Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles offensive line is a cause for concern going forward

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Eagles offensive line had a solid game on Sunday, but they showed some potential worrisome glimpses into the future.

he Philadelphia Eagles played well In their 29-10 victory on Sunday, but the offensive line certainly had its’ struggles against one of the worst teams in the NFL. As a group, the Eagles’ front five struggled to create running lanes for running back Ryan Mathews. Mathews played well, but his longest gain of the day went for just seven yards. The offensive line was also responsible for two quarterback sacks and eight quarterback hits. Yes, rookie quarterback Carson Wentz was at fault for some of the hits he took, but you can’t let the offensive line off of the hook either.

In more than one instance, veteran center Jason Kelce was immediately pushed back after the snap. He seemed to struggle with his footwork, which never allowed him to gain the necessary leverage against his opponents. Jason Peters, the rock of the offensive line, was guilty of a false start. That may not seem like that big of a deal, but considering the line’s struggles (particularly in the second quarter), the needed to be able to lean on their veteran leader. Free agent acquisition right guard Brandon Brooks also had his fair share of struggles on Sunday.

Right tackle Lane Johnson was solid almost all day with only a few hiccups. However, he is more than likely going to be suspended for ten games this week. Without Johnson, the Eagles offensive line will have even more struggles going forward. This is potentially a much bigger development than what is being discussed around NFL circles. Their rookie quarterback has a history of being injured and he tends to hold the ball too long. A struggling offensive line could be spell disaster. Expect the Eagles to lean more about their running game going forward and implement a passing attack that relies on quicker throws once Johnson is suspended.