After five weeks of competition in the NFL we have two unbeaten teams, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. The Californian team is receiving the most attention from the media and fans for its colorful offensive game and spectacular defense. On the other hand, the Eagles, who already had their own explosive start a year ago with an 8-0 start, are leaving more doubts because they are not being as dynamic on offense. It’s curious to me how “the problem” with the Niners is that they are doing too well, too soon, and at the same time Philadelphia is accused of not being convincing in their triumphs. In conclusion, it is impossible to persuade everyone in this sudden business that is the NFL.
I already talked to you in my section last week about the 49ers, so in this one I am going to focus on their great rival in principle to reach Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas next February. The strength of Nick Sirianni’s team lies in the trenches, both in attack and defense. Today I’m going to look at his offensive line group, a unit that didn’t have its best start to the season in Weeks 1 and 2, but has since regained its status as the best in the entire NFL. At the helm is coach Jeff Stoutland. At 61 years old he is considered by most to be the best OL coach today. After spending most of his career in college football, where among other destinations he won two national championships for Nick Saban’s Alabama, he came to the NFL with Chip Kelly in 2013. That year, the Eagles chose the number 4 in the draft to Lane Johnson, curiously the third offensive tackle to come out in that promotion. Johnson has since claimed his place as the best right tackle of his era, far surpassing the two guys who came out before him, Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel.
A couple of years earlier, with much less fanfare, in the sixth round of the 2011 draft (191st overall pick) the Eagles chose who they then trusted could become their next starting center, Jason Kelce. The eldest of the Kelce brothers earned the starter spot as a rookie and since 2015 he has been a true iron man who has not missed a single match. With these two strongholds, Kelce and Johnson, Stoutland has been building powerful offensive lines over the years. The one in 2017 was decisive for Philadelphia to win its first championship in almost seventy years. Looking back, it is almost incredible that a team with the following skill players won the Super Bowl: Nick Foles, LeGarrette Blount, Jay Ajayi, Alshon Jeffrey, Torrey Smith, Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz among others. Without a doubt, the impeccable work of the Stoutland boys helped their teammates get the best out of themselves, even though that year, Jason Peters, another of their best men, was injured in the decisive stretch of the campaign.
Injuries and the advanced age of some of its components forced the Eagles to renew their offensive line in recent seasons. His successes via draft have been spectacular. In the seventh round of 2018, they chose Jordan Mailata, a former Australian rugby league player who entered the franchises’ radar due to the international development program that the league has conducted since 2017 to facilitate different athletes throughout the globe. the possibility of playing in the NFL. After two seasons of adaptation and learning Mailata, a human mountain 2.03m tall and 166kg in weight, has revealed himself as a worthy heir to Peters on the left side of the line.
The men who accompany the veteran Kelce on the interior are two young values coming out of the second round of the 2021 and 2022 draft respectively, Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens. The first had a rookie campaign that left some doubts, probably motivated by not being one hundred percent physically due to a final injury during his university years. The second was part of the second unit on the road to Super Bowl LVII and this year he had managed to earn a spot as a starter until suffering a knee injury in Week 4 that made him go on the injured list.
The group was at the top of its game last Sunday in Los Angeles for the team’s 23-14 victory over the Rams. Jalen Hurts’ pass protection was superb throughout his 38 dropbacks, with only defenders bothering him for his tendency to hold the ball too much. Notice in these images the wide pockets that the quarterback has, the first after play-action and the second in a traditional passing action in which the line slides to the opposite side of Hurts’ primary reading to give him a field of wide and obstacle-free vision. Thus came the first touchdown of the afternoon for the Eagles.
2023-10-13 16:54:00
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