In the world of NFL football, where “You can’t double-team everyone” is a prevailing truth, offensive lines face a formidable challenge every game day. With just five blockers to open lanes and protect the quarterback, these linemen must excel under pressure, regardless of the number of on-ball defenders they encounter.
As the Dallas Cowboys prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, both teams are well-acquainted with the art of creating this conundrum. Both will now seek to solve the puzzle posed by the other side’s prowess.
When it comes to running the ball, it’s a collective effort, a symphony of teamwork. The 49ers, for instance, embody this approach, with every member of their offense embracing their roles as run blockers, from the offensive line to the skill players.
However, the dynamics shift when it comes to pass protection.
While offensive coordinators can incorporate running backs, tight ends, and even wide receivers into the run-blocking equation, passing offenses rely on their targets downfield. Hence, offensive linemen often find themselves playing on an island, tasked with handling pass protection independently because others require assistance. Defenses relentlessly seek out mismatches.
For both the Cowboys and the 49ers, this means leaving their left tackles (LTs) on an island. Tyron Smith for the Cowboys and Trent Williams for the 49ers are two of the most frequently left-alone tackles in the game, and they are also two of the most successful, winning over 95 percent of those one-on-one battles.
How often offensive tackles have been left on islands with no help (x-axis), and how successful they've been in those situations (y-axis). Before getting injured, David Bakhtiari did not receive a single negative pass block grade when left on an island pic.twitter.com/T6U5wUt29L
— Arjun Menon (@arjunmenon100) October 4, 2023
However, the Cowboys’ injury report raises concerns. Tyron Smith, after missing the past two weeks, has an uncertain status for Sunday’s game. If he can take the field, he can be trusted to hold his ground at LT, much like Trent Williams does for the 49ers.
Should Smith be unavailable, the responsibility would fall to Chuma Edoga, whose proficiency and responsibility in blocking do not compare to Smith’s. Pro Football Focus ranks Edoga significantly lower than Smith in pass blocking.
This is big: For first time since 2021, the entire first-team Cowboys O-line is participating in a padded regular-season practice. Tyron Smith (knee) and Zack Martin (thigh) returned today.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 5, 2023
LT Tyron Smith, LG Tyler Smith, C Tyler Biadasz, RG Zack Martin, RT Terence Steele pic.twitter.com/gBtSBm3ybt
Considering the significant discrepancy between the two tackles, the Cowboys’ offensive blocking scheme could undergo substantial changes depending on who starts at LT on Sunday.
This raises another question: would Terence Steele, the Cowboys’ right tackle, be capable of handling the lone blocker responsibilities instead? Unfortunately, Steele has also faced pass protection difficulties this season, ranking nine spots below Edoga in 2023.
With Micah Parsons and Nick Bosa on the opposing sides as certified game-wreckers, the outcome of Sunday’s Week 5 clash between the Cowboys and the 49ers might hinge on the left tackle position.
While the 49ers struggle on the right side of their offensive line and need extra protection against the Cowboys’ pass rush, they rely on Trent Williams to hold his ground independently. If San Francisco can keep Parsons at bay while Dallas grapples with controlling Bosa, this could tilt the balance of the game. Hence, Tyron Smith’s status looms large.
It’s not a doomsday scenario if Smith is unable to play, but it undoubtedly adds complexity to the offensive line’s task if he remains on the sideline. Both teams’ success in this matchup is intimately tied to their left tackles’ ability to win one-on-one battles, making this positional showdown a pivotal factor to watch.