The Year of the Defensive Line

Tyler Stearns |

In college and the pros, the defensive line has proven now more than ever that it is the most important position group on the field. We have first-hand evidence of this from last night when the Rams took Sam Darnold down nine times and pressured him on 22 pass snaps (he threw the ball 40 times. On Friday, we saw the Texas Longhorns slow down the Ohio State offense with their star defensive line led by freshman Colin Simmons and junior Ethan Burke.

Jared Verse and Bobby Brown III, Via Daily Norsemen

When we look at teams who struggled this year, we often see they had a poor defensive line. The USC Trojans came into the year with a big win against LSU, but they faded throughout the season because teams had time to throw on them. In the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals' defense faded late, hurting their playoff chances because they couldn't get after the QB. And though the Panthers struggled early with their offense, their defensive pressure issues became a worse problem after Bryce Young and the offense started to click.

Teams without a pass rush automatically have an average to below-average defense. If you can not put pressure on the QB in less than three and a half seconds, you give receivers too much time to get open. Cornerback is arguably the hardest position to play in football, and it's harder when you have to cover for an extended period because your defensive line can not get to the QB. The Eagles start Darius Slay and Cooper DeJean, an older cornerback who is known for his big play and big gain style and a rookie corner, respectively. But the Eagles have been one of the best defenses in the league because of their ability to get after the QB, specifically Jalen Carter, who is a recking force in the middle of the defensive line. Further proof that defensive line play elevates cornerback play and the entire defense is the Broncos DL led by Zach Allen. Allen and Co. have made star CB Patrick Surtain and rookie CB Riley Moss's jobs a lot easier because they get to the QB fast.

Overall, the key to success in football and on defense is to have an amazing defensive line. Everything starts with pressuring the QB, and if you can't do it, you fall behind.