Whenever people think about the most important player on the football field, why does quarterback always have to be the ultimate answer?
Sure, they touch the ball every down, are looked to by their teammates when things aren’t going well and can create thrilling plays with a flick of their wrist. But if I’m looking to build a franchise (Mr. Dan Snyder, feel free to give me a call), the position I want to make sure is locked up for the next ten years is the guy protecting my quarterback’s blindside: the left tackle.
Having a dominant offensive line is paramount to winning championships, and the left tackle always has the most pressure on them. They are usually matched up against an opponent’s best pass rusher, often being asked to block him one on one throughout the game, and if the defender gets to the quarterback just once during the matchup, he’s seen as the victor of the battle.
Left tackles are also protecting a guy who can’t see the defender coming. When a defender is rushing in a quarterback’s line of vision, the quarterback can make adjustments to get out of the way and make a play. If the defender beats the left tackle, the outcome is slightly different.
The defender comes around the corner to see the quarterback’s back, and his eyes light up. He is in the position to pound this guy as hard as he can square in the back, when the passer doesn’t know it’s coming.
Now if that doesn’t sound like a recipe for disaster for an offense, I don’t know what would be. Fumbles can occur, but even more dangerous are injuries. Each and every play, the left tackle has that in his mind. He has to keep his quarterback’s jersey clean the whole game, and if something goes wrong, it’s on him.
No pressure.
That’s why quarterbacks always have a strong bond with their left tackles; it only takes one play for everything to fall apart.
The most successful quarterbacks have historically had great left tackles blocking for them. Peyton Manning had two-time Pro Bowler Tarik Glenn for nine years, including one Super Bowl victory. During the Cowboys’ three Super Bowls in the ‘90s, Troy Aikman had Mark Tuinei, a two-time Pro Bowler, covering his backside. And Tom Brady wouldn’t dream of playing a game without two-time Pro Bowler Matt Light protecting him, as the two have played 104 games together in nine years.
If these guys had lesser players blocking their blindsides, there’s no way they would have had the great success they had, and they know it.
Smart quarterbacks are always ready to thank their linemen after games, knowing that without them toughing it out in the trenches the whole game, their own lives could have been a lot more difficult.
But linemen aren’t worried about getting glory. They know that if they’re doing their job right, their name shouldn’t come up once during a game. The big guys up front are all about getting wins on the board.
So let’s stop talking about quarterbacks and wide receivers changing games. The real game-changers are on the left side of the line, battling through each snap knowing that if they make one wrong move, it could change the fate of the whole game.
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