Running backs and tight ends are a crucial part of any good pass protection scheme. Various blitz pickups often fall on the shoulders of these two positional groups and their success can be the difference between offensive success and failure.
So far backs and tight ends have a combined 8,080 pass blocking snaps on the season or 252 per team; that’s no small role. Below is a table showing how frequently each positional group has allowed pressure this season.
| Pressure Rate | |
| Centers | 3.17% |
| Guards | 5.55% |
| Tackles | 7.59% |
| Running Backs | 8.52% |
| Tight Ends | 5.96% |
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As you can see backs allow the most pressure per snap, presumably due to the location and nature of blitz pickups. Tight ends on the other hand allow pressures at a considerably lower rate than tackles. There are two major contributing factors to this. When tight ends stay in to block there are at least six pass blockers and the tight end isn’t necessarily responsible for one player in particular and is therefore less likely to allow a pressure. Another is that tight ends will stay in to block frequently on ‘smoke’ or quick option routes and where the likelihood of pressure is negligible.
Running Backs and Fullbacks
Backs on average this season have stayed in to block on 26.4% of all passing plays. This percentage can vary wildly though depending on scheme and type of running back. Below are the backs with at least 150 passing snaps that have stayed in to block at the highest and lowest rates. *Note: Only backs with at least 150 passing snaps are listed.
Top 10, RB Pass Blocking Percentage
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | Pass Block % |
| 1 | Daniel Thomas | MIA | 178 | 71 | 39.9 |
| 2 | Mike Tolbert | CAR | 267 | 104 | 39.0 |
| 3 | Donald Brown | IND | 201 | 78 | 38.8 |
| 4 | Rashad Jennings | OAK | 257 | 97 | 37.7 |
| 5 | Frank Gore | SF | 327 | 123 | 37.6 |
| 6 | Chris Ogbonnaya | CLV | 349 | 122 | 35.0 |
| 7 | Trent Richardson | IND | 238 | 81 | 34.0 |
| 8 | Brian Leonard | TB | 167 | 56 | 33.5 |
| 9 | Doug Martin | TB | 158 | 52 | 32.9 |
| 10 | Lamar Miller | MIA | 334 | 109 | 32.6 |
Bottom 10, RB Pass Blocking Percentage
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | Pass Block % |
| 37 | Arian Foster | HST | 190 | 32 | 16.8 |
| 38 | Danny Woodhead | SD | 292 | 48 | 16.4 |
| 39 | Pierre Thomas | NO | 306 | 48 | 15.7 |
| 40 | Bruce Miller | SF | 191 | 28 | 14.7 |
| 41 | LeSean McCoy | PHI | 375 | 54 | 14.4 |
| 42 | Shane Vereen | NE | 170 | 22 | 12.9 |
| 43 | Marcel Reece | OAK | 222 | 28 | 12.6 |
| 44 | Reggie Bush | DET | 278 | 34 | 12.2 |
| 45 | Andre Ellington | ARZ | 192 | 19 | 9.9 |
| 46 | Darren Sproles | NO | 211 | 9 | 4.3 |
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Perhaps the most surprising part of this list is the juxtapositions in northern California. Both the Raiders and 49ers running backs (Rashad Jennings and Frank Gore) appear in the most frequent pass blockers while their full backs (Marcel Reece and Bruce Miller) appear in the least frequent. One would assume that you would want the fullback in to pass protect with the more dynamic running back out in a route. Both teams have seen middling results as Reece ranks 24th (1.25) in Yards per Route Run and Miller 20th (1.33).
Running Back Pass Blocking Efficiency
What Maurice Jones-Drew has done in pass protection this season has been nothing short of amazing. Listed at 5-foot-7 and 210 pounds, Jones-Drew gives up five inches and 30 pounds to almost every linebacker he takes on. Fred Jackson holds our half back record for most pass blocking snaps without a pressure for a single with 83 back in 2011. Jones-Drew has already surpassed that total and if he can stay clean through the last three games he’ll put up an almost untouchable record.
Here's a look at the some of the best and worst this season per our Pass Blocking Efficiency Signature Stat, a score derived from the total number of sacks, hits and hurries allowed with the number of pass blocking snaps taken into consideration.
Top 10, RB Pass Blocking Efficiency *Note: Only backs with at least 40 pass blocking snaps are listed
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | PBE |
| 1 | Maurice Jones-Drew | JAX | 331 | 102 | 100.0 |
| 2 | DeAngelo Williams | CAR | 190 | 48 | 98.4 |
| 3 | Eddie Lacy | GB | 285 | 90 | 98.3 |
| 4 | Frank Gore | SF | 327 | 123 | 97.6 |
| 5 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | CIN | 179 | 57 | 97.4 |
| 6 | Alfred Morris | WAS | 201 | 65 | 97.3 |
| 7 | Lamar Miller | MIA | 334 | 109 | 97.0 |
| 8 | John Kuhn | GB | 132 | 49 | 96.9 |
| 9 | Marshawn Lynch | SEA | 267 | 68 | 96.7 |
| 10 | Andre Brown | NYG | 126 | 41 | 96.3 |
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While Jones-Drew hasn’t allowed a pressure all season, LeSean McCoy isn’t likely to go through a game without allowing one. The Eagles running back has allowed at least one pressure in nine of his 13 games this season. It’s quite the testament to his running ability that McCoy is still our highest graded running back this season despite having the lowest blocking grade.
Fullbacks Jed Collins and Tommy Bohanon are proving this season that big doesn’t equal pass blocking proficiency. Collins is listed as 6-foot-1, 255 pounds and Bohanon at 6-foot-1, 246 pounds, but that hasn’t kept them from allowing seven and eight pressures, respectively.
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | PBE |
| 37 | Ray Rice | BLT | 362 | 99 | 90.9 |
| 38 | Le'Veon Bell | PIT | 323 | 59 | 90.3 |
| 39 | Ben Tate | HST | 259 | 62 | 89.9 |
| 40 | Brandon Bolden | NE | 184 | 41 | 89.6 |
| 41 | Doug Martin | TB | 158 | 52 | 88.5 |
| 42 | Jed Collins | NO | 142 | 50 | 88.5 |
| 43 | Tommy Bohanon | NYJ | 142 | 49 | 86.7 |
| 44 | Danny Woodhead | SD | 292 | 48 | 86.5 |
| 45 | LeSean McCoy | PHI | 375 | 54 | 85.6 |
| 46 | Darren McFadden | OAK | 143 | 44 | 84.1 |
Tight Ends
So far this season tight ends have run pass routes more frequently than running backs and have only been asked to pass protect on 16.47%. There can be extreme deviation, though, in how often tight are asked to pass block. Some are used almost as an extra tackle while others are basically wide receivers. Here are the Top and Bottom 10 tight ends broken down by pass blocking rates. *Note: Only tight ends with at least 150 passing snaps are listed.
Top 10, TE Pass Blocking Percentage
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | Pass Block % |
| 1 | Gary Barnidge | CLV | 222 | 139 | 62.6 |
| 2 | Ben Watson | NO | 177 | 80 | 45.2 |
| 3 | Michael Hoomanawanui | NE | 228 | 95 | 41.7 |
| 4 | Jeron Mastrud | OAK | 178 | 65 | 36.5 |
| 5 | Jim Dray | ARZ | 258 | 89 | 34.5 |
| 6 | Marcedes Lewis | JAX | 236 | 63 | 26.7 |
| 7 | Lance Kendricks | SL | 207 | 55 | 26.6 |
| 8 | Jermaine Gresham | CIN | 430 | 106 | 24.7 |
| 9 | Logan Paulsen | WAS | 311 | 75 | 24.1 |
| 10 | Anthony Fasano | KC | 271 | 61 | 22.5 |
Bottom 10, TE Pass Blocking Percentage
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | Pass Block % |
| 41 | Scott Chandler | BUF | 441 | 25 | 5.7 |
| 42 | Owen Daniels | HST | 219 | 12 | 5.5 |
| 43 | Antonio Gates | SD | 489 | 24 | 4.9 |
| 44 | Jimmy Graham | NO | 446 | 22 | 4.9 |
| 45 | Dallas Clark | BLT | 285 | 14 | 4.9 |
| 46 | Kellen Winslow | NYJ | 177 | 8 | 4.5 |
| 47 | Jared Cook | SL | 364 | 16 | 4.4 |
| 48 | Jermichael Finley | GB | 159 | 7 | 4.4 |
| 49 | Vernon Davis | SF | 327 | 13 | 4.0 |
| 50 | Delanie Walker | TEN | 388 | 12 | 3.1 |
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Unsurprisingly, a majority of the Top 10 would be considered No. 2 tight ends while the Bottom 10 is composed of mainly No. 1’s. That distinction is no more obvious than in New Orleans where Jimmy Graham has pass blocked on 58 fewer snaps than Ben Watson despite playing 269 more passing snaps.
Tight End Pass Blocking Efficiency
Even though Lee Smith and Craig Stevens haven’t allowed a pressure yet, it’s hard not to be impressed with Gary Barnidge’s pass blocking. He has by far the most attempts at 139 and has allowed four pressures on the season for a pressure rate (2.9%) under half the league average for tight ends.
Top 10, Tight End Pass Blocking Efficiency *Note: Only tight ends with at least 30 pass blocking snaps are listed.
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | PBE |
| 1 | Lee Smith | BUF | 106 | 40 | 100.0 |
| 2 | Craig Stevens | TEN | 100 | 30 | 100.0 |
| 3 | Andrew Quarless | GB | 274 | 49 | 98.5 |
| 4 | Matthew Mulligan | NE | 80 | 47 | 98.4 |
| 5 | Kyle Rudolph | MIN | 275 | 44 | 98.3 |
| 6 | Coby Fleener | IND | 449 | 40 | 98.1 |
| 7 | Tony Gonzalez | ATL | 533 | 49 | 98.0 |
| 8 | Gary Barnidge | CLV | 222 | 139 | 97.8 |
| 9 | Julius Thomas | DEN | 425 | 94 | 97.3 |
| 10 | Charles Clay | MIA | 460 | 76 | 97.0 |
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When looking at some of the dreadful scores in the Bottom 10, it’s no wonder why some teams will just put in a sixth offensive lineman. Jim Dray’s 89.6 PBE is lower than the worst mark for an offensive tackle, his teammate Bradley Sowell (89.8).
Bottom 10, Tight End Pass Blocking Efficiency
| # | Name | Team | Passing Plays | Pass Block Snaps | PBE |
| 30 | Virgil Green | DEN | 92 | 37 | 93.9 |
| 31 | Sean McGrath | KC | 268 | 47 | 93.6 |
| 32 | Garrett Graham | HST | 477 | 58 | 93.1 |
| 33 | Tom Crabtree | TB | 75 | 31 | 91.9 |
| 34 | Zach J. Miller | SEA | 290 | 58 | 91.8 |
| 35 | Jeff Cumberland | NYJ | 236 | 52 | 91.3 |
| 36 | Dion Sims | MIA | 106 | 39 | 91.0 |
| 37 | Martellus Bennett | CHI | 487 | 58 | 90.5 |
| 38 | Logan Paulsen | WAS | 311 | 75 | 90.0 |
| 39 | Jim Dray | ARZ | 258 | 89 | 89.6 |
PFF Signature Stats offer a look at the game you can't find anywhere else, but, as always, we suggest you first rely on PFF player grades for the best sense of overall performance for any player. The grades take into account much more than any one statistic ever will and that's why they've become a valuable tool not only for fans and media to use, but for the teams as well as they incorporate PFF grades into their player evaluation processes.
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