We continue our look pass blocking by offensive linemen — having already seen the standout tackles, guards and centers individually — with a shift to the lines as whole units and how they protected their quarterback over the regular season. The PFF Pass Block Efficiency Signature Stat accounts for sacks, hurries, and QB hits surrendered relative to the number of pass protection snaps.
The Top 5
The Broncos top the whole-line PBE rating, but some of that is certainly due to Peyton Manning and his league-low average of 2.22 seconds from snap to pass attempt. While they only rank fifth in PBE, the Cowboys' offensive line did a fantastic job protecting Romo this year, ranking second in both fewest hits and sacks allowed as well as fifth in hurries allowed. The Bengals and Ravens were the only other teams to also rank in the Top 10 in each of the three PBE sub-categories.
| # | Team | Passing Plays | Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressure Allowed | PBE |
| 1 | DEN | 626 | 12 | 25 | 74 | 111 | 86.2 |
| 2 | GB | 595 | 18 | 18 | 76 | 112 | 85.1 |
| 3 | CIN | 546 | 12 | 22 | 71 | 104 | 85.0 |
| 4 | BLT | 583 | 13 | 21 | 83 | 117 | 84.4 |
| 5 | DAL | 518 | 9 | 17 | 81 | 107 | 84.1 |
The Bottom 5
The Titans and Vikings were the only teams to average more than two sacks per game. To make things worse, both teams attempted fewer passes than the league-median. The Dolphins allowed the most QB hits in the table below but were third-worst overall. Interestingly, the AFC Championship game featured the bottom two teams in terms of QB hits allowed, the Colts with 52 and the Patriots with a league-high 61. The Saints ranked 22nd in overall PBE but allowed a league-high 146 hurries. Unfortunately for the Dolphins and Vikings, they were the only two teams ranked in the Bottom 10 in all three sub-categories.
| # | Team | Passing Plays | Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressure Allowed | PBE |
| 28 | SL | 570 | 25 | 30 | 121 | 176 | 75.7 |
| 29 | SD | 630 | 27 | 28 | 142 | 197 | 75.5 |
| 30 | TEN | 594 | 34 | 25 | 131 | 190 | 74.6 |
| 31 | MIA | 649 | 31 | 46 | 133 | 210 | 74.5 |
| 32 | MIN | 608 | 36 | 32 | 130 | 198 | 74.1 |
Playoff Teams
The next table is intriguing simply because of the dispersion when it comes to playoff teams. Four of the top seven were division winners yet so were the bottom four. What is most surprising is that you have to look to the bottom third of the rankings to find the two teams that played in the Super Bowl. Both the Patriots and Seahawks improved on their regular season PBE rating, finishing with above an 80.0 PBE rating in the postseason.
| # | Team | Passing Plays | PBE |
| 1 | DEN | 626 | 86.2 |
| 2 | GB | 595 | 85.1 |
| 3 | CIN | 546 | 85.0 |
| 4 | BLT | 583 | 84.4 |
| 5 | DAL | 518 | 84.1 |
| 7 | PIT | 651 | 82.3 |
| 16 | DET | 664 | 79.4 |
| 18 | ARZ | 611 | 78.8 |
| 20 | NE | 647 | 78.5 |
| 21 | IND | 726 | 78.2 |
| 23 | SEA | 548 | 77.7 |
| 26 | CAR | 623 | 77.0 |
You can find the PFF Pass Blocking Efficiency metric, individual player grades, and more in our PFF Premium Stats. Find out more about a Premium Subscription here.
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