The backbone of every offense is the offensive line. The running backs, wide receivers, tight end and quarterbacks get the majority of the credit for moving the ball and scoring touchdowns, but none of that what would be possible without diligent effort and effective play from the offensive line as a whole.

Unlike other positions and units, the offensive line has to work together as a whole. If one offensive lineman is not in sync with the others, it will lead to the whole unit failing on any given play. Playing on the offensive line is not for the unintelligent as you have to recognize and understand a variety of looks, blitzes and stunt from defenses.

Furthermore, not only does an offensive lineman have to be extremely intelligent, they must also be incredibly strong and deceptively athletic. Also, an offensive lineman has little room for error from a technique standpoint. On almost every pay, an offensive lineman will line up against a player who is much more athletic then them and it some cases just as strong. Therefore, if they are extremely technical, they will get beaten repeatedly by opposing defensive linemen.

When a team has a great offensive line, it makes everything they do on offense easier. The quarterback has more time to find his receivers and the running backs have bigger holes to run through. It isn’t impossible to have a good offense with a below-average offensive line, but it makes things a lot more difficult.

Without further ado, let’s rank all 32 offensive lines in the NFL and see how it shakes out.

We looked at the worst units in the NFL in our first volume, the below-average units in our second volume, the slightly below-average units in our third volume, the average units in our fourth volume and the above-average units in our fifth volume, now we’re moving on to those that are a small step above.

8. Houston Texans

Best Player: Duane Brown

Player Who Needs To Improve: Xavier Su’a-Filo

The Houston Texans have the best offensive line that you never hear about. They consistently do their job in the passing and running games. Even though the Texans have been held back by poor quarterback play the last few years, it hasn’t been because they don’t have enough time in the pocket. Also, a large portion of Arian Foster’s considerable success has been due to the big boys up front.

Duane Brown is probably the most underrated left tackle in the NFL as he just goes out and does his job every week. Brandon Brooks is a young guard who has an extremely bright future ahead of him and he should fight for a Pro Bowl bid this year. Derek Newton is one of the better right tackles in football as he is a dominant run-blocker.

If there was one player who could elevate the Texans offensive line to a new level it would be Xavier Su’a-Filo. He had a poor rookie season, but there are still high hopes that he can become a very good guard for the Texans. If Su’a-Filo plays up to his potential, the Texans could be a top-five offensive line.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

Best Player: Kelvin Beachum

Player Who Needs To Improve: Ramon Foster

The Pittsburgh Steelers had been plagued with subpar offensive line play for a few years, but that all stopped in 2014. The Steelers were able to put a unit together that allowed their offense to execute at the highest level. Ben Roethlisberger had time to throw and Le’Veon Bell had room to run, which allowed the Steelers offense to become one of the best in the NFL.

Kelvin Beachum showed that he was a steal in the seventh round as he developed into a very good left tackle last year. David DeCastro finally showed why so many were high on him during the pre-draft process as he was able to play at a very high level.

To take the next step, the Steelers need Ramon Foster to develop into a solid guard. Last year, he was the main weakness on the offensive line for the Steelers and some teams were able to take advantage. If he can play at a decently high level, the Steelers offense will reach new heights.

6. Cincinnati Bengals

Best Player: Andrew Whitworth 

Player Who Needs To Improve: Andre Smith

The Cincinnati Bengals have a great long-term outlook for their offensive line. They drafted two very talented offensive linemen in Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in 2015. However, this year, Andrew Whitworth will be the one who determines whether the offensive line is elite or not.

Whitworth had had an up and down career, but last year he was one of the best offensive tackles in football. He didn’t surrender a single sack and only allowed one hit on the quarterback in all of last year per Pro Football Focus.

Beside Whitworth, the Bengals have a solid guard in Clint Boling with a fantastic guard on the other side in Kevin Zeitler. If there were two players who the Bengals would like to see improve it would be Russell Bodine and Andre Smith. Both players underperformed last season and it will be interesting to see if they can bounce back this season.

More so than many teams on this list the Bengals are built for the short and long term, which should make Andy Dalton extremely happy.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

Best Player: Jason Peters

Player Who Needs To Improve: Andrew Gardner

The Philadelphia Eagles offensive line is a very good unit, but they will probably take a step back in 2015. In 2014, they were one of the three best offensive lines in football, but when you lose a player as good as Evan Mathis, it is hard to get much better.

On the bright side, the Eagles do have Jason Peters and Jason Kelce, who are two of the best players at their position. Furthermore, Lane Johnson is a very good right tackle with a bright future ahead of him.

Unfortunately, Andrew Gardner and Allen Barbre are not players who inspire confidence in fans and analysts a lot. Luckily for them, Chip Kelly’s offense makes the job easier on the offensive line because it gives them superior angles and leaves defenses more confused.

Therefore, if Barbre and Gardner can be just average, the Eagles offensive line will be great in 2015.