Ultimate Fantasy Football Strategy - Offensive Line Analysis

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Green Bay Packers

2008 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Chad Clifton
Left Guard: Daryn Colledge
Center: Scott Wells
Right Guard: Jason Spitz
Right Tackle: Mark Tauscher

2007 Injuries:
RG Jason Spitz: Week 4
C Scott Wells: Weeks 6 to 8
G Junius Coston: Weeks 6 to 9

2007 Statistics:

LEFT END		LEFT TACKLE		MID/GUARD		RIGHT TACKLE		RIGHT END		Passing
ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	Sacks	Rank
3.98	18	3.98	22	4.1	17	4.23	17	3.45	27	19	3

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
� [2007] Football Outsiders, Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview:
The Green Bay Packers offensive line has not given up more than 30 sacks in a season since 2000, a trend which continued in 2007 as the team only gave up 19 sacks and ranked third in the NFL. Brett Favre’s ability to get rid of the ball quickly certainly helps in that department. The Packers only broke 100 yards rushing once in the first six weeks of the season but started looking much better later in the year when Ryan Grant took over.

At tackle, the Packers can count on the two veterans LT Chad Clifton and RT Mark Tauscher, both of whom were selected in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Packers. Clifton was named to his first Pro Bowl last season despite being one of the NFL’s best pass blocking tackles for a number of years. At 6’5” and 320 lbs, Clifton is very strong and quite athletic for his size but has struggled opening holes in the running game. He is not a great fit for McCarthy’s zone-blocking run scheme but has still managed to do a decent job. On the other side of the line, Tauscher is a very solid tackle who has never received the respect he deserves from scouts. He was a 7th round draft pick in 2000 and became starter halfway through his rookie season when Earl Dotson went down with an injury. Tauscher is not the strongest or most athletic lineman but makes up for those weaknesses with his excellent technique and intensity. 2006 draft pick Tony Moll is a very smart young player who adjusted very well to the tackle position when Tauscher went down with an injury in 2006. Moll only made the switch from TE to T in his senior season in college so should continue to improve as he gains experience. The Packers also added tackles Josh Sitton and Breno Giacomini in the fourth and fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

The guard position for the Packers is the weak link of the offense. On the left side, Daryn Colledge is a very athletic lineman but lacks the strength to create holes in the running game and often gets pushed back by bigger defensive tackles. Colledge was a tackle at Boise State and his eventual spot on the line may be at LT where he will be able to use his speed much more effectively. Colledge has however shown a strong willingness to learn and could be much improved this season if he builds up his strength. Jason Spitz is another 2006 draft pick who has improved quickly but is still an average starter at best. Spitz is a very versatile lineman who can play any of the interior positions on the line. He has decent strength but lacks the athleticism to take his game to another level. Junius Coston provides depth on the line and his remarkable athleticism allows him to play any position on the line. He is capable of competing with Colledge and Spitz for a starting spot on the line but he has never shown the same intensity and willingness to learn that the other two have. Allen Barbre also has great speed and could also compete for a starting job this year but still has a lot to learn, coming from Division II in college.

Scott Wells will return as the starting center for the Packers for a third consecutive season. Wells is small for an offensive lineman and although he has shown some pretty good strength for his size, he will get overpowered by bigger defensive tackles at times. He is very tough and has shown great awareness to recognize defenses. He is an above average starter who is likely to be the starting center for the Packers for many years.

2008 Outlook:
The Packers offensive line will return its five starters for the 2008 season. Clifton and Tauscher are getting older and may start getting beat to the outside more often. The Packers can count on four young guards but most of them lack strength and will get pushed into the backfield too often. Favre did a very good job of finding his receivers quickly and managed to hide the lack of strength on the interior. This could however become a problem in 2008 with the young Rodgers stepping in at QB. Rodgers was sacked three times in only 31 drop backs in 2008 and he will have to learn to get rid of the ball much quicker or the lack of strength on this line will become very obvious. The line was atrocious in run blocking for the first nine weeks averaging only 3.3 yards per carry, partly due to injuries as well as the backs inability to hit the holes quickly. Grant made the line look much better in the second half of the season as the Packers averaged 4.8 yards per carry and Grant ran for over 200 yards against the Seahawks in the playoffs. The complicated scheme has made it tough for the young linemen but they should continue to improve. As the interior linemen continue to build strength and gain experience, the holes should stay open a little longer for Grant but the Packers will continue to struggle against big defensive fronts such as the Giants and the Vikings.

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