Jeff Stoutland keeps the Eagles offensive line humming despite injuries

Tyler Steen had to step in early after Mekhi Becton left with a concussion, and the Eagles’ offensive line machine continued to sing.

He rarely seems to snap when someone up front goes down, unlike the New York Giants, who were playing without Andrew Thomas and fell apart, allowing eight sacks to the Eagles in a 28-3 win over Philly on Sunday.

The Eagles obviously have a superior line coach in Jeff Stoutland, and general manager Howie Roseman also gets credit for providing the clay for Stout to mold into.

“I think Steen did well,” left guard Landon Dickerson said. “Unfortunately, I can’t watch it when I’m at work, so we have to watch the film. But like I say every week, when guys go down, we have an expectation in the O-line room when someone goes down, the next guy is going to be able to execute at the same level.

“So everyone in this room prepares like it’s the first time, so when something happens they come in and we don’t treat it any differently.”

The Giants lose left tackle Thomas, and kaboom, their line implodes.

The Eagles lose left tackle Jordan Mailata to a hamstring injury that put him on injured reserve and the machine is still humming with Fred Johnson doing an adequate job. Adequate was all it was and that’s all it had to be. It didn’t implode.

“I feel like it had its ups and downs,” Johnson said. “I think once I settled in, I got into a groove. It just comes with live action reps. I executed when I needed to. I have a lot to work on, start working every week and get ready for to the next one.

It remains to be seen if Johnson will make his second straight start in Cincinnati on Sunday against Trey Hendrickson, who has seven sacks this year. The chances of doing so may increase with Becton’s concussion.

If Becton can’t play, it will likely be Johnson and Steen starting at right guard. Head coach Nick Sirianni predictably declined to say who was Johnson’s backup or who was the backup swing tackle when asked Monday, though Jack Driscoll or Darian Kinnard are likely involved.

As for Steen, he knows his role and was ready for it when asked.

“Coach Sirianni meets before the season starts and lets everyone know what their role is on the team,” Steen said. “Once you realize what your role is, you try to do it to the best of your ability and go for it. (My role) is to step in when my number is called.”

So he did it.

Sirianni was asked how he thought he did it, and the coach referenced a combo block that Steen and Lane Johnson were able to execute against Dexter Lawrence on one of Saquon Barkley’s long drives.

“Steen just has that perfect timing of when to drop to linebacker and leave Lane with Dexter Lawrence in the crease,” Sirianni said. “This requires a lot of work together. That takes a lot of time together, a lot of practice time together, to really fit that block together properly.

“I couldn’t say enough about the guys and their work ethic, their faith in each other. I definitely see it within the offensive line. Hey, this guy is down; I had faith in the next guy. They talk about it all the time, and it’s great when it’s on a tape like that.”

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