Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

Eagles Notebook: Eagles set revamped O-line

Despite injuries, the team is confident Matt Tobin, Dave Molk and Dennis Kelly will fill in capably.

Eagles offensive linemen gather during practice. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)
Eagles offensive linemen gather during practice. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)Read more

IF YESTERDAY'S practice was any indication - and the players involved assumed it was - the Eagles' starting offensive line Sunday at San Francisco will feature Jason Peters at left tackle, Matt Tobin at left guard, Dave Molk at center, Dennis Kelly at right guard and Todd Herremans at right tackle.

Tobin is the newcomer, having just recovered from a high ankle sprain he suffered in the preseason finale. This would be his first NFL start; he was active for just one game in 2013 after making the team as an undrafted rookie from Iowa. Moving Herremans out to tackle, where he has played before, probably upgrades that position after Andrew Gardner's struggles against Washington, and it allows the three guys who were the interior of a smooth-functioning second-team o-line in the preseason to work together, in their exact preseason spots. Kelly has started at left guard the last two games, since Evan Mathis went down with an MCL sprain.

"Those guys had a very good preseason; everyone saw what they did against the Steelers' No. 1 defense," Mathis said yesterday. "They did a good job of playing as a unit. I like the guys that are in there now. I think it's a solid line, and I fully expect them to step up to the challenge this week."

Molk probably has the toughest job, taking over for Jason Kelce, who underwent surgery yesterday in Philadelphia, by Dr. William Meyers, for the sports hernia Kelce suffered in Sunday's game. Kelce is expected to be sidelined anywhere from one to two months; the Eagles haven't detailed the seriousness of his abdominal muscle tear.

"Kelce's on a whole different level compared to anyone when it comes to the scheme and communication," Mathis said. Molk learned he was the new starting center in a Monday text from Mathis. "Molk's been able to learn a lot from Kelce's ways. But just being able to get in there and emulate exactly how Kelce has done that - it will take some time for him to get to that level. With that said, he's still good at the communication. His challenge will be to make those [blocking] calls, make them quickly, especially in a tempo offense, and just get everybody on the same page, being the conductor of the offensive line."

Tobin, listed at 6-6, 290, almost certainly would have been part of the starting group earlier had he not been injured. He said yesterday he was mostly a left guard at Iowa, where he walked on, and ended up starting his last 22 games.

Tobin said he is "a lot smarter" than when he first joined the Eagles. "I've learned a lot from the older guys, techniquewise, stuff like that."

"Tobin is a hard-nosed player with phenomenal technique," Mathis said. "He has a very good natural instinct for the game. During the preseason, I had a lot of fun watching him develop."

Mathis noted that on Sunday, Tobin figures to be matched up against five-time 49ers Pro Bowl defensive tackle Justin Smith.

"I'm excited to see what he can do . . . It should be a good showing," Mathis said.

"Obviously, there is that chemistry we have together" in the interior, where most of the combo blocks occur, Kelly said.

Inside out

Defensive coordinator Bill Davis was quizzed extensively yesterday about why Brandon Boykin is stuck getting limited snaps, as the nickel corner, when Brandon Fletcher and Cary Williams struggle as mightily as they did Sunday against Washington.

Boykin, who made a handful of big plays in coverage down the stretch, would seem to be a more gifted athlete. But the Eagles want big corners on the outside, and Davis more or less said that's just how it's going to be, regardless.

"Boy, you guys are beating me up on 'Boyk' today," Davis said. "I can't say this enough, I love the guy and I love what he brings and I love him in the nickel spot. There's only 11 spots on the field. If there were 12 he'd be out there."

Davis also said: "We start who we think are the best players at those positions."

Some of the questions are because Boykin, who led the team in interceptions last year with six, is playing only about a third of the snaps so far, with the Eagles employing less nickel. He played 52 percent of the snaps in 2013. Davis said that stat will even out, that as the season develops teams won't be trying to run the ball as much against the Birds as they have these first three weeks.

"Of course, I want to be on the field at all times," Boykin said. "I'm just being patient. When my time comes, and when it matters - most of the time in passing situations, I'm on the field and I try to make a play. I feel like I did [against Washington]."

Birdseed

Cary Williams specifically apologized to Nate Allen yesterday, after Fox cameras caught Williams haranguing Allen on the sideline Sunday. "I don't take that off the field with me. You don't take that personal," Allen said. "Emotions are at a high level . . . We hugged it up." . . . Linebacker Mychal Kendricks (calf) and defensive end Fletcher Cox (back) sat out practice. Cox's back problem was listed on last week's injury report, but he played 65 snaps out of 78 . . . Safety Earl Wolff said the knee soreness that kept him out of the Washington game has lessened and he will play this week . . . Bill Davis said he is receptive to the idea of keeping first-round rookie Marcus Smith at inside linebacker, "if it grows into where he's dominating there." It didn't really sound like a plan, more a keeping open of options.

Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian