NFL Insiders Debate: Which team has most dominant unit?

ByESPN NFL INSIDERS
October 27, 2016, 1:41 AM

— -- Our panel of NFL Insiders breaks down which team has the most dominant position group in football. Plus: Which unit will hold back a contender and which QB has done the most with the least?

What's the strongest unit right now?

Matt Bowen, NFL writer: It's still the Minnesota Vikings' defense even after a sloppy loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that featured poor special teams play. This unit under coach Mike Zimmer continues to create panic and turnovers. Through six games, the Vikings are holding opposing quarterbacks to a ridiculously low Total QBR (25.6), and Minnesota is tied with Seattle at the top of the NFL for points allowed per game (14.0). They have a dynamic mix of extremely smart coaching and versatile talent at all three levels of the field. That's tough to plan against.

Dan Graziano, national NFL insider: For me, it's that Dallas Cowboys' offensive line. All around the league, every week, we're looking at lines that can't block and are overwhelmed. The Vikings-Eagles game I was at Sunday was an exhibition of rotten line play. It feels like every team is struggling up front, and not only are the Cowboys competent, they're consistently excellent. The advantage that gives them on a week-to-week basis, given how big an issue it is for so many other teams, makes them the most dominant unit right now.

KC Joyner, NFL writer: The Tennessee Titans lead the league in my good blocking rate (GBR) metric that measures how often an O-line gives its ball carriers quality run blocking (roughly defined as not allowing the defense to disrupt a rush attempt). The Titans also rank sixth in ESPN's pass protection metric (50.8 percent). Those rankings are every bit as strong as the Cowboys' offensive line (third in GBR, tied for sixth in pass protection) and thus give the Titans a rightful claim for most dominant offensive line in the NFL.

Scott Kacsmar, Football Outsiders assistant editor: The Dallas offensive line has helped a rookie backfield to the No. 1 offense in DVOA (third in passing, first in rushing). Dallas' line ranks first in adjusted line yards, and has the fourth-lowest rate of stuffed runs. Dak Prescott's average time in the pocket is 2.48 seconds, the second longest in the league.

Mike Sando, senior NFL writer: The Vikings' defense. Minnesota became the first team since the 2006 season to hold its first five opponents beneath 17 points. The streak ended against the Eagles in Week 7, but the Vikings' offense was to blame. Minnesota's defense added 16.2 expected points, a season-best for the Vikings.

Which unit/position group on a contender will be the biggest impediment to winning a title?

Bowen: The Green Bay Packers' running back situation is shaky at best. Now, both Ty Montgomery and Randall Cobb are dynamic talents. I get it. That also allows Green Bay to think outside of the box a bit in terms of creating a game plan at the position. But there comes a time in every game (especially in the playoffs) when offenses have to run the football downhill to move the sticks and control tempo. And the Packers don't have that ability with two wide receivers aligned in the backfield. Remember, offensive window dressing gets you only so far. With Eddie Lacy on injured reserve and James Starks banged up, the Packers need to find an answer. Let's see if that's Knile Davis once he is ready to roll in coach Mike McCarthy's system.

Graziano: I don't see where the pass rush is going to come from in Pittsburgh. There was a lot of talk about defensive improvements with the Steelers this offseason, but they're not bothering opposing quarterbacks enough for me to put them with the AFC's elite contenders. The offense will be next-level once Ben Roethlisberger is back, but it's going to be tough for them to dictate the action in the fourth quarter of playoff games if they can't get the pass rush figured out.

Joyner: Arizona's special teams woes go well beyond Sunday's night missed overtime field goal that cost the Cardinals a win against Seattle. Arizona ranks 28th in ESPN's field goal expected points added metric and last in punt expected points added. They are a combined minus-20.3 points in these metrics, meaning Arizona's special teams have cost them roughly three points per game. Ouch.

Kacsmar: Minnesota's offensive line is going to be too difficult to overcome against a quality opponent, especially in the playoffs should the team get that far. The running game ranks 32nd in DVOA, and the blame for that falls on the O-line more so than the loss of Adrian Peterson. Sam Bradford's QBR when pressured this season is a league-low 2.9. While he has faced only the 14th-highest pressure rate, Bradford has struggled to lead the offense to points this season, relying largely on that great defense (and special teams) to get the job done. This is not a reliable formula for sustaining success.

Sando: Seattle's issues at offensive tackle could be a deal breaker for the Seahawks if Russell Wilson does not get healthy enough to escape and threaten defenses with his legs. The Seahawks need to adjust their scheme to help their tackles -- not every week, but in games when the other team has elite edge rushers.

Which quarterback has done the most with the least help this season?

Bowen: I'm going with San Diego Chargers quarterback? Philip Rivers. Think about this: Rivers is missing his three top targets with Keenan Allen, Danny Woodhead and Stevie Johnson on the shelf for the season because of injury. Antonio Gates? He has missed some time with a hamstring injury, too. However, Rivers is still dealing in the pocket and going after opposing secondaries. Through seven games, Rivers has thrown for 2,018 yards, 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Plus, after consecutive wins against the Broncos and Falcons, Rivers still has his team in the hunt.

Graziano: It's Rivers, without a doubt. Allen and Woodhead were his most trusted targets in the passing game other than Gates, who has clearly slowed down. He basically hasn't had Allen or Woodhead all season. Rivers is going to work every week with substandard personnel around him and knocking around near the top of every statistical category. It's also worth noting that the Chargers have suffered three or four absolutely crushing losses, and Rivers is one of the people whose leadership role puts him in charge of keeping spirits up. The fact that they're still competitive after the way their season started -- with wins the past two weeks against Denver and in Atlanta -- says a lot about the intangibles for a quarterback with more than enough "tangibles" to be the answer here.

Joyner:?Rivers has a long history of getting elite production out of less than stellar talents around him and this season is no exception. For proof, consider that Rivers has a 98.1 Total QBR on the 46 passes he has thrown to Tyrell Williams, an undrafted free agent from Western Oregon acquired in 2015 who mostly played on special teams prior to this season. Williams is one of eight players with whom Rivers has racked up an 87.3 Total QBR or higher.

Kacsmar: Matthew Stafford has kept the Lions in contention with a league-high four fourth-quarter comebacks this season. Only five other quarterbacks in NFL history had that many in their team's first seven games. Stafford is exhibiting a career-best level of performance and efficiency, while dealing with a defense that ranks 32nd in DVOA. He's on his fourth running back with a below-average running game, and he has overcome the retirement of Calvin Johnson and an injury to tight end Eric Ebron. Stafford is just hitting his prime, and should be viewed as a legitimate MVP candidate.

Sando: Andrew Luck has to be up there with Rivers. He ranks fifth in Total QBR this season (73.3) despite the team around him. You know the roster is bad when the general manager is publicly blaming the franchise quarterback's contract for inhibiting personnel acquisition.