time2rock Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 Talk about Eagles’ Andre Dillard has been quiet … and for good reason Updated: Oct. 12, 2021, 8:33 a.m. | Published: Oct. 12, 2021, 8:30 a.m. By Chris Franklin | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com CHARLOTTE, NC – "Children should be seen, not heard” It is a proverb that has been around forever, stating that if a child is around adults talking, it would be best that they stand to the side politely and not interrupt the adults. There is (or at least should be) a football version saying, "Offensive linemen should be blocking and not named, meaning their name should not be called for penalties or consistently giving up sacks. If that was the case, Eagles tackle Andre Dillard would be living up to the football proverb. Dillard has been quietly playing well. The reason why no one is talking about him is a good thing because it means he is not making many mistakes and is not putting the offense in bad situations. According to Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grades, Dillard received the highest grade out of the five starting offensive linemen. Dillard did not allow a sack against a Panthers defense that was ranked third in the league in total yards allowed heading into the game. Sunday’s performance has been consistent with the way Dillard has played since taking the place of Jordan Mailata at left tackle after Mailata sprained his knee before the team’s Week 3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Dillard had not allowed a sack and allowed quarterback Jalen Hurts to be pressured seven times over a three-game span. It has been a big turnaround for the 2019 first-round selection. Dillard lost his training camp battle for the left tackle spot to Mailtata, with Mailata eventually getting a four-year, $64 million extension in the process. Despite not being the Week 1 starter, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said he believed that Dillard would do well once he was inserted into the starting lineup. "I’ve had complete confidence in Andre since I have gotten here. He played his good game against the Jets in the final preseason game and he’s play three good games in a row. He’s just playing good, consistent football and I’m sure glad that we have him on this team. I’m happy with the way that he is playing.” Dillard has not been perfect. He still struggles at times when it comes to his run blocking, being out-leveraged at times by edge rushers and linebackers at the point of attack on running plays. Dillard also struggles to get a sustained push on running plays, not always showing the nastiness and physicality you see with some of the top run blockers in the game. Both of those things are correctable, and if Dillard continues to play, he can get better at it. Dillard’s strong performance also gives the Eagles some options for the future and potentially this season. If a team is expected to make a deep run in the playoffs and loses their left tackle, the Eagles could find themselves with some in a good position and receive a decent draft pick in return because of Dillard’s play and the fact that he is still on his rookie deal for at least one more season. If the Eagles decide to hold on to Dillard and not trade him, he will still give the Eagles depth at an important position. When tackle Lane Johnson returns from his personal matter, and Mailata shifts back over to left tackle, Dillard can be inserted into the game, already having the experience of playing in games this season. https://www.nj.com/eagles/2021/10/talk-about-eagles-andre-dillard-has-been-quietand-for-good-reason.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now