The Philadelphia Eagles may be 4-0, but the discourse around Philly doesn't resemble a team with a perfect record. The main reason for that is the offense that looks like a shell of itself from a season ago. The dynamic group that moved the ball and put up points on the board with ease a year ago has turned into an anemic offense that can go an entire half without completing a pass.
After the second-half disaster against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4, offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo came under serious scrutiny. Things got so bad that star wideout A.J. Brown immediately voiced his frustrations on social media, and star offensive lineman Jordan Mailata called Patullo out immediately after the game by saying that the team should "maybe run some play actions".
Jordan Mailata Showing Exemplary Leadership to Try to Fix Eagles Offense
A day after the game, Mailata diverted some of the blame away from Patullo to himself and took responsibility for the offensive struggles. Per Sports Radio 94WIP, Mailata said that the Eagles aren't "getting out of the huddle quick enough and therefore not getting as much time to identify defensive looks." He added that as one of the leaders of the team, it is up to him to make that a point of emphasis ahead of Week 5.
Mailata has long been one of the best players on the team, and thanks to his reliability and experience, has become a trusted voice for the Eagles. Playing one of the most important positions for the offensive unit, the 28-year-old blocker certainly has a key role to play if this team is going to get back to its previous levels.
It's not like Mailata isn't already doing his part. Per Pro Football Focus, the Australian left tackle has the highest grade of any Eagle on the offensive side of the ball. His 86.5 grade puts him as the third-best offensive tackle in the league through four weeks.
The second-team All-Pro offensive lineman is very well aware that getting out of the huddle quicker is not the only problem the team needs to fix ahead of the clash against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. A lot has to change when facing one of the most suffocating defenses in the league. Patullo has to make in-game adjustments and have more variety in his play-calling. The team has to have an answer for what the opposing defenses are giving them.
And that has to start with the coaching staff. While it's great to see Mailata taking action and leading by example, let's hope that head coach Nick Sirianni and Patullo are also doing the same.