Further Reading: Offensive Line Analytics

Adjusted Line Yards and Team Metrics

Football Outsiders Adjusted Line Yards The original ALY methodology and explanation. https://www.footballoutsiders.com/info/methods

"Measuring Offensive Lines" by Football Outsiders How team-level O-line metrics are calculated.

"The Problem with O-Line Stats" by various analysts Discussions of limitations in team-level metrics.

Individual O-Line Grading

PFF Offensive Line Grades Methodology behind individual player grades. https://www.pff.com/

"How PFF Grades Offensive Linemen" by PFF Explanation of the film review process.

Sports Info Solutions (SIS) Alternative charting and grading service.

Pass Protection Analytics

"Sack Rate and Quarterback Contribution" by analysts Separating QB from O-line in pass protection.

"Pressure Rate vs Sack Rate" by various Why broader pressure metrics matter.

ESPN Pass Block Win Rate Tracking-based individual lineman metric. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29939464/

Run Blocking Analytics

"Yards Before Contact" by Next Gen Stats How tracking data measures blocking. https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/

"Zone Blocking Efficiency" by scheme analysts Evaluating zone blocking systems.

"Power vs Zone: A Statistical Comparison" How scheme affects O-line metrics.

Tracking Data and Win Rate

ESPN/NFL Win Rate Methodology How win rate is calculated from tracking.

"Next Gen Stats O-Line Metrics" by AWS Advanced tracking applications for linemen.

"Computer Vision in Football" research Emerging AI approaches to blocking analysis.

Scheme and System Effects

"Offensive Line Scheme Identification" by film analysts How to identify blocking schemes.

"Zone vs Man Blocking" by coaches Technical differences in blocking styles.

"Scheme Fit for Linemen" by scouting How player skills match scheme requirements.

Position-Specific Analysis

"Tackle vs Guard Evaluation" by analysts Different skills required by position.

"Center Intelligence" by film study The unique challenges of center evaluation.

"Pulling Guards and Athleticism" by various Evaluating mobile interior linemen.

Draft and Contract Value

"Offensive Line Draft Value" by Over The Cap How teams invest in O-line. https://overthecap.com/

"Building an O-Line: Draft vs Free Agency" Which approach works better?

"O-Line Contract Analysis" by industry Market rates and value considerations.

Injury and Longevity

"Offensive Line Durability" by medical research Injury patterns and career length.

"Age Curves for Linemen" by analysts When do linemen peak and decline?

"Rotation and Rest" by coaching Managing O-line workload.

Academic Research

"Offensive Line Attribution" (academic papers) Statistical approaches to O-line evaluation.

"Blocking Efficiency Models" by researchers Expected value frameworks for blocking.

"Team Production and Individual Contribution" General attribution problem in team sports.

Video and Film Analysis

"Reading O-Line Play" by coaches How to evaluate blocking on film.

Brandon Thorn O-Line Analysis Detailed film breakdowns of linemen.

"Scouting Offensive Linemen" by scouts What to look for in evaluation.

Data Sources

nfl_data_py / nflfastR Play-by-play data with outcome metrics. https://github.com/nflverse/nfl_data_py

Pro Football Reference Basic O-line statistics. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/

PFF Individual grades and advanced metrics (subscription). https://www.pff.com/

Next Gen Stats Tracking-based metrics. https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/

ESPN Stats & Info Win rate and pressure metrics.

Podcasts and Content

Move the Sticks (NFL Network) Occasional O-line analysis.

PFF NFL Podcast Regular O-line evaluation segments.

Brandon Thorn's O-Line Analysis Specialized O-line content.

Community Discussion

r/NFLstatheads (Reddit) Technical O-line metric discussions.

Twitter/X Analytics Community O-line evaluation debates.

Football Outsiders Forums ALY and methodology discussions.