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Its a classic football precept: Great teams build up front. Fake Phillies Jerseys . Its not quite true -- lets be honest, the best thing you can have is a good quarterback -- but good blocking is an important part of a strong NFL offense. The skill players get the headlines and the fantasy football numbers, but offensive linemen break open those big holes for your running backs and keep your quarterback upright so he can throw deep.On the other hand, when the offensive line is bad, even the best quarterbacks and running backs can struggle to be effective. That has been a big problem for the two teams playing Thursday night, the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. The Rams young blockers are so poor at opening running lanes that the teams talented running back,?Todd Gurley, is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. Seattle has struggled to protect Russell Wilson for years, which neutered the Seahawks offense at midseason when an ankle injury cost Wilson his mobility.NFL stats are imperfect, and offensive line metrics even more so. Rushing stats are distorted by long runs where the blocking didnt matter after the first few yards. Passing stats are distorted by the fact that some quarterbacks are simply more sack-prone than others. Nonetheless, we do have some metrics that will give us a good idea of which lines have done the most or least to help their teams this season.To measure the best and worst lines of 2016, I averaged each teams rank in five categories:1. Adjusted line yards (ALY): A Football Outsiders metric that splits value between the blocking and the back based on the length of the run, adjusted for situation and opponent. 2. Stuffed rate: How often running backs are stuffed for a loss or no gain, the most blocking-dependent part of ALY. 3. Adjusted sack rate (ASR):?Sacks (and intentional groundings) per pass play, adjusted for situation and opponent. 4. Pressure rate:?How often the quarterback is under duress, including sacks and hurries, according to ESPN Stats & Information charting. 5. Penalties: per game by offensive linemen (including declined and offsetting).Adjusted line yards were weighted at 150 percent, while penalties were weighted at just 50 percent. Further explanation of the first three categories, with updated numbers, can be found here.There are a couple of big surprises from these metrics. One of the Thursday night teams doesnt rank near the bottom of the league. And even more surprising, Dallas does not rank at the top of the league. Of course, one set of numbers does not prove the Cowboys dont have the most productive line in the league. It does, however, suggest were not doing enough to recognize the lines that rank ahead of them.If youre curious about how all the teams stack up, I put a table ranking them from 1-32 after write-ups for the five best and worst offensive lines.THE TOP FIVE1.?New Orleans SaintsThe Saints are sixth in offensive DVOA, and the offensive line is a big reason why. Its a bit of a surprising performance from a group of players who arent too well-known. Left tackle Terron Armstead has missed half the season with injuries, forcing 2015 first-round pick Andrus Peat to rotate between left tackle and left guard. Most observers thought veteran Jahri Evans looked over the hill when he couldnt make the Seattle roster in preseason, but he returned to the Saints and slotted right back into his old right guard spot. Right tackle Zach Strief has developed into a strong run-blocker but has yet to make a Pro Bowl. Center Max Unger, who came over from Seattle in the Jimmy Graham trade, completes the starting five.The Saints are dead last in pressure allowed, according to ESPN Stats & Info charting, and they are fifth in adjusted sack rate. Sure, part of the reason the Saints do so well in pass-blocking metrics is that Drew Brees is so good at avoiding sacks and doesnt run into his own pressure. But that doesnt explain why the Saints lead the league in adjusted line yards, or why theyve had runners stuffed for a loss or no gain only 14 percent of the time. New Orleans is even tied for the fewest number of penalties by offensive linemen (24). Philadelphia Phillies Gear . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. Custom Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. https://www.cheapphilliesjerseys.us/ . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson running back Wayne Gallman said Monday that the hit by North Carolina State defensive back Dravious Wright that knocked him out of the game on Oct. 15 was dirty and he wanted a teammate to retaliate.Gallman said after he watched a replay of the hit that he had hoped his teammates would have hurt Wright. Gallman went through concussion protocol during the teams bye week and expects to practice Monday and to play Saturday when the third-ranked Tigers take on No. 12 Florida State.I wanted somebody to hurt him that was in the game if they could, Gallman said. I wasnt able to be in it.Gallman did not remember anything after Wrights first-quarter hit until he was in the trainers room several minutes later. When he saw a replay, Gallman was certain the Wolfpack defensive backs hit -- which looked like a helmet-to-helmet blow although no penalty was assessed -- was intentional.You saw him lead with his head, Gallman said of Wright. He came with his head.Running backs coach Tony Elliott said Monday the hit on Gallman was difficult to judge at full speed and only after viewing it slowed down you see there may be opportunity for a penalty.But in live speed, everything happens fast, you see two guys with a tough collision like that, I understand that its always going to be questioned, Eilliott continued.Gallman said Clemson sent video of the hit to the ACC offices and the school was told the hit was legal. Messages left for the ACC about the play by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.Clemson coach Dabo Swinney did not respond to a request for comment about Gallmans call for retaliation, saying through a spokesman he would be available for comment at his regularly scheduled availability Tuesday.The third-ranked Tigers (7-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) visit the Seminoles (5-2, 2-2) in an ACC showdown. Swinney said last Wednesday he expected Gallman to face Florida State.Gallmans absence against the Wolfpack was apparent. The Tigers finished with 117 yards rushing, their lowest total this season in a 24-17 overtime victory .Gallman said he felt like himself this week after missing workouts to recover from the concussion. He had never gone through that before in his football career, but is confident about his status for Saturday.As far as Florida State, Im playing, he said.Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher also expects Gallman to play. When Galllman is playing well, combined with quarterback Deshaun Watsons leadership, Fisher said it makes Clemsons offense hard to stop. Stitched Phillies Jerseys. It makes a big difference, it really does, Fisher said Monday.Gallman said he went through some drills with his helmet and trainers watching to see if the effort caused headaches or led to other ill effects.I passed everything, Gallman said.The incident remains fuzzy for Gallman, who remembers catching the ball from quarterback Deshaun Watson, then making a move forward.After that, I dont remember anything at all until I went to the training room, he said. Its like I went to sleep and woke up in the training room. I saw video of myself walking off (the field) and I dont remember that.Still, Gallman tried to talk his way back into the North Carolina State game after returning from the locker room.Basically, we had to take the helmet away from him at the North Carolina State game to keep Gallman on the sidelines, running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said.Gallman is listed as the teams starting tailback on its depth chart for Florida State.Elliott expects Gallman, who set the schools single-season rushing mark with 1,527 yards last season, in the lineup for the Seminoles. However Elliott has a backup plan if Gallman cant play -- C.J. Fuller, a sophomore, would move into the starting spot in Gallmans absence.Fuller was Clemsons leading rusher against the Wolfpack with 56 yards on 16 carries.Elliott is taking a cautious approach with Gallmans condition.Were excited about the possibility of having (Gallman) back, Elliott said. But we wont know the determination until we get the full go-ahead later in the week.Gallman said it was difficult standing on the sidelines the rest of the game and at last weeks practices.It hurt real bad. I hate doing that. I hate not being able to practice, Gallman said. I hate not being able to play. It hurt just standing on the sideline at N.C. State because I told coach Swinney I was fine, I could go back in, but they told me no. So, its hard, man. I hate having to do that, but Im glad to be able to practice this week.---AP Sportswriter Joseph Reedy contributed to this report from Tallahassee, Florida.---Online:AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '