The No. 1 question I get asked about offensive line play is the effect of cohesiveness on the unit. Well it matters, and it matters for one reason: Trust. Just like anything in life, if you have trust, your outlook on a situation will be positive. If you enter a game with a positive attitude, you’re free to play loose.
When there are issues up front, we get asked about communication. How’s the communication? It’s such a broad question. As offensive linemen we are always talking to each other about what we see, or even don’t see. We are making line calls, and talking to the quarterback.
But what is communication without trust? I have to believe that the guy I play next to will execute his assignment. Teams have asked me to move positions to help with communication up front. Well it’s not easy. I can make the call, but I have to trust that my partner will be able to execute the block, otherwise it doesn’t matter if we know the call or the defense.
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The Miami Dolphins started the season with a revolving offensive line. Injuries and poor play kept the line in flux. After a brutal Week 5 loss to the Titans in which they allowed six sacks, rushed for just 51 yards, and lost to fall to 1-4, the Dolphins released two “starting” linemen and gave the unit a wake-up call. Up until that game, the Dolphins had yet to play their projected starting lineup of, left to right, Brandon Albert, Laremy Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, Jermon Bushrod, and Ja'Wuan James.
Finally in Week 6, this unit got their chance to get rolling. And roll they did. The next two weeks against the Steelers and Bills, the Dolphins rushed for 478 yards at an average of 6.1 per carry. Jay Ajayi became just the fourth rusher to have back-to-back 200-yard rushing weeks, joining O.J. Simpson, Earl Campbell, and Ricky Williams.
There are multiple reasons why the Dolphins are hot.
The easiest answer, and it’s true, is that they are extremely talented. With four offensive tackles and one Pro Bowl center, this unit is perfectly built for zone blocking, a staple of Adam Gase’s offense.
But more than that, I noticed the communication, and that means trust came back to the unit. Watching this line during the first few weeks of the season, it didn’t seem to be playing as one. There were a lot of mental mistakes, like letting defensive linemen going by because somebody assumed somebody else was blocking, or not knowing which linebacker was whose.
The resurgence of the line can be traced to trust. It was led by Brandon Albert at left tackle. He’s playing next to a rookie at a new position. Albert has seen it all and he knows what to expect.
Early on against Pittsburgh, if you key on Albert, you’ll see that he notices something might be up. He turns to his left guard, Tunsil, and alerts him of who they should be blocking if pressure comes. It’s easy to get unorganized in the face of pressure. Guys crossing your face can be confusing. With the left side of the line getting itself in order, the back can find the hole and get a nice gain.
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Communication up front is vital to the success of an offensive line. However, that communication must be built up with trust. The process of building trust is organic and happens over many months of spending every day together. And it’s awesome when it all falls into place.
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