This weekend, the New Orleans Saints will travel to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in an environment they have not been able to steal a win in back-to-back seasons.
In order to avoid a third-straight loss in the City of Brotherly Love, containing the Eagles run game and putting pressure on the passer (whether quarterback Jalen Hurts or backup Gardner Minshew is the signal-caller) will be key for defensive end Cameron Jordan and the Saints defense. Those elements of the game may have not been the easiest to achieve for any NFL team facing Philadelphia, but one key absence looms large and could open the door for the Saints defense to have the impact they want going into this one: all-star right tackle Lane Johnson.
Johnson has been ruled out for Sunday’s game with a groin injury. Johnson is a huge part of the Eagles’ success in both the passing and run game. Per Pro Football Focus, the former Oklahoma Sooner has taken 551 pass blocking snaps this season and has allowed just 9 total pressures without surrendering a single sack or even a hit on his quarterback.
That incredible production is not limited to just the passing game either. The Eagles have gained 22.7% of their 2,306 rushing yards this season running the ball to Johnson’s side of the line. They have also gained an additional 286 rushing yards outside the end of his side as well.
Johnson is such a pivotal part of Philadelphia’s success that the Eagles are 12-21 in the 33 games he has missed since 2013. That includes going 3-10 since 2020. While this could be more correlation than causation and does not guarantee the Saints any kind of victory on Sunday, the star right tackle’s absence should not be taken lightly.
“He is the best tackle in the NFL,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said of Johnson recently. “I didn’t say ‘right tackle.’ I said ‘tackle.'”
Some Saints fans would make the argument that New Orleans right tackle Ryan Ramczyk challenges for that title. But one thing is for sure, the Eagles’ best option in place of Johnson, backup tackle Jack Driscoll, is a big-time drop off. Driscoll has played 98 snaps in pass protection this season, per PFF and has allowed 13 pressures including a sack and hit on the quarterback.
This is a matchup that Jordan must take advantage of. He primarily rushes off the left side of the Saints defensive line against opposing right tackles, putting him on a collision course with Driscoll. A big day would not only help Jordan’s team win the game, but it would go a long way towards helping him claim Pro Football Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson’s franchise sacks record. Jordan has bagged 112.5 sacks in his Saints career, trailing Jackson’s official total of 115. Let’s see if Jordan can step up in a mismatch on Sunday.
