If I want to tell you how good a wide receiver is, I can tell you how many yards he has, how many touchdowns, and how many first downs. I can tell you how many times the ball was thrown his way and how many times he actually caught it afterward. There are a lot of stats available. Notably, though, a receiver who is targeted ten times a game and catches it seven (for 170 targets and 119 catches) is going to lead the league. The same is true of a defender with ten tackles per game. A corner with two defended passes per game and an interception every other game is probably winning an All-Pro award. Success is fairly finite and quantifiable. Yes, a lot of other players went into making that success happen, but it’s a distinct act by the player.

Offensive linemen need to “succeed” fifty or sixty times a game, and their failures are what gets noted. If they allow a sack or a tackle for a loss, it’s a negative moment. Most of the advanced metrics out there for blocking continue to grapple with this central problem. Offensive lineman are playing their best when the casual fan doesn’t notice them at all. Thus, offensive line stats are going to be compromises compared to all other football stats, and that’s at their best.