Rams Saints Colts among Offensive Line of the Year nominees

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Rams, Saints, Colts among Offensive Line of the Year nominees Published: Feb 01, 2019 at 01:10 AM NFL.com Analyst Indianapolis Colts The were one of the best stories of the 2018 season, as the offensive line pulled a complete 180 and went from giving up the most sacks in 2017 to the least amount this season. That's hard to do for any group, and it's even harder with a quarterback who hadn't played in over a year and a half. Thanks to GM Chris Ballard, the Profe sional Football Writers of America's 2018 Executive of the Year, the now have the players to protect their franchise quarterback, , as was evident this season. The highlight of the offensive line was the play of rookie left guard . The top-graded left guard this season by Pro Football Focus, Nelson gave up some penalties early on, but eventually settled down in pa s protection and didn't allow a sack or quarterback hit in his final five games. The rookie was PFF's second-ranked run-blocking guard and third-best guard overall. The scary thing is there is still room for Nelson, who didn't mi s a single offensive snap all year, to improve. There's no doubt he has helped change the culture in the room and was always there to pick up his running back after the play. Nobody did it more often or as enthusiastically than Big Q. Another rookie who played a big role in the offensive line's turnaround was Andrew Booth Jr. Jersey right tackle , who allowed just three sacks this season. That's an impre sive campaign considering he was a guard in college; his athleticism allowed him to slide outside to tackle. mi sed several games, but really established himself as one of the more physical centers in the league when healthy. Los Angeles Rams The had one of the highest-scoring and most explosive offenses in the league. They put up gaudy numbers in part because they have great offensive weapons, but don't get it twisted: The offensive line provided the foundation to do so. The unit that protected was led by . One of the most consistent players up front, Havenstein allowed just two sacks and was one of the league's top right tackles. Right guard enjoyed a great season in which he didn't give up a single sack while playing in more than 1,100 offensive snaps. The were the only team this season to have all five starters log at least 1,000 snaps, a major reason for great chemistry and why they are playing Sunday. Despite being one of the le s-heralded Matt Blair Jersey guys of the group, center excelled in combination blocks. Any good center will tell you he's only as good as his guards, and they really excelled at the second level as a group. allowed three sacks in another steady campaign and earned PFF's second-highest run-blocking grade among guards. Veteran just does not seem to age as he continues to be a phenom at left tackle. He was great in both the run and pa s games -- and is the player who leads the charge on most runs to the left side. Impre sively, this group allowed just 13 sacks this season, according to PFF. New England Patriots The quietly had one of the best O-lines this season. Sure, gets the ball out quickly, but he got some help from the guys up front to become the least-pre sured quarterback this season. The were tremendous in the ground attack, as the running backs gained more rushing yards before contact than any other team outside of the . This group has definitely benefited from O-line coach Dante Scarnecchia's tutelage. The entire line has great feet, hands and similar technique, a sign of good coaching. was PFF's top-ranked guard in the league and hasn't allowed a sack since Week 1. Mason is an elite pulling guard and does a great job with his leverage in the run game. Left guard has made strides this season and remarkably hasn't allowed a sack as the team's premier pa s blocker. Center had another solid campaign and worked well with to get everyone on the same page from a protection standpoint. Tackles and allowed a combined five sacks, and Brown proved by playing a vital role in the run game. New Orleans Saints The were led by tackles and , who were both among PFF's best run-blocking tackles in 2018. That's extremely impre sive, considering Armstead mi sed a chunk of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. He also allowed just one sack all year and solidified himself as one of the league's elite tackles. Ramczyk was the unit's best player and was recognized by PFF as the league's second-highest graded tackle. Plus, the ' ground game averaged 6.6 yards per carry when running behind Ramczyk. was a big part of the ' succe s, filling in when Armstead went down. Bushrod didn't allow a sack on 372 snaps in relief. Guards and each allowed Tyler Conklin Jersey a pair of sacks this season, while had a solid campaign in which he had zero penalties while not mi sing a snap at center. Although Unger struggled with pa s pro early in the season, he rarely gets fooled by the defense and is good in space at the second level. The biggest takeaway from this unit was was the second-least-pre sured quarterback this season. This O-line continues to play well when faced with adversity, which is why it landed here. Philadelphia Eagles The dealt with more adversity in 2018, but they made this list thanks to the stellar play of their center and the right side of the offensive line. Leading the way for this group was , who was one of the best run-blocking centers and an elite player in the screen game. He was the top-graded center this season by PFF and didn't give up a single sack for the second year in a row. Right guard and right tackle became one of the best guard-tackle duos in the league on run plays. Brooks, a two-time Pro Bowler, allowed only one sack and two quarterback hits to become PFF's second-best pa s-blocking guard this season. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles in the playoffs and has a tough road ahead. Unlike Brooks, who was great from Week 1, Johnson had a slow start but turned his play around to become one of the top run-blocking linemen this season. The also got a big effort from 15th-year veteran , who allowed just two sacks this season. He'll continue to be one of the most athletic and powerful tackles as long as his body holds up. One question mark was at left guard, and did a good job of solidifying his spot as the starter after struggling early. In his seven starts, he gave up one sack -- and he had his best performance late in the year against the with Philly's playoff hopes on the line, keeping without a sack. This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an i sue.
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