Heading into Week 2 of the NFL season, here are the top OL/DL matchups.
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Week 2 OL & DL Matchups
Lions OL vs. Buccaneers DL
It’s safe to say the Lions have one of, if not the best, offensive lines in the league. We saw how physical and dominant they can be on the lone overtime drive against the Rams last week. On that game-winning drive, they ran the ball on seven out of eight plays. Their running backs averaged 8.0 yards per rush.
Despite a blowout win for the Buccaneers, their defense didn’t play well. They earned Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades of 47.9 against the run, 60.6 pressuring the quarterback and 56 in coverage.
Their 17-point win over Washington may be overshadowed by just how bad the Commanders’ defense is. In Week 1, the Bucs defense had a success rate of 50.9%, the fourth-worst in the NFL.
Jared Goff and this offense should have their way against an overrated Buccaneers defense in Week 2.
Saints OL vs. Cowboys DL
The Saints had arguably the best performance of Week 1 in their 27-point beating of the Panthers. Much of that was due to the performance of their offensive line. Considered a weak point of their team, it graded out No. 1 in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency score. Now, a lot of that has to do with the opponents they played, but that’s out of their control.
Week 2 will bring a tough matchup against Micah Parsons and the Cowboys. Parsons picked up right where he left off in 2023, generating 11 pressures with one sack last week against the Browns.
One weakness we saw with the Cowboys was their run defense. As a unit, the DL generated a lousy 45.3 PFF grade defending the run, which was the sixth-lowest of Week 1. Luckily, the Browns had to abandon the run pretty early, so it didn’t cost the Cowboys in the end.
But seeing how they hold up against the new-look Saints offense under OC Klint Kubiak will be interesting.
Titans OL vs. Jets DL
I am looking for a big bounce week for the Jets’ defensive line after getting man-handled against the 49ers last week,
The Jets have one of the more talented lines in the league and get a much easier matchup this week against the Titans. Last week, the Titans allowed the highest pressure rate (38%) of any team in the NFL. They will see a much tougher defensive line led by Jermaine Johnson and Javon Kinlaw. With this Jets line angry and looking to prove a point in the home opener, I’d expect another tough day for Will Levis.
Eagles OL vs. Falcons DL
If we are saying the Detroit Lions have the best offensive line in the league, then it is fair to say the Philadelphia Eagles are right behind them in second.
Despite losing Jason Kelce in the offseason, this line continued to help protect Jalen Hurts and finally unleash the talent of Saquon Barkley. The Eagles’ offensive line graded out as the second-highest unit in pass blocking (87.6) and fifth-highest in run blocking (75.5).
Despite the addition of Matthew Judon, the Falcons’ defensive line struggled in week 1. The group combined for 16 tackles and had the third-worst pass-rush grade from PFF (53.6). If they can’t put pressure on Hurts, this Philly offense will continue to roll. The Falcons could be looking at a 0-2 start to the 2024 season.
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