Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro from The Afternoon Drive discussed the Denver Broncos offensive line issues and were able to catch up with Max Garcia to discuss the problems the unit is facing.
Much of the conversation had to do with the successes the offense had overall last week, but the big message was execution.
They ended this segment with a discussion of Pro Football Focus and their ranking of offensive lines in the NFL through ten weeks. The Broncos rank 26th and have tanked this season mostly due to poor play from the tackle position.
25. Denver Broncos (66.7)
The Denver Broncos line is actually okay, outside of one prohibitive position that threatens to sink the whole ship. At right tackle, Donald Stephenson and Ty Sambrailo alternate getting eviscerated by opposing pass-rushers, sometimes both within the same game. As a pair, they have surrendered six sacks and 46 total QB pressures on the season, which would be the most in the league if they were one right tackle. Russell Okung has been better, but he himself is responsible for 38 total QB pressures, second-most among left tackles in the league.
Stephenson has the worst PFF grade of all tackles in the NFL, but Okung hasn’t done well in pass protection himself.
Goodman ended with a solid point. Where is the mean and the nasty on the offensive line? It just doesn’t seem to exist in 2016 and that is more troubling than any lack of execution.