No easy start for Eagles offensive line

It doesn't start easy for the Eagles' new-look offensive line.

After an offseason shuffle the Week 1 starting five had just three days of practice together. Now they head to St. Louis Sunday to face a defense that had 43 sacks last season, seventh most in the NFL.

"Very explosive. Their pass rush is very explosive," said Eagles coach Andy Reid. "We know they can rush the passer."

Defensive ends James Hall and Chris Long combined for 19 sacks last season, and they're joined this year by first-round pick Robert Quinn.

They're led by head coach Steve Spagnuolo, who early in his career was an Eagles defensive assistant under the late Jim Johnson, learning the defensive coordinator's blitz-heavy schemes.

"I'm sure they'll have some good stuff for us, and we have to answer," Reid said.

It won't help that an offensive line full of changes will get their first game experience together in a dome that could be loud and disruptive.

With the Eagles boasting so many explosive offensive players, getting to Michael Vick might be the only sure way to slow down the Birds scoring. Expect the Rams to try, especially after surrendering nearly 224 passing yards per game last year.

The Eagles, meanwhile, counter with a rookie at center, Jason Kelce; a journeyman, Evan Mathis, at left guard; a right tackle, Todd Herremans, who has played one game at tackle since 2006; a right guard, Kyle DeVan, who first practiced with the team Monday; and left tackle Jason Peters, the only piece of continuity from a year ago.

Mathis did not play with the first team at all in the preseason and Herremans did not play at tackle in the Eagles dress rehearsals. Each will be facing live competition Sunday for the first time in their current roles.

The lineup change is partly a result of miscalculation - first-round pick Danny Watkins not being ready to start, for example - and partly a result of last year's poor pass protection. The Eagles sought to overhaul their offensive line with new coach Howard Mudd after the team allowed 49 sacks last season, fourth most in the NFL.

But the change has been hampered by the lockout and a search for healthy personnel who can play Mudd's style.

Those requirements help explain why DeVan, released by the Colts on Saturday, landed in Philadelphia and is set to start just days after joining the team.

"The number-one thing in football is: Keep Michael Vick clean," DeVan said. "We've got to keep the middle of the pocket firm and allow the tackles to take their man, block them and then run [the pass rushers] around the edge so Michael can step up, complete his passes and we can get rolling."

DeVan practiced alongside Herremans this week, and the two discussed how they would approach the game, DeVan relating what he did under Mudd in Indianapolis, Herremans explaining how the Eagles play different scenarios.

"We kind of take that and create our own style together," DeVan said. "That's what you do on the field. You work next to someone and then you know exactly how this player plays and what his style is and what he's trying to do every single time."

That sounds like a goal every offensive line would aspire to. The question is whether this group has had enough time - less than a week - to reach that level.

We'll see how far they've come, and how far they need to go, when they face a strong first test Sunday.