RADIO
Week 2 is officially in the books and offenses continue to struggle (unless you’re a Bills or Chiefs fan). In terms of offensive line play, things looked similar to Week 1. Plenty of teams struggled and offensive scoring remained down.
There were only two very notable injuries with significance in Week 2, the Chargers lost Corey Linsley to a knee injury, and Bills center Mitch Morse suffered an elbow injury. Several teams like Chicago and Las Vegas continue to utilize offensive line rotations to find the best configuration for their team.
There are still plenty of useful takeaways that we can make across the 32 offensive line units. Let’s look at some of the best (and worst) matchups to consider when setting your lineups in Week 3.
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Week 2 Offensive Line Champs
Carolina Panthers
Carolina invested into their offensive line heavily this offseason, drafting Ikem Ekwonu in the top-10 of the 2022 NFL draft and investing heavily in right guard Austin Corbett in free agency. The plan came together in a big way in Week 2 against the New York Giants.
The Panthers' offensive line finished as the top-graded offensive line according to PFF’s offensive grades in Week 2. Four of the five offensive linemen finished with an offensive grade above 71.0, with the lone exception being the rookie left tackle Ekwonu (54.1 grade). As a unit, Carolina allowed just one sack, eight hurries, and 10 pressures on the day.
Nobody will confuse the Giants' defensive line with a stellar unit as long as they’re missing Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux, but it was still an impressive effort from an offensive line that we don’t consider to be a top-tier unit. Baker Mayfield consistently had a pocket to operate in, but he was too busy trying to scramble instead of delivering timing throws in the context of the offense.
This unit could impress once Ekwonu acclimates to the speed of edge rushers at the NFL level.
Week 2 Offensive Line Chumps
Atlanta Falcons
Last week, the Falcons put together a strong effort against the New Orleans Saints. One week later, we can probably come to a logical conclusion that the Saints’ defensive line may not be as good as we thought. It is also fair to take into account that Week 2 featured a matchup against one of the best defensive lines in the league in the form of the Los Angeles Rams.
Only left tackle Jake Matthews finished Week 2 with a pass blocking and overall offensive grade above 50.0 according to PFF. Unsurprisingly, the interior offensive line of Elijah Wilkinson, Drew Dalman, and Chris Lindstrom had their hands full with Aaron Donald. The interior trio allowed five of the team’s eight pressures, including a catastrophic pressure on the last play of the game.
The Falcons have invested heavily in their offensive line over the years and have gotten inconsistent results. Last week is especially bad, but in actuality, this is probably a middle-of-the-road unit. They will be in a prime bounce-back spot against a mediocre Seattle front-seven.
Week 3 Matchups to Target
Houston Texans at Chicago Bears
The Houston Texans offense struggled to move the ball against the Broncos in Week 2, but most of that cannot be pinned on the performance of the offensive line. Houston’s tackles (Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard) played exceptionally well, finishing the game with pass blocking, run blocking, and overall offensive grades above 70.0 according to PFF.
The only lineman who struggled was rookie left guard Kenyon Green. He was the only blocker that failed to score above 51.0 in any of PFF’s offensive line metrics. Green has struggled to acclimate to the NFL, but that could be expected since he was seen as a relatively raw prospect coming out of college.
Houston will look to continue to play well against a Bears defense that plays exceptionally hard but lacks top-end talent across all positions. Houston should be able to buy Davis Mills time in the pocket and open up running lanes from Dameon Pierce as he continues to find his role at the NFL level.
New England Patriots vs Baltimore Ravens
The Patriots' offensive line struggled in Week 1 but took care of business in Week 2 against a Steelers defense missing top pass rusher T.J. Watt. Cole Strange, the Patriots' surprising first-round draft pick, has struggled moving from the FCS level to the NFL but showed signs of improvement in his second game.
The truth is, if the offensive line around him continues to thrive, his development won’t matter too much. All four of New England’s offensive linemen outside of Strange finished the game with an overall PFF grade above 70.0. Center David Andrews, right guard Michael Onwenu, and right tackle Isaiah Wynn paved the way in the run game, scoring run blocking grades above 79.0.
The Ravens still have very good and athletic pass rushers but have struggled to control the run through two weeks. New England runs a ball control offense and wants to move the ball on the ground, leading to a matchup between a powerful force and a bunch of moveable objects.
Both Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson have very interesting upside thanks to what looks to be a mismatch in the ground game.
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders
The Eagles came into 2022 widely regarded as a top offensive line. While there have been some ups and downs throughout the last two weeks, by and large, that prediction has been proven true. Philadelphia had their struggles against the pass-rushing duo of Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith in Week 2 but still moved the ball to the tune of 363 passing yards and 163 rushing yards.
Philadelphia will now face a matchup against a Commanders defense that has plenty of talent across the defensive line but is still trying to find their way without Chase Young. Washington is allowing 6.8 yards per carry through two games and has been gashed on the ground by the Lions and Jaguars through two weeks.
Look for Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders to have big days on the ground this week. Kenneth Gainwell could have a streaming upside if your team is struggling with injuries. The Eagles have the offensive line to create space this week and could use their strong interior line to buy time for Jalen Hurts to take his deep shots with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith once again.
Week 3 Matchups to Avoid
New York Jets vs Cincinnati Bengals
The Jets' offensive line has suffered several injuries so far this season, losing right tackle Mekhi Becton and his replacement (Duane Brown) before the first game even kicked off. The Jets have been solid on the interior with Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, and Alijah Vera-Tucker. Unfortunately, the tackles had their hands full with Myles Garrett and Jadaveon Clowney.
Things won’t get much easier in Week 2. The Bengals defensive line has struggled to generate sacks through their first two games (2 sacks) but has played two run-first offenses with solid offensive lines. Despite the lack of sacks, the pressure has been there.
The Bengals defensive line has generated 21 pressures in the first two weeks, including seven a piece from defensive end Sam Hubbard and defensive tackle D.J. Reader. Pressures are an indicator of sacks, so it shouldn’t be long before the Bengals' defense starts producing results.
Be mindful of firing up Breece Hall, Michael Carter, and the Jets passing weapons in a difficult matchup.
Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts
Things have been bad for the Colts this season. The offense is stagnant. The defense is giving up big plays to offensive juggernauts like the Texans and Jaguars. And most concerning, their typically stellar offensive line can’t block anybody to save their lives.
The Colts' offensive line allowed two sacks and nine pressures to a collection of young, athletic Jaguars pass rushers. Only one offensive lineman (right tackle Braden Smith) had a pass blocking grade above 57.0. None of the Colts linemen got movement in the run game either with Matt Pryor registering the best run blocking grade (62.9).
Through two games, the Colts have the 21st ranked PFF grade among collective offensive line units. That isn’t good news with the Chiefs coming to town. Chris Jones has been his usual dominant self (12 pressures, two sacks) with rookie George Karlaftis (nine pressures) and veterans Michael Danna (eight pressures) and Frank Clark (five pressures) not far behind.
You can’t count out Jonathan Taylor, but most of the Colts' ancillary pieces may struggle to get going in this AFC matchup.
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