In today's fantasy-obsessed football world, it's easy to overlook the contributions of one position group: offensive line. Well, NFL Network analyst and former Pro Bowl center Shaun O'Hara is here to fix that. Following each batch of games, O'Hara will revisit the O-line performances of all the teams that played and ultimately select that week's top five units, headlined by a Built Ford Tough Offensive Line of the Week.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The rankings that you see below reflect O'Hara's pecking order for Week 13 and Week 13 alone. This is NOT a running O-line Power Rankings for 2018. This is NOT a projection into the future. The goal of this weekly column is to answer one simple question: Which five offensive lines stood out above the rest in last week's action?
Without further ado, the Week 13 winner is ...
Philadelphia Eagles
After taking home the 2017 Offensive Line of Year award, the Philadelphia Eagles had been awfully quiet in 2018 ... until this week. The Eagles' offensive line provided a huge boost in the team's convincing 28-13 win over the Washington Redskins, earning its first Offensive Line of the Week award this season.
The win kept the Eagles' playoff hopes alive, with Philly improving to 6-6. The offense amassed a season-high 436 yards (306 passing, 130 rushing) and received plenty of production from its running back committee -- Darren Sproles, Josh Adams and Corey Clement -- behind Pro Football Focus' second-best run-blocking line of Week 13. Sproles provided a "little spark" in his return from a knee injury and capped his performance with a 14-yard touchdown run that gave the Eagles a second-quarter lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The Eagles' running backs weren't the only players reaping the benefits of the fine O-line, which was also Pro Football Focus' fifth-ranked pass-blocking unit in Week 13. Carson Wentz was protected well by the guys up front, as he wasn't sacked or hit on 42 pass plays. The third-year quarterback completed 69 percent of his pass attempts for 306 yards and two touchdowns (against one interception), posting a 98.9 passer rating. Wentz had the lowest pressure rate (20 percent) by any quarterback last week, according to PFF.
The right side of the offensive line was phenomenal: tackle Lane Johnson and guard Brandon Brooks didn't allow a single pressure against the Redskins. Keeping his quarterback clean on 495 pass plays, Brooks has yet to give up a sack in 2018. His performance deserves some serious recognition. Lastly, Jason Kelce, who didn't give up a pressure Monday, continues to be one of the most athletic centers in the league and excels when blocking on the second level.
The rest of the top O-lines from Week 13
Baltimore Ravens: There's no doubt the offense has looked completely different with Lamar Jackson under center, as the Ravens have been much more physical up front since the rookie took over as the starter. Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, the Ravens eclipsed 200 rushing yards for the third week in a row, getting a majority of their production from Jackson (75 yards and a rush TD) and undrafted rookie Gus Edwards (82 yards on 21 carries). For that effort, the offensive line was named PFF's third-best run-blocking unit of the week. In pass pro, the group wasn't credited with either of the team's two sacks (both were attributed to Jackson) and it didn't give up a quarterback hit on 28 pass plays. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley hasn't allowed a sack or quarterback hit in his last six starts, while Marshal Yanda continues to be one of the best guards in the game, not giving up a single pressure in Week 13. Most impressive: The Ravens' O-line didn't have a false start in the game. Let me remind you they were playing on the road in a dome.
Houston Texans: The turnaround up front has led to Houston's nine-game win streak, and Deshaun Watson looks like a different player in the pocket behind improved pass protection. On Sunday, the offensive line was credited with two of Houston's four sacks allowed, but no other pressures -- a remarkable feat, considering there were 42 pass plays with Gregg Williams' blitz-happy defense coming in full force. RT Kendall Lamm and LT Julie'n Davenport gave up the sacks. On the ground, Houston continues to feature a dominant rushing attack, as the Texans piled up 187 rushing yards against the Browns a week after gaining a whopping 281 against the Titans.
Kansas City Chiefs: It was a tough week for Kansas City, as star running back Kareem Hunt was released Friday after a troubling video surfaced. The Chiefs' offense handled it well on the field Sunday by rushing for 174 yards, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes' 52 yards on nine carries. The second-year pro also attacked the Raiders' defense with his arm and finished with 295 passing yards, four touchdowns and a 120.0 passer rating. His offensive line was the second-best pass-blocking unit of Week 13, according to PFF, and was led by Mitchell Schwartz. The right tackle is the most consistent player on the O-line and hasn't given up a sack all season. Center Mitch Morse kept Mahomes clean on 45 pass plays in his first game back since Week 6, and LT Eric Fisher didn't allow a pressure Sunday.
New England Patriots: The Patriots dominated Mike Zimmer's defense in all phases of the game, but it all started up front. New England had 471 total yards, with 160 coming on the ground -- the most rushing yards Minnesota's defense has allowed in a game since Week 14 of 2017. The Patriots' O-line helped the running backs amass 96 rushing yards before contact; consequently, the unit was named the No. 1 run-blocking unit of Week 13, per PFF. From a pass-protection standpoint, the Patriots didn't allow a sack, yielding just one quarterback hit the entire game. Tackles Trent Brown (who allowed the lone quarterback hit) and Marcus Cannon deserve major props for containing Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter. Left guard Joe Thuney hasn't allowed a pressure in three of the last four games, and Shaq Mason did his part at right guard. A few penalties kept this group from earning its second-straight award.
Follow Shaun O'Hara on Twitter @ShaunOHara60.
