Each week we all get caught up in the excitement of the Kansas City Chiefs game and often miss what is going on at the line of scrimmage. A saying that will always ring true in football is that "the film never lies."

During the season I will review every game tape in an attempt to bring you the execution of each offensive lineman on every offensive play. Each lineman will be graded on whether or not he got the job done. Did he get the guy blocked or not?

Each offensive lineman will be given a "+" for doing their job or a "-" for failing to do their job on each play. Those pluses and minuses will be grouped, calculated, and represented by a percentage bar next to each lineman.

Regular Season Posting Schedule

Every Monday: Sundays Scouting Recap & Notes Post

Every Tuesday: Breaking Down the Tape - O-Line Post

Here is how it works...

	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	00
Percent Scale

• Each offensive lineman was given a "+" for doing their job or a "-" for failing to do their job on each play.
• These pluses and minuses were grouped into the type of block they were asked to do, e.g., a run block (RB) or a pass block (PB), etc.
• A "D", for "driven", was assigned every time a player was manhandled during a pass or run play.
• The quality of the lineman's play is represented as a percentage bar above. The higher the percentage bar the better the lineman did.
• 90% or higher is considered having a good game.
• 80% is considered needing improvement.
• Below 80% is a sub-par game...so a player wants to be in the red.
  
• I tried to be very strict...I think Haley would want it that way.
• One important note, some plays may be unclear as to who exactly did not do their job, e.g., a defensive tackle going unblocked at the line of scrimmage. Was it the centers fault? The guards fault? In these cases it was clear that a mistake was made and the player that looked to be most at fault was assigned the blame.

----------------------------------------------------------- Kansas City Chiefs vs Falcons - Preseason Line Play -----------------------------------------------------------

1st 4 series only

Offensive Game Notes:

• The Chiefs run more of a 'base' blocking scheme the first two series. Maybe to isolate their own players and see how they would do. The offensive tackles are left on an island more and O'Callaghan struggles in the first two series.
• The line play becomes more misdirectional starting the 3rd series. Chiefs start to look better.
• Albert does a good job on a draw by pushing his man past the play and then blocking a linebacker on the second level. Jamaal breaks for a big gain.
  
• Albert makes a good cut block on a quick pass play. The o-line did not cut block very well as a whole last year.
• The Falcons 'twist' their d-lineman for the first time in the 3rd series. The offensive lineman pick them up and pass them off well. Communication seems to be ahead of last year.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Percent Scale												Percent Scale
Albert												Albert
Waters												Waters
Niswanger												Niswanger
Lilja												Lilja
O'Callaghan												O'Callaghan
Wiegmann												Wiegmann
Pope												Asamoah

Run & Pass Blocking Notes:

• Remember players want to be in the red. If not, then they need to improve the next game.
• Waters and Lilja had a slow start with run blocking.
• Asamoah was driven twice.
• O'Callaghan had a bad day pass blocking.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Percent Scale												Percent Scale
Albert												Albert
Waters												Waters
Niswanger												Niswanger
Lilja												Lilja
O'Callaghan												O'Callaghan
Wiegmann												Wiegmann
Pope												Pope

Graphic bars from draftboardinsiders.com

Second Level Blocking Notes:

• Blocking players on the second level, e.g. linebackers, is a hard block. So below 70% on second level blocks would indicate that the player needs improvement.
• It appeared that the more athletic lineman were called on to make more second level blocks.
• Lilja pulled a number of times. Waters pulled once.

Let me know what you think of the graphic bars. Are they readable?

Click On "Bewsaf Past Posts" for more past articles