2006 Offensive Hog Index

 

Looking for playoff teams? Check out the first half of the final Offensive Hog Index. Nine of the 12 playoff clubs are in the top 15, with six of the 12 finishing in the top 10.

 

The best offensive line of 2006 belonged to San Diego, with Jacksonville's a close second. And while the Lions avoided the worst record in the NFL thanks to their Week 17 win, they couldn't avoid finishing last in the O-line rankings.

 

NPP% – Negative Pass Plays, expressed as a percentage. This is how often pass plays end in either a sack or interception. All things being equal, a bad quarterback will take more sacks and throw more interceptions than a good quarterback. So, in this system, playing with a bad quarterback will harm an offensive line's ranking. But it's also true that a bad OL makes for a bad quarterback. Poor protection naturally leads to an increase in sacks and INTs. These negative pass plays are calculated as a percentage. So if a team allows two sacks and throws two INTs in 40 pass plays, their NPP% will be 10 percent (4/40).

 

TOP – Time of Possession. Another easy one. This category simply ranks offensive lines based upon how long their team held the ball. Of course, an OL for a team with a bad defense will find it more difficult to win the TOP battle. But it's also true that a great OL will tip the scales in favor of the offense and help improve the status of the team's defense. An offense that holds the ball longer than its opponents will have a well-rested defense, while an offense that can't generate first downs will put undue pressure on even the most stout defense.