How did the play of Quinn Meinerz and Ben Powers evaluate to different guards within the NFL?

This can be a continuation of my full offensive line efficiency overview for the 2024 season. This may take a look at all of the offensive guards (as outlined by SIS). These guys performed nearly all of their snaps at offensive guard.

I not too long ago found the PFF permits better knowledge visibility in entrance of their paywall after the season is over so I’ll have a few of their extra superior knowledge for the Denver Broncos offensive guards (and the remainder of the OL) to share on this that was not within the final two components of this sequence.

In response to PFF, Quinn Meinerz was the Third greatest guard within the NFL in 2024. His 80.3 go blocking grade was sixth greatest and his 87.1 run blocking grade was 4th greatest. Ben Energy was the 56th greatest guard (of 135). His go blocking and run blocking had been forty eighth and 73rd. When it comes to go blocking, Powers was the weakest hyperlink amongst our beginning OL. Luke Wattenberg was the second greatest go blocking middle; Garret Bolles was the 4th greatest go blocking deal with and Mike McGlinchey was the thirty eighth of 141 tackles in go blocking. Powers is the one starter who was within the backside half of the league in go blocking. Meinerz was the one starter within the prime 10 of their place group for run blocking. Our subsequent greatest run blocker, in line with PFF, was Alex Forsyth, who was the twentieth greatest run blocking middle. His go blocking was within the backside half of facilities although.

So let’s take a look at how SIS graded the play of our guards. We solely had two play primarily as Meinerz performed 1024 snaps and Powers performed 1027. The one instances that they weren’t within the recreation was in the long run of blowout wins.

Amongst beginning guards, SIS additionally had Meinerz because the t-Third greatest guard with an total rating of 37. Solely Landon Dickerson and Kevin Zeitler got larger scores. Meinerz 16 whole blown blocks was tied for Third lowest. Each Dickerson and Zeitler had solely 11. Powers total rating of 28 was twenty eighth among the many 63 beginning guards (min 500 snaps).

4 beginning guards allowed zero sacks: Elgton Jenkins, Tyler Smith, Jordan Meredith and Lucas Patrick, however solely Jenkins and Smith performed the entire season. Two guards allowed a league-worst 8 sacks, Dillon Radunz and Anthony Bradford.

The 2 greatest guards by sack-stuff charge (sacks + run stuffs/snaps) had been Trey and Tyler Smith. Each solely allowed a sack or stuff on 0.10% of their snaps in 2024. Kenyon Inexperienced of the Texans was the worst beginning guard with a charge of 1.83%. Solely Zack Martin of the Cowboys, who simply introduced his retirement, was not penalized amongst starters, however he solely performed 594 snaps. Brandon Scherf and Joe Thuney had been the one beginning guards who had been referred to as for just one penalty whereas enjoying the entire season.

Scherf and Martin had been additionally two of the 5 guards who didn’t get stuffed within the run recreation. The opposite three had been Cody Mauch, John Simpson, and Trey Smith.

The 2 guys who made first workforce All-Professional had been Thuney and Quenton Nelson. Nelson has not been talked about but on this article, so he obtained the award based mostly on identify recognition. Loads of beginning guards performed higher than he did in 2024. Nelson’s blown block charge was 14th. his sack-stuff charge was twenty fifth and his SIS total rating was twentieth. That earns you first workforce All-Professional?!?

Nelson’s PFF ranks had been eighth total, seventh in go blocking and eighth in run blocking. Even PFF doesn’t assume he ought to have been All-Professional in 2024.

Quinn Meinerz did make AP second workforce All-Professional, however he deserved to be first workforce. The opposite man who made second workforce, Chris Lindstrom, whose identify we additionally haven’t seen but on this article. Lindstrom was the twenty ninth greatest beginning guard in line with SIS, however the 1st total (with a rating of 93.5) in line with PFF. He had the very best run blocking grade within the league at 94.6 however his go blocking grade of 68.0 was forty third.

Going again to the Bronco OL, PFF additionally has pressures allowed and their very own depend of run stuffs.

Leaving out Frank Crum and his one go blocking snap, our two greatest go blockers had been Wattenberg and Meinerz, each of whom allowed strain on lower than two % of their go block snaps. I did discover it attention-grabbing that Meinerz allowed probably the most QBhits with 4. Powers however solely allowed one sack and three hits, however his allowed probably the most QB pressures among the many starters with 21. Matt Peart was our worst go blocker, permitting strain on 8.5%. Whereas Peart didn’t permit a sack, he did permit one QBhit and he solely had 94 go blocking snaps.

When it comes to run blocking, in line with PFF, we solely had two vital OL guys who didn’t get stuffed within the run recreation – the Alexes, Forsyth and Palczewski. SIS additionally reveals that neither of them obtained stuffed within the run recreation.

The 20 run stuffs allowed by the Bronco beginning OL was one of many larger numbers within the league. Solely the Browns and the Dolphins allowed extra run stuffs. The Jets and the Seahawks solely allowed 4 run stuffs all season.

Ballot
Ought to Quinn Meinerz have been 1st workforce AP All-Professional?