NFL pass protection is complicated, especially for young offensive linemen

Y’all are in for a treat with this article. I’m going to peel back the layers about pass protection and help for offensive linemen, especially young ones, in pass protection. What it looks like, why it’s needed, and why not everyone does it.

I played in six different offenses with six different offensive line coaches. I’ve started games at left guard, right guard, and right tackle. I understand the goal of protection and the how, what, and why of scheming help. More than anything, when I was young, I was the guy who got the help.

This isn’t intended to knock anyone or prove a player is better than someone else. It’s too inform about the nuances of offensive line help and reiterate how confidence plays a huge role in the mindset of an offense lineman.

My first start in the NFL was in 2009 on Sunday Night Football against the Vikings. I was playing right tackle for the Panthers. We were 5-8, they were 11-2 with Brett Favre at quarterback.

My coaches were terrified of my ability to pass protect. We changed the entire game plan to help me. We put a tight end next to me to chip. We slid to the right more often. The right guard keep an eye out for me. We put in rollouts on third down.

We won the game. It was a blast. I played well. This is important to note here. I knew entering the game that I wasn’t going to be left on an island. I was confident that I’d have help when I needed it. The night before the game, I’m not thinking about the 30 plays I’ll be alone blocking Ray Edwards, just the 10 or so. Instead, I’m thinking about all the protections where I can set aggressive knowing I have help or set knowing the only rush that can beat me is the speed rush.

The idea of helping offensive lineman in pass protection is to either physically hit the rushing defensive end, distract him with the threat of contact, or slide protect to help a tackle. These are all built into a team’s offensive philosophy, if they choose to give help. It’s rarer now, but some teams design an offensive scheme around this concept of more help in protection.

The best example right now is the Tennessee Titans. They have two tackles that have legit talent. Taylor Lewan just got voted to his first Pro Bowl, with rookie right tackle Jack Conklin being an alternate. They go out of their way to slide protect, have condensed formations to distract defensive ends, and use a variety of chip blocks.

Teams who choose not to use these formations often, or use chips sparingly, help out offensive lineman by design of the offense. Quick passes, play actions, boots, and screen passes are all deterrents for elite rushers. The goal is to make the end just think for a second, or stop their feet, or change their rush just for a split second. That’s all the time that’s needed.

There are various reasons why a team would choose to not help struggling tackles or provide help against elite defensive ends. Pass route concepts use the players that would be doing the extra help. Tight ends are used to remove defenders in the middle of the field or as the hot look in pressure. Backs are used to flood a side of the field to grab the attention of flat defenders or win against man. If these players are being eaten up by extra assignments, it can ruin a timing route offense.

Also, sending too much help to the edges can make the middle of the pocket soft (I’ll get into more about that below). For a quick passing attack, it’s vital to keep the middle of the pocket clean.

Let’s start with how alignment of the tight end and/or the wide receivers can help a tackle. Anytime a tight end is in a two-point stance, within 2 yards of the tackle either on or off the ball, one of their main goals is to distract the defense end, either with body presence or a physical chip, then run a route.

Here are two examples of both. (I’ll be using lots of clips of my brother Mitchell, the right tackle for the Chiefs, because I know the scheme, and I know what his job is).

These first two are clips related to offensive philosophy. It’s what the Titans do often and it’s built into their offensive DNA.

This one is pretty obvious. It’s a chip block for the right tackle by the tight end.

Here’s one that not so obvious but it’s a clear way to distract the defensive end and help the tackle.

They are lined up in a bunch. With the motion, it puts into the defensive end’s mind that a toss is possible. Good design by the Titans, followed by the double releases near the defensive end. While this might not be thought of as help, it’s extremely helpful.

Here is an alignment that’s fairly new to the NFL and starting to spread through the league. I first recall seeing the Saints and Packers using this formation. It’s an empty set with two wing players protecting the edge. These edge protectors can help the tackles, but if there is pressure, they are there to protect the edge if the tackle has to help inside.

There are examples of players in close splits, both tight ends and wide receivers, who immediately release up the field without trying to make eye contact or disrupt the defensive end with body presence. Here’s a clip of that.

Moving on, here’s how a running back can help an offensive tackle. A chip from a running back can be useful when it’s properly placed. However, there are times when just the threat of a chip is good enough. We all know what a chip looks like. Here’s a clip of the threat of a chip block. The back tried, he missed, but I’d consider this an effort at helping a tackle.

So, this lack of a chip illustrates the fine line between the chip helping or hurting a tackle. Try to follow along.

If you’re in an offense and you know the back is trying to chip most of the time, you’re able to set for that. Your pass set will be more inside out, knowing you don’t need to worry about a speed rush. The issues on a chip is the defensive end seeing it and reacting with a bull rush or inside move. However, by your set, you should know it’s coming and be ready for it.

Where it gets dicey is twofold. First, when the back’s assignment is inside and therefore the back won’t or can’t help you. If you’re expecting a chip, you better look around and see where the heck the back’s assignment is located.

This is why it’s extremely important to know everyone else’s assignment. Defenses have gotten smarter and will align the running back’s pass protection assignment, typically a linebacker, in the A gap to grab the back’s eyes for a split second, then drop into coverage. Now the back can’t help the tackle. I’ve seen tackles give up cheap sacks in this situation.

Second, is when the back chips on his own, without you having knowledge of this. He gets a poor release or just wants to help on the way out. This is a prime recipe for disaster. Nine out of 10 times the tackle will get beat to the inside because they will have zero idea the back is there to help them.

It’s super frustrating and I understand the back wants to help his guys up front, but it ends up doing more harm. So as a general rule when I played tackle, I just never assumed a chip was coming and if it did, then it was a bonus.

One last clip on running back help. A free release by the back, while the defensive end might interpret that as a chip coming, it isn’t help at all.

Here’s an example of that. The Chiefs right tackle is setting knowing he has no help. Von Miller makes a slight reaction to the back coming out towards him. The back has no intention of disrupting his pass rush. He doesn’t even look at him. This isn’t help.

Now we get to the fun part. I’m going to try explaining slide protection!

Here’s the short version. In this form of protection, part of the line is blocking defenders who are in their gap while working to a linebacker off the ball.

There are two ways that teams teach the blocking techniques in slide protection. The first way, and the most common, is to keep to the middle of the pocket firm no matter where the linebacker is located. Keep the “funnel” strong. If the linebacker is outside the box, it would make sense for the guard to slide out to help the tackle, but this is becoming rare.

It’s more important in today’s NFL to keep the pocket firm to aid the QB in stepping up into the pocket for the quick passing game. I’ve been part of offensive line units who are forbidden to help tackles unless their guy is so far outside or the tackle expressly needs the help.

Here are some examples of slide protection where the goal is staying firm in the middle. The first is a protection called 2 Jet. The offensive line has the four down defensive lineman and the first linebacker to the left of the ball. The back has the linebacker to the right of the ball.

This location of the linebacker, and alignment of the defense, would allow the center to slide all the way over to the left guard, knock that player over, and then the left guard can help the left tackle. However, the Chiefs and most systems, keep the center of the pocket clean first, with no help for the tackles.

The next clip is basically the same idea. The linebacker who they are working too is WAY outside the box, but the guys upfront treat it like that’s not true.

There are some exceptions to every rule and here is the one for teams that prefer to keep the guards inside. There are times, when you’re uncovered and you look for work inside, but there’s nothing there. Then you have free reign to go find someone to hit. These are awesome blocks. Here’s T.J. Lang delivering a huge shot looking for work.

The second way to block up slide protection is to scheme which side the center is going to block no matter the call linebacker. The call linebacker is who we are tasked with blocking.

This way of blocking slide protection is rare and is used for two reasons: to help against an outstanding defensive player or to help an offensive lineman. However, you’d be surprised at the amount of times we never altered our pass protection concepts for a great rusher.

Here’s an example of the Titans doing such a thing against the Chiefs.

The declared linebacker is on the left. Both the center and quarterback make that clear. The center should be setting left or in the middle to help either of the guards. Instead, he quickly makes sure no one is coming, then turns to the right to hammer the rusher over the guard. This would allow the guard to make his way to the tackle. The Titans do this often. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s unique to their scheme.

So look, there are different ways to skin a cat and each team tries to allocate help to certain spots on the offensive line. I can’t tell you which one is better. All I can tell you is what the goals of the schemes are. Hope y’all enjoyed.