The Big Sexies

[time2rock]

The Big Sexies

Posted: December 23rd, 2021 | Author: Tommy Lawlor

When a football team is struggling, a smart coach will turn to his best players. Forget about scheme and outsmarting opponents. Just use your best players to right the ship. And this applies whether the team is struggling in a game or in the middle of a season.

Nick Sirianni did this when the Eagles fell to 2-5. He said enough with the passing game and embraced the Eagles best players…the offensive line. Over the years, linemen were often called the big uglies. That insult will not stand for this Eagles OL. They are the big sexies.

Since Sirianni embraced the OL and went to a run-heavy attack, the Eagles are 5-2 and have one of the hottest offenses in the league.

You can talk about the Eagles not facing top defenses in that stretch as a counterpoint. That is true. But the Eagles aren’t just having some success. They are historically good right now. The team has run for 175 or more in seven consecutive games. The last team do to that was the 1985 Bears.

The Eagles ran all over the Saints top ranked run defense (242 yards) and just ran over Washington’s fourth ranked run defense (238 yards). Teams that normally shut down the run are getting gouged and run all over. This is crazy stuff.

And it isn’t like the Eagles are trotting out Walter Payton or Emmitt Smith or Barry Sanders. Or even LeSean McCoy. The Eagles have a good set of runners, but the run game is truly built on the guys up front, the big sexies.

The Eagles offensive line is unique. They have some big, powerful blockers who can get movement at the line of scrimmage. They also have some incredible athletes who can get out in space and do crazy things. Jeff Stoutland uses the versatile skill sets to build a creative run game that can attack all over the field. Then you mix in a running QB like Jalen Hurts and I’m not sure where a defensive coordinator should focus. What do you stop first?

Let’s talk about the individual O-linemen.

Jordan Mailata – A unique player with special potential. He isn’t a great player right now, but he does things that make other OL go "Wow!”. That’s the first sign that someone is special. When peers are blown away, you know this isn’t just a fun highlight. Mailata is physically overhwhelming with his size and strength, but he still has good feets and moves well. That is a freaky combination. He is still somewhat raw. The biggest issue for him is hand use. He must work to sustain blocks better.

Landon Dickerson – Dominant run blocker. Big man who can get low and get movement. Outstanding on double teams. Not as comfortable in space or in pass protection, but he should develop in both areas. Can be a Pro Bowl OG.

Jason Kelce – He’s got to be at least 56 years old and somehow he’s still the most athletic center in the league. It is fair to wonder if he’s the most athletic center in NFL history. That would require some research, but there wouldn’t be many guys who can move like Kelce. His hidden value is in identifying blitzes and different looks and then adjusting the blocking. There isn’t much that is going to fool him. A great leader and special teammate.

Nate Herbig – He’s taken over at RG for Jack Driscoll who took over for Brandon Brooks. Herbig has 15 NFL starts under his belt. He is at his best at RG. Big body who is a good run blocker. Moves okay, but easily the most limited athlete up front. Herbig is the #5 OG on the Eagles and plenty of teams would love to have him as a starter. That should tell you just how good the Eagles OL is.

Lane Johnson – Arguably the best RT in the NFL. Remains an outstanding player both as a run blocker and pass protector. Special player. He is big, strong and athletic, but also a student of the game who understands technique. Constantly works at his craft. We see plenty of athletic blockers come into the league. Johnson worked hard to develop into a special player and he’s worked hard to stay at that level. Injuries are the only thing that has slowed him down.

Pro Bowl selections were announced on Wednesday and only Kelce got chosen. Johnson should have been taken over Tristan Wirfs.

Individual honors aren’t as important as collective play when it comes to the OL. The Eagles have the best OL in the league. There are some other good groups, but I don’t know if anyone would come close to this bunch.

I hope fans appreciate what a special group this is. Mailata may go down as the best LT in franchise history, if he continues to develop and plays for a decade. He’s got that kind of potential. Kelce is the best center in team history. Johnson is the best RT in team history. Dickerson can be a Pro Bowl player. Special group.

If you think back over my time watching the Eagles, this would be the best OL:

LT Jason Peters
LG Evan Mathis
OC Jason Kelce
RG Shawn Andrews
RT Lane Johnson

Peters, Kelce and Johnson all had sustained excellence. Mathis was a top LG for his four years here. Andrews was a dominant player for three years before injuries and other issues ended his time in Philly. Andrews had tremendous potential, but didn’t love football. He’s one of the biggest What If players in Eagles history. Andrews could have been special.

Todd Herremans deserves a special mention because he played RG, RT and LG. He was a 9-year starter and key player for some good teams.

It feels funny to make a list like this that leaves off Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan. They were an outstanding pair of bookend tackles from 2000-2008, but somehow the Eagles found even better players in Peters and Johnson. As someone who lived through the Ryan-Kotite-Rhodes years, it feels crazy to say that Eagles fans have been spoiled by an abundance of great O-linemen.

Enjoy the big guys up front when you watch games. This is a special group and they are the key to this team’s ability to keep winning games.

http://igglesblitz.com/2021/12/the-big-sexies-2/

[PoconoDon]

As defenses get smaller and faster to deal with the passing game, they give up some measure of consistent run stopping. A strong running game may prove to be the not-so secret weapon of the next decade or so. Back in the 80's defenses were built to stop the run first, then that pesky WCO showed up and started winning  a bunch of games and some Super Bowls. Things changed in response to that. It looks like what was old may be new again.