The backbone of any successful football team is the offensive line. The unit sets the tone for the entire team. Seriously. If the linemen are physical and take no shit, the rest of the team will follow. You rarely see a good offensive line on a soft or bad team, unless there’s an injury at the quarterback position.
So it’s no surprise as we head toward the playoffs that the teams jockeying for spots are guided by their offensive lines. Some are even returning players to their units to bolster their playoff runs. Let’s take a look at these offensive lines and how they can help alter the playoff race.
NFC
We’ll start in the NFC, with three different contenders.
New Orleans Saints: The best OL from top to bottom this season
The Saints are second in pass blocking and third in run block, according to Pro Football Focus. They are first in adjusted line yards for rushing plays, according to Football Outsides.
This unit was the backbone of the team during Teddy Bridgewater’s time as the starter with Drew Brees out. Their offensive line will be hugely important down the stretch when the 49ers come to town in just a few weeks. That game will likely be for homefield advantage in the NFC.
The Saints’ offensive line will be the reason why they should win this game. The 49ers have two outstanding edge rushers in Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, but guess what? The Saints have tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk, who are both playing at an All-Pro level. This matchup should be awesome to watch, and it will determine the NFC playoff race.
San Francisco 49ers: OL injuries can’t derail this offense
Speaking of the 49ers, their offense has come together this season, even with injuries upfront. They lost right tackle Mike McGlinchey for four games, but he’s back now. Stalwart left tackle Joe Staley has been out seven of their 10 games.
The 49ers made no excuse when their linemen missed games. They hunkered down and made the best of it. Kyle Shanahan continued to run his offense. And I love it.
Their line holding up will be important in Week 12 and through the rest of the season. The Packers’ pass rush is legit and the best part of their defense. When the 49ers head into the dome to face the Saints in Week 14, it’ll be freaking loud. They have to contain Cam Jordan. Ditto for Jadeveon Clowney in Seattle to close out the season, especially after he roughed them up in their first meeting.
Dallas Cowboys: The best OL in the NFL for years now
It’s important as ever for the Cowboys’ offensive line to stay healthy because they don’t win often without left tackle Tyron Smith. With the defense not playing up to par this season, the offense has to carry the team, which means the offensive line needs to continue to play well. Dak Prescott is a serious MVP candidate, and his offensive line is keeping him healthy and upright.
This weekend, the Cowboys head into New England to face that beastly Patriots defense. What the Patriots do best is attack the weakness of an offense, and it’s most likely the left guard for the Cowboys.
But otherwise, the Cowboys should match up well against the Patriots. We saw the Pats’ defensive line can be run on when they played the Ravens, and I expect the Cowboys to attempt the same gameplan. I can’t wait for this matchup.
AFC
Now let’s switch over to the AFC and highlight three more playoff hopefuls.
New England Patriots: The OL might get their swagger back soon
The Patriots featured their offensive line heavily in their Super Bowl run last season. It was the hallmark of their march through the playoffs. They pounded on the Chargers and Chiefs, and then held Aaron Donald down in the Super Bowl.
I was at that AFC Championship Game against between the Chiefs and Patriots. The first thing I noticed during that game was the swagger of the Patriots’ offensive line coming out of the huddle. Arrowhead Stadium was rocking and their offensive line was not bothered. They got the play call, turned toward the line, and just walked with their chests puffed out to the ball and dominated the game.
They are missing that swagger this season, but they might be starting to get it back this week. Isaiah Wynn, their second-year left who missed all of his rookie season and most of this season, is off injured reserve. That will help the Patriots so much. Marshall Newhouse goes back to being a swing tackle, and the line will start to build up their chemistry.
This week, they get a Cowboys defensive line that’s middle of the road when you add together all their parts. This could be a “get right” game for the Patriots’ offensive line.
Kansas City Chiefs: The OL is finally all together again
Not long ago, the Chiefs’ season started to spiral out of control. Patrick Mahomes got hurt and even when he played, he wasn’t 100 percent and was getting hit too often. For some reason, we focused on Mahomes without talking much about how their offensive line had been beat up.
This past Monday night was the first time since Week 2 their starting offensive line had all been together. And it wasn’t just one player. It was their left tackle, who was out for almost eight weeks. And their left guard, who missed four weeks. And their right guard, who also didn’t play for a few weeks. The Chiefs just couldn’t catch a break.
But now, they get a bye week to continue to get healthy and head into an easy part of their schedule. Outside of the Patriots, they get all three division opponents at home, plus a Bears team in Week 16 that will be thinking about their beach trips. This is excellent for the Chiefs down the stretch.
The Baltimore Ravens: This OL keeps getting better
This offensive line has been outstanding. I was wrong about this offense, but I knew this offensive line had this in them. First, Marshal Yanda is a future Hall of Famer at right guard. The Ravens drafted Orlando Brown Jr. in 2018, and he played well as a rookie. Nothing has changed this season with him.
The development of left tackle Ronnie Stanley is the biggest plus this season for that line. He’s played at an All-Pro level and he’s kept Lamar Jackson upright this season. The Ravens play the Rams, 49ers, Steelers, Bills, and Jets defenses down the stretch. All of them have excellent rushing defenses, and this unit will need to continue their dominance.