In The Trenches: First Quarter Review - AFC
October 5th, 2002
A lot of factors impact how a fantasy football franchise's season progresses. Some things are quite obvious - injuries (David Boston's bad ankle the last few weeks), benching (Vinny Testaverde), and league mandated suspensions (Randy Moss?) all can cause trouble for your club. One of the main elements that impacts the scoring of fantasy football stars - quarterbacks, running backs, and defensive teams most especially - is the performance of two key units - the offensive and the defensive lines. When an offensive line is blocking well, running backs like Priest Holmes and Ricky Williams tear up the NFL and light up fantasy scoreboards. When they stink, like the New York Jets, the runners behind the line disappoint. Similarly, defensive teams that were expected to be dominant forces in fantasy football this season - the Packers and the Bears, for example - are giving up many more points than anyone anticipated, partially due to problems with their defensive lines.
Below are statistical snapshots and commentary on the 16 AFC teams' performance thus far in the season. The information should help you in making free agent pickups among the defensive teams, running backs, and quarterbacks, if you need to improve in these areas, and will also be of assistance in evaluating trade offers that come your way.
Buffalo Bills
The Bill's offensive line is playing pretty mediocre football this season. Even though they are a healthy bunch at the one-quarter mark of the season, the Bills rank near the bottom of the league in several key statistics: they are tied for 26th in the league allowing 13 quarterback sacks; currently 25th in the league with 78.8 yards per game of rushing offense on average; and 21st in the league averaging 3.7 yards per rush on average. No wonder Travis Henry struggles at times.
The Bills defensive front is also unimpressive, though healthy. They rank 23rd in the NFL allowing 125 yards per game; and 26th in the league allowing an average of 4.5 yards per carry to opposing rushers. The one bright spot for the Bills is their sack numbers - the Bills have put clamps on opposing players 12 times this season, good for 7th in the league.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins' offensive line is providing Ricky Williams with plenty of running room in 2002. Aside from some minor injuries that have bothered some of the starters, they are a healthy bunch and look strong heading into the middle portion of the season. The 'Fins are tied at 3rd in the NFL allowing only 4 sacks; they rank 3rd in the league averaging 5.1 yards per carry; and are third in the league with an average of 165.3 yards per game in rushing offense.
Aside from nursing some minor dings, the Miami defensive front has also remained healthy this season so far. Currently 9th in the NFL allowing 94 yards per game, the Dolphins also are near the top of the NFL allowing only 3.6 yards per rush so far (tie-5th), and have generated a relatively modest 6 sacks (tie-20th).
New England Patriots
The Patriots' deep and experienced line is doing a workmanlike job this season. They haven't lost anyone to a major injury in 2002, and have worked through the few personnel challenges they have faced. They rank a respectable 17th in the NFL in average rushing yards per game, 102.5; are at 4.1 yards per rush on average (tie-16th); and have allowed only 6 sacks on the season (tie-9th).
The defensive line is another story, however. After a promising start in the first two games, the Patriots have been trampled by Priest Holmes and LaDainian Tomlinson. They were mauled so badly that the defense now lurks in the lowest echelon of the NFL vs. opposing rushing attacks. On the season, the Patriots are 29th vs. the rush, allowing an average of 141 yards per game and they are dead last (32nd) in terms of average rush allowed (5.6 yards per carry). They have managed a respectable 13 sacks of the opposition, though (tie-4th in the NFL).
New York Jets
Woefully bad - that is the best description of both offensive and defensive line units on this basement-dwelling team. The statistics speak for themselves: 26th in the NFL allowing 13 sacks; 32nd in the NFL generating 60.3 rushing yards per game; 22nd in the NFL averaging 3.6 yards per rush.
The defense is just as sorry: 31st in the NFL allowing 185 yards per game on the ground; 29th in the NFL allowing an average rush of 5.0 yards per carry; tied for 17th in the NFL with 7 sacks.
A sinking ship, indeed.
Baltimore Ravens
Struggling but improving are the terms to characterize the Raven's performance over the first half of the season. As Jamal Lewis has found his game legs, against 3 consecutive top 10 rushing defenses, the offensive line has begun to open holes for him. Currently, the Ravens are fairly low statistically speaking - they rank 30th in the league averaging 72 yards per game rushing; are 29th in the league with a 3.1 yards per rush average; and tied for 9th in the league allowing only 6 sacks. Those numbers should improve in the second quarter of the season.
The defensive front is playing fairly well against the opposing teams - the Ravens rank 5th in the league allowing a stingy 3.6 yards per rush; while they are 16th in the league allowing 105 rushing yards per game, and tied for 20th in the league with 6 sacks. Not bad, considering they are a reconstituted and inexperienced unit. As long as Ray Lewis is on the field, the Ravens should continue their hard-nosed ways.
Cincinnati Bengals
Words fail to describe how awful the Bengals are in 2002. Even the statistics make it look better than it really is in the 'Nati. Part of the problem on offense is the severely lacerated knee that RG Mike Goff is struggling to heal, but that's really only a small part of the malaise. The Bengals currently rank #22 in the NFL with 83 yards per game on average; they are also tied with the Jets averaging 3.6 yards per carry (22nd in the league); and have allowed 14 sacks (30th in the league). Credit the brilliant talent of Corey Dillon for making the numbers look mediocre, because he is getting zero support from the passing game.
The defense is absolutely exhausted, currently ranking 28th in the league against the rush, allowing 140 yards per game. They are 24th in the league with 5 sacks, and allow an average of 4.1 yards per rush (tie-17th in the NFL).
Cleveland Browns
The Browns are starting to make some good things happen in the rushing game, now that William Green is becoming less of a focus of the attack and Jamel White is getting a chance to show the rookie how things are done in the NFL. Through the first quarter of the season, the Browns rank in the bottom third of the NFL, generating 87.3 yards per game on average (21st); for an average rush of 3.8 yards per carry (White averages 5.1 yards per carry on 45 carries, Green averages 2.4 on his 40 carries); and they give their quarterbacks adequate protection, allowing 8 sacks so far (tie-16th in the league).
The defense is still working to overcome the season-long absence of key linebacker Jamir Miller, but the defensive front has stiffened somewhat since Priest Holmes (122 yards) and Corey Dillon (108 yards) ran freely week one and two. On the season, the Browns rank 25th in yards surrendered per game (135); they are tied at 17th allowing 4.1 yards per rush; and have managed 6 sacks (tie-20th in the league).
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are reeling in 2002, and their offensive line has to take part of the blame. While they have provided adequate protection for the quarterbacks (5 sacks allowed, tie-7th in the NFL), they have not effective in run blocking, ranking 29th in the NFL with a 3.1 yards per rush average, and 24th in the league with a mere 79.7 yards per game average - this from a unit (which returned almost intact this season) that put up over 2000 yards in rushing last season! A big disappointment, to say the least.
The Steeler's defensive front hasn't been much to crow about, either. They currently rank 10th in the NFL at 94 yards allowed per game (but much of that is due to the first two games in the season, when Brady and Gannon shelled the Steelers through the air) - but they are 27th in the league allowing 4.8 yards per rush! The Steelers are still getting to opposing quarterbacks, they have10 sacks on the season, tied for 10th in the NFL.
Houston Texans
There is only one word for the Texan's offensive line - pathetic. A unit that was supposed to be the core of the offense is still riddled with injuries after the first 4 weeks, and no improvement is in sight. The Texans are dead last in the NFL, allowing 16 sacks of "the franchise" David Carr. They are 24th in the league in yards per rush, averaging 3.4 yards per carry, and they are 18th in the NFL averaging 98.3 yards per game.
On defense the picture is somewhat less bleak, with the Texans allowing an average of 117 yards per game (22nd in the league) for an average rush of 4.1 yards per carry (17th in the league). They are getting to the opposing quarterbacks, having amassed 11 sacks in the first quarter of the season (9th in the NFL).
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts' offensive line remains one of the top units in the NFL this season, ranking 3rd overall at protecting the passer, allowing only 4 sacks so far. They rank 16th in the league in rushing yards per game, at 111.7, and are tied for 18th at 3.9 yards per carry, on average.
The defensive front is, as usual, not as strong as their counterparts on offense. Currently, the Colts are 26th in the league, allowing 136 yards per game on average. They rank 22nd in the NFL allowing 4.2 yards per carry on average, and have sacked opposing quarterbacks 6 times (tied-20th in the NFL).
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are playing really well on the offensive line, and have answered a lot of skeptics with their performance in the first quarter of the season. They lead the league with only 3 quarterback sacks allowed; are currently 4th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (157 yards per game on average) and are currently averaging 4.7 yards per carry (9th in the NFL). Quite a dramatic turn-around from last season, when Brunell was sacked every time he turned around.
On the defensive front, the Jaguars are playing credibly. They are ranked #18 in the NFL allowing 107 yards per game on average; and rank 17th allowing 4.1 yards per carry so far. They have only managed to garner 4 sacks, though, tied for last in the league.
Tennessee Titans
Oh, how the mighty have fallen - few teams have struggled more than the Titans this season. The once-feared rushing attack is in the doldrums, thanks to poor run-blocking and injuries to the backs - currently, the Titans rank 30th in the league, averaging 72 yards of rushing per game. They are next to last in average yards per carry - 2.9 - and have allowed 7 sacks, tied for 12th in the league.
The defensive front isn't bad at all, although the secondary is so awful that few teams bother to run at the Titans. When they do, the opposition averages 3.7 yards per carry (tie-8th in the league) and a meager 82 yards per game (5th in the NFL). Even in the absence of "the Freak", Jevon Kearse, the Titans are getting good pressure on opposing quarterbacks, putting up 12 sacks (tied for 7th in the NFL). Don't blame the defensive line for the Titan's woes!
Denver Broncos
The Orange Crush is back, thanks to Ray Rhodes and company - and the triple-threat backfield of Clinton Portis, Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary are getting it done on offense, too.
Denver's offense is powered by their rushing attack - averaging 141.3 yards per game in 2002, and gaining 5.0 yards per carry - a very hefty average per rush! The only area where the line is failing to keep up it's end of the bargain is in pass-blocking. Denver has surrendered 15 sacks this season - only the expansion Texans have allowed more.
The defensive front is playing magnificently, currently ranked #2 in terms of yards allowed per game (57), # 1 in average yards per carry (2.9!) and has harassed opposing quarterbacks with 10 sacks on the season (tie-10th in the NFL). That's called getting it done in the NFL.
Kansas City Chiefs
Has any back looked better this season than Priest Holmes? He should be buying the big fellas up front a ton of steak dinners, because they are awesome run blockers - left, middle or right, the average rush is above 5.0 yards per carry - and at or above 6.0 on the right or left! Wow! #2 in yards per game at 169.3, #1 in yards per carry at 5.4, and tied for 3rd allowing only 4 sacks. They are a prime example of a dominant offensive line.
Good thing the offensive line is so solid, because the defensive line isn't nearly as good, and the secondary is abysmally bad. The defensive front is ranked 12th in the NFL surrendering 98 yards per game, and falls at 25th in the league allowing 4.4 yards per carry. They don't scare opposing quarterbacks often, either, with a modest 7 sacks thus far on the season (tie-17th in the NFL).
Oakland Raiders
What is it with the AFC West this season? Did all the coaches go to a "How to Run the Ball Effectively" seminar in the off-season? Seriously - Charlie Garner, Priest Holmes, LaDainian Tomlinson and the Denver trio - what a division!
Charlie Garner is having a superb season for the Raiders, and his line is blowing open monster holes for him to run through. The team is averaging 5.2 yards per rush (good for 2nd in the NFL - that includes bruisers Tyrone Wheatley's carries (3.7 per carry average)), but Garner is averaging 7.5 yards per carry on 32 rushes! That is simply amazing. The team ranks 9th in the NFL with 135.3 yards per game. The only small weakness so far is that the line has allowed 9 sacks so far, tied for 19th in the NFL.
As good as the offensive line is, the defensive front is just as impressive. They rank 1st in the NFL allowing 53 yards per game, and are 2nd in terms of yards per carry (3.2). One anemic statistic: their number of sacks is miniscule at 5 so far, tied for 24th in the league.
San Diego Chargers
Coach Schottenheimer wants to send the NFL back to the "Neanderthal age", and guess what? His run-first, run-second, run-up-the-gut philosophy is working, big-time. The Chargers lead the league with 182 yards per game on average, in spite of losing veteran C Corey Raymer for the season, and in spite of starting undrafted rookie Jason Ball in Raymer's place and going with rookie Toniu Fonoti at RG. The Chargers are 7th in the NFL with a 4.9 yards per rush average, and tied for 7th allowing only 5 sacks so far.
The defensive front is also ferocious, currently ranked 3rd in the league with 77 yards allowed per game. They are second in the league with 16 sacks, and 11th in terms of yards allowed per carry, at 3.8.
Next week: First quarter NFC review
Mark Wimer
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