Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

Eagles' line comes to life and flattens Saints

Through the first four games of the season, the Eagles offensive line certainly heard its share of criticism. What hurt most was that deep down, the players knew it was justified.

Sam Bradford throws a pass as Allen Barbre blocks the Saints' Tyeler Davison.
Sam Bradford throws a pass as Allen Barbre blocks the Saints' Tyeler Davison.Read more(David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)

Through the first four games of the season, the Eagles offensive line certainly heard its share of criticism. What hurt most was that deep down, the players knew it was justified.

So the maligned line picked an opportune time to turn things around. Playing by far its best game of the year, the line was a major reason for a 39-17 win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Never mind that the Saints are 1-4 and are allowing 28.6 points per game. The Eagles accumulated 519 yards, 333 passing and a season-high 186 on the ground. And quarterback Sam Bradford was not sacked in 45 passing attempts.

"Man, those guys were unbelievable today," Bradford said about his line. "Not only in the pass game but the run game."

In the previous four weeks, the praise wasn't so glowing for the offensive line. "We had a lot of questions, not just from the media, but with how poorly we played from our own team," Eagles center Jason Kelce said.

At least for one day, the criticism vanished. Yes, the Eagles were playing a defensively challenged team, but the Saints were coming off a 26-20 overtime win over a Dallas team that beat the Eagles.

"I thought that was the key," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said of the offensive line's play. "We've talked about being able to establish the run and things can build off of that, but credit those guys up front."

What also helped was having tackles Jason Peters and Lane Johnson in the lineup when earlier in the week there was a question as to whether either would be ready.

In a 23-20 loss against the host Washington Redskins, Peters lasted only six plays before leaving with a quadriceps injury.

"He is a tough guy, and he is a baller," running back Ryan Mathews said.

So is Johnson, who was suffering from ankle and knee injuries but said that other than some fatigue, he came out of the game feeling all right. "I'm a little tired right now," he said.

Johnson and Peters took it easier earlier in the week but were full practice participants by Thursday.

"The previous week against the Redskins, I was out there every day [in practice] and should have been resting a little more, and I took that approach this week," Peters said.

The Eagles also received strong play inside from guards Matt Tobin and Allen Barbre. Now the line is looking for this effort to carry over into the game against the New York Giants next Monday at Lincoln Financial Field.

"The morale is definitely up," Johnson said. "Usually when we come up with a bunch of yards early, the only people who usually stop us are ourselves."

That happened when Bradford threw interceptions on the Eagles' second and third drives of the game.

Still, the line kept imposing its will on the Saints, allowing the Eagles to score on their final seven possessions, including all six in the second half.

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard