Back in Business: Eagles Offensive Line Notes Week 1

Although they were sloppy with penalties, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line was dominant throughout all four quarters during their 32-6 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Jordan Mailata looked even better than before, fresh off a significant extension to keep him in Philly through 2026. After a season full of injuries on the line, it was a refreshing change of pace to see everyone back at full health to start 2021.
There were almost no negatives to take away from yesterday’s game outside of the o-line’s recklessness with penalties. The starting five accumulated seven penalties, with Lane Johnson leading the group with three. The good news is a majority of these were offsides and things that Jeff Stoutland can clean up easily.
Looking at the group’s pass protection, they had everything locked down for Jalen Hurts, who was able to have all the time he needed to make throws. The starting offensive line had a total of five pressures and hurries over 41 pass protections which is phenomenal.
Eagles starting line pass blocking grades per PFF:
- Isaac Seumalo, 88.4
- Jordan Mailata, 81.1
- Brandon Brooks, 77.6
- Lane Johnson, 75.7
- Jason Kelce, 15.5 (100% a glitch by PFF)
Jordan Mailata could very well be one of the best linemen in football by the end of next season. He is, without a doubt, the biggest player in football with superhuman athleticism to go along with it. Mailata looked a lot more composed in pass protection this season as he continues to gain knowledge about the game.
The scariest part of Jordan Mailata’s game is his open-field blocking which we saw on display against the Falcons. Mailata is as quick and stronger than any front seven defender in football. Putting him as the lead blocker on a running back screen is a death sentence to whoever the opposing outside linebacker is.
For as good as Mailata is, he isn’t even the best open-field blocker on his team. Jason Kelce is the best center in football by a mile. His lead pull block in the third quarter sent Deion Jones into another stratosphere while picking up another defender and dominating him as well. Luckily the Eagles have his replacement ready to go, but Eagles fans wouldn’t be upset if Dickerson stayed on the sidelines for a few more seasons.
Lane Johnson played alright but had some very bad plays. Johnson had a holding call, combined with two other penalties, and giving up a sack by not finishing his block. For the veteran he is, Johnson should know he has to play better, and the simple mistakes aren’t acceptable for the caliber of player he is. These issues will need to be resolved quickly before he faces the 49ers’ dominant defensive line.
Brandon Brooks looked like he did in 2019, once again showing no injury can slow him down. Opposite of him, Isaac Seumalo was arguably the best blocker on the team on Sunday. Seumalo led the team in pass blocking, and while he didn’t have any flashy plays, he did what was needed of him.
Glancing at the Falcons, Jaylen Mayfield had one of the worst showings of an offensive lineman seen in a while. He wasn’t Jamon Brown or Jason Peters 2020 bad, but Mayfield let up some major sacks late in the game and single handily shut down any chances Atlanta had of getting back into the game.
After injuries to Chicago’s line, Jason Peters stepped in for the Bears and was very inconsistent in his play. Peters had some alright moments but was sent flying by an Aaron Donald shoulder and looks to be a shell of the dominant tackle he once was.
Looking ahead at the 49ers, it will be a much tougher challenge than the Atlanta Falcons defensive line. San Fran has had several injuries once again, but Nick Bosa is healthy, and he will likely be lined up against Jordan Mailata, who will hopefully show Philly he was worth the extension.
Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Eagles