PHILADELPHIA − Left tackle Jordan Mailata was succinct when describing the two sacks he allowed in the Eagles’ last game.
“They were (bad) sets for me,” Mailata said, using an expletive. “That’s just it. Really (bad).
Both sacks came on the Eagles’ first possession of the second half, to Houston’s Jerry Hughes in the Eagles’ 29-17 win on Nov. 3.
Mailata said he spent much of the past 11 days leading up to the Eagles’ Monday night game against Washington working on fixing the issue.
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And he’ll have to if the Eagles hope to tie a franchise record with 9 straight wins, last set during the Super Bowl season in 2017. The Eagles also did it in 1960 and 2003.
The Commanders’ strength on defense is their defensive line. Mailata could be seeing edge rusher Montez Sweat, who has 3 sacks this season. He could also face Chase Young, who was expected to make his season debut Monday after tearing his ACL last November.
Mailata will have to hold his own because the Commanders’ interior is also strong with Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen.
But really, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni took responsibility for the sacks Mailata allowed, saying, “We weren’t synced up with our protection and our route concepts, and that’s 100% on me and nobody else … Jordan was just taking the set we told him to, and that’s going to happen, and I screwed him up on both of those.”
Mailata, however, wasn’t buying it, even though Sirianni explained that he was at fault in front of the team.
“As an offensive lineman, I should still keep the guy in front of me,” Mailata said. “It’s not just on Coach himself. I get paid to pass protect and run block, and I didn’t do my job those two plays. I executed the assignment, but if I just kept him in front, Jalen (Hurts) wouldn’t have taken a hit twice.
“I have to do a better job.”
The Eagles are counting on it.
The game will be broadcasted on ESPN with Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters providing commentary. The game will also air locally on WPHL-17.
3 things I’m watching
- Duplication for DeVonta? In the first game, on Sept. 25, DeVonta Smith had a career-high 169 yards receiving as Washington tried to take away A.J. Brown. That didn’t really work either as Brown had 85 yards receiving. In the five games since, Smith has 193 yards receiving total. Just about midway through the season, Smith has 442 yards, close to his pace from his rookie season, when he had 916 yards receiving, a franchise rookie record.
- Commanding the QB spot: Typically, the opposing quarterback isn’t a must-watch, but how Taylor Heinicke plays Monday could determine whether he keeps the job when Carson Wentz returns. Wentz, who’s on IR with a broken finger, can return as soon as next Sunday, but that’s not a given. The Commanders are 2-1 under Heinicke, 2-4 under Wentz. A Commanders’ upset should keep Heinicke in the starting job. But perhaps a close loss will as well.
- Turnover trifecta: The Eagles have three players with at least three interceptions in Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (5), Darius Slay and James Bradberry (3 each). The Eagles’ 12 interceptions lead the NFL. They should have some chances for more against Heinicke, who often throws into coverage.
Prediction: Eagles 31, Commanders 22.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
