Rushing success starts with the O-line (1 Viewer)

[CitySaint]

Alot of fans are wondering about a possible dip in running back production because of the loss of Hamilton. The key to the whole issue is that the success and the efficiency of virtually any rusher is the play of the O-line and the Saints have placed an emphasis on the O-line improving their play. I don't think anyone here would deny that the improvement from the O-line was the primary result of our success last year. Here is a fantasy football article discussing yards after contact, specifically I copied the percentage of yards after contact:

3. Percent of Yards Made After Contact (YACo%)

Once you've got YACo, this one's easy to figure: YACo% is a running back's Yards After Contact divided by his total rushing yards. Again, this is no panacea for a running back's overall value, but it delivers information across two dimensions: how elusive a rusher is, and how much room he's typically given by his offensive line. Here are the leaders and the laggards in YACo% from '09, among RBs with at least 100 carries.
Yards After Contact Percentage in 2009


<TABLE><THEAD><TR><TH>Top 10 </TH><TH>YACo% </TH><TH>0.0 </TH><TH>Bottom 10 </TH><TH>YACo% </TH></TR><TBODY><TR class=last><TD>Larry Johnson </TD><TD>77.4% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Correll Buckhalter </TD><TD>48.9% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Marshawn Lynch </TD><TD>75.3% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Thomas Jones </TD><TD>50.0% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Jason Snelling </TD><TD>73.9% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Chris Johnson </TD><TD>52.6% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Michael Bush </TD><TD>71.6% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Ray Rice </TD><TD>53.7% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Tim Hightower </TD><TD>71.4% </TD><TD></TD><TD>LeSean McCoy </TD><TD>54.6% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Clinton Portis </TD><TD>71.1% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Frank Gore </TD><TD>55.0% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Brandon Jacobs </TD><TD>69.4% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Pierre Thomas</TD><TD>56.1% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Justin Fargas </TD><TD>69.0% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Felix Jones </TD><TD>56.5% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Darren McFadden </TD><TD>68.6% </TD><TD></TD><TD>DeAngelo Williams </TD><TD>56.8% </TD></TR><TR class=last><TD>Ronnie Brown </TD><TD>68.5% </TD><TD></TD><TD>Jerome Harrison </TD><TD>57.1% </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Pierre was in the bottom ten in terms of percentage of yards after contact. This looks favorably on our O-line which shows that our O-line was in the top ten at getting yards before contact with Pierre. A higher percentage of yards after contact would mean the runningback is being hit almost immediatley nearly every play. Combine that with PT's 5.1 ypg and it makes our lines rush efficiency look pretty good.

I did a search looking for stats on Bush and Bell only finding this mentioning Bush:

A Look at Yards Gained after Contact for each NFL RB

Rushing yards after contact is one of my favorite statistics to evaluate because it tells you so much about the running back as well as the offensive line. For the chart below, the higher your percentage is then the better your running back is independent of his O-line. Conversely, the lower the percentage then the better the RB's O-line/FB is at creating space.

• Exactly 50% of Thomas Jones' yards (701 of 1402) were gained after contact-the lowest percentage among starting RBs. That is a great testament to the Jets' O-line (and Tony Richardson) creating space for Jones to run. But his teammate and postseason star Shonn Greene had over 64% of his yards gained after contact which makes you wonder how he would have done given a full load.
• Thomas Jones' brother, Julius Jones, was 31st in rushing yards so he just missed the cut be he had 66% of his yards gained after contact.
• Larry Johnson wasn't among the top 30 rushers but of the 50 players with at least 100 rushing attempts, he had the highest percentage of yards gained after contact with 77.4%.
• Others who topped 70% but weren't among the top 30 rushers: Clinton Portis (71.1%), Tim Hightower (71.4%), Michael Bush (71.6%), and Jason Snelling (73.9%), and Marshawn Lynch (75%).
• Other notables include: Tashard Choice (35.5% - lowest in league), Reggie Bush (36.9%), Brian Westbrook (46%), and Ronnie Brown (68.5%).

 

[JackDiesel]

Further proof that Lynch isn't as bad of a runner as everyone makes him out to be.

Not that I want to trade for him anymore but the guys stuck behind a bad o-line that clashes with his running style.

 

[ROBOT DEATH SQUAD]

The bottom 10 runningbacks pwn the top 10 runningbacks

 

[CaliSaint4Life]

You fail to mention that PT is at the top of the league in breaking tackles (proven fact). That has to factor into the equation.

 

[NYC Saint]

And somehow, during a very turbulent year, the Raiders had perhaps the finest collection of running backs...well, running.

And Fargas is no more. And McFadden...Do they really want him?

 

[CitySaint]

You fail to mention that PT is at the top of the league in breaking tackles (proven fact). That has to factor into the equation.

That is true. Saints team stats for broken tackles:


ESPN: 2009 Broken Tackles </A itxtvisited="1">

This not an indicment of PT or Reggie, only how much they benefit from the good play of the guys in front of them.

 

[NYC Saint]

ESPN: 2009 Broken Tackles [/url]</A itxtvisited="1">

This not an indicment of PT or Reggie, only how much they benefit from the good play of the guys in front of them.

I don't think anyone is disputing this. Not a soul.

 

[Saint Kamara]

Well to be honest, the only ones worried were Hamilton fans. And even some of those aren't concerned since they realize that someone else will probably step up and do just as good a job.

But yes, you are correct that this O-line can make these backs even better than they would normally be.

 

[JackDiesel]

Well to be honest, the only ones worried were Hamilton fans. And even some of those aren't concerned since they realize that someone else will probably step up and do just as good a job.

But yes, you are correct that this O-line can make these backs even better than they would normally be.

I liked Hamilton's work ethic but I love the upside of Hill and especially Ivory.