O-Linemen Eagles star lobbied for offensive changes

PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles offense has found more success since the start of the week at guard, and veteran right tackle Lane Johnson pointed to an increased emphasis on the running game as well as play-action passing as impetus for the top.

Johnson, Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson, the Eagles’ most accomplished offensive linemen, lobbied head coach Nick Sirianni for the changes, pointing to the Eagles’ success against Detroit in 2021.

“I think we’ve got a really good running back in the backfield and we’d like to give him touches, but I think we had some discussions there during the bye week and got back to what our identity was. We had to establish that,” Johnson. said. “So if I had to compare it to something, I would compare it to maybe 2021 when we played in Detroit and we had a similar type of offensive tactic … I played in Detroit and we played a lot of running games , lots of game action and it worked really well for us.

“So it’s more of the same formula and when you can do that, you can slow down the pass rush. You can put the linebackers in a position where they have to play the run or the pass and so instead of it being kind of one-dimensional.”

Johnson called the Eagles offense “constipated” during the weeks they struggled.

“It’s really been an offensive-driven movement,” Johnson said of the advocacy. “We knew we had to make some adjustments. Some of the guys, some of the leaders, the veterans, on the O-line, we’ve had discussions and help with that. We just want the offense to be the best version of it and win some games and hopefully get some points in the first f@#$ing quarter.”

Entering the Lions game in 2021, the Eagles were 2-5 before making a playoff run, leaning on the run game with a string of 200-yard efforts on the ground before being tackled by Tampa Bay in the wild-card round of the playoffs. .

Going back to that now could be seen as a regression in the evolution of the offense, especially as it relates to quarterback Jalen Hurts in the passing game, so the coaching staff hasn’t been as definitive as Johnson, who, like all O-Linemen, here it comes. from the default setting of wanting to run the football.

“Identity becomes exaggerated. I really think that, like, what is identity? What is identity?” Sirianni said. “And I’m telling you, I’ve told you guys a bunch, that our identity is played out in detail. Our identity is to play hard, physical, and our identity is to play together, and it all changes from week to week. ”

The passing game. The running game. Balance. Play-action. Movement. Whatever a fan’s favorite flavor, it’s all about execution on any given day in a parity-based league where the margin for error is small and no transitive property carries over.

“I think the identity of this football team is physicality and that’s what we’re going to try to play every week is physicality,” the coach said.

Hurts described her as wanting to be “the publican,” regardless of how that might look against a particular opponent.

“I think when you’re able to be the setter, that says a lot about who you are offensively,” Hurts said. “There are more than one way to impose, right? You can do this from the gun. You can do that in the passing game. You can do this in the running game, the action game, whatever it is, as long as you have full control.

“And so, I think that’s more the mindset that we’re trying to develop and I’m trying to push, to be honest, it’s about what we’re not doing about what somebody else is doing.”

Johnson said Sirianni is an attentive listener and suggestions are not ignored.

“We talk about everything together,” Sirianni said before Friday’s practice. “We go through our processes together. The same thing, I won’t say this percentage or that percentage or anything like that, but you try to evaluate as a coach what your players are doing well. You do it based on practice. You do that based on the games and what you’re successful at and what you’re not successful at.

“You also do that by talking to the players. ‘How do you feel about this? How do you feel about it? It’s a both/and we’re all in this together. We win games together; we lose games together We arrive at the best answers together. Again, that’s exactly why it’s one of the greatest team sports out there.”

Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is responsible for game planning and play calling on game days, so he ultimately drives the offensive direction.

“By the game plan and by the situation, there is definitely very good value. The running game and the play action potential as we go,” Moore said. “So there were some good things in the running game that allowed us to go downhill the last two weeks.

“We’ll see where it takes us.”

And Johnson understands that things can change in an instant.

“We have to be ready to adapt. If teams want to load up the box and make us go a different route, we will,” the All-Pro said. “… For us, it’s about getting the offense rolling and putting our best foot forward.”

Sirianni was even more succinct.

“Success takes what it takes,” the coach said.

MORE NFL: Eagles rule out two startersS