainers and Decliners
The teams that have most improved their offensive line performance in the second quarter are: the Bengals, Steelers, and Titans. Losers in this category are the Browns, the Colts and the Jaguars. The Colts manage a double-dip by also ranking among the most poorly performing defensive units in the second quarter, joined by the Raiders and the Titans. The improvements on defensive front play are more modest than the moves among declining defenses (where some teams absolutely tanked), but the kudos go to the Steelers (moving up in both categories) the Patriots and the Dolphins.
Next week: Second Quarter NFC Review
Mark Wimer
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