The meteoric rise of Jordan Mailata has continued in his fifth NFL season, with a fellow teammate believing the Aussie left tackle is playing at a level that is “beyond impressive”.
Mailata’s Eagles possess the best record in the NFL (10-2), with the team’s offensive line considered one of, if not the benchmark of the league.
Individually, Mailata was rated the third-best offensive lineman in the league by Pro Football Focus heading into Week 11 (three weeks ago).
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It hasn’t been all rosy since though. His form over the past two weeks against strong opposition in the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers has been down (more on that later), but overall it’s been a wildly successful season for Mailata.
He plays the second most important position on the team with the best record and all of this despite only starting at left tackle for two-and-a-half seasons.
Teammate and Eagles centre Jason Kelce was effusive in his praise for Mailata, believing the best is yet to come.
“He’s in the prime of his career right now,” Kelce told NBC Sports.
“Physically, he’s only getting better, and his technique is continuing to get better. I mean, he only started playing football six years ago.
“It’s remarkable, really, the career arc that he’s had, and I think he’s playing the best right now that he’s ever played in his career. The things he’s doing physically are just beyond impressive at this point.”
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Mailata is proud of the trajectory of his career. A former under-20’s player for the Rabbitohs turned NFL starter in just four years.
However, the hunger to get better is still there, as is the desire to return to a Super Bowl after the Eagles lost to the Chiefs in the NFL’s decider earlier this year.
“I feel like I am playing better than I ever was, but at the same time I’m not really happy because it’s the bleep that I’m still missing,” Mailata said to NBC Sports.
“Everyone else might think, ‘Oh, Jordan had a great game,’ but then you watch the film and it’s like, ‘Oh, bleep.’” … Just like technique-wise, I could have been more sound.
“I would say I am happy with the way I’m playing, but I’m not satisfied.”
EAGLES’ SETBACK AS CONCERNS VOICED OVER OFFENSIVE LINE
Considering Mailata is the ultimate perfectionist, there’s little doubt he wouldn’t have been happy with his performance in the 42-19 loss against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13.
Mailata matched up with 49ers star Chase Young and allowed a whopping 10 QB pressures – with right tackle Lane Johnson allowing five.
While the Eagles were able to sort out their pass protection as the match went on, it wasn’t the best night collectively for the run game either.
Now, one below average performance against arguably the best defence in the league shouldn’t be too much cause for concern, but if the Eagles are to turn the tables on the 49ers in what is looking like an inevitable clash for the NFC Championship in January, there has to be an attitude adjustment.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky noted that despite the Eagles being in pretty good shape this season in terms of record and placement in the NFC, the offensive line has regressed somewhat.
“This offensive line are not dominating the line of scrimmage right now. They are just not,” Orlovsky said.
“At this point last year compared to this year, the Philadelphia Eagles have 200 yard less running the football before contact than the did at this point last year.
“It feels weird to say, but their offensive line is not dominating and denting the line of scrimmage like they were.”
ESPN’s Marcus Spears agreed with Orlovsky’s assessment, believing the Eagles aren’t bruising enough in the run game at the moment and have “lost their physicality”.
“They have lost layers to what they do offensively…At some point you got to fold the tent, go in the black alley and just have a damn brawl,” Spears said.
“It doesn’t seem like they are willing to do that this season and it’s pretty disappointing when we think about this offensive line.
“It’s also a mentality thing. Think about what we’ve said about Philly the last couple of years. You don’t want to play this team at the line of scrimmage, especially last year.
“Dan (Orlovsky) said this last week. Philly has lost their identity and that identity is as simple as physicality.
“This was a physical team last year, but they are no longer that.”
The Eagles will aim to bounce back from last week’s loss when they play the 9-3 Dallas Cowboys next Monday (AEDT) in what promises to be a mouth-watering clash between two teams who hate each other.
AUSSIES IN THE NFL UPDATE
While Mailata is the most recognised Australian plying his trade in the NFL, there are six others around the league. Foxsports.com.au breaks down their form this season.
ADAM GOTSIS
Gotsis’ is a regular fixture at defensive end on a Jacksonville Jaguars defensive unit that is the sixth-best in the league in stopping the run.
The Jaguars have allowed just 1117 rush yards, with the Bears and 49ers (948 yards) leading the league.
It was a down game from Gotsis and the Jags against the Bengals in Week 13, but at 8-4 and with a soft draw remaining, Jacksonville are all but certain to make the post-season.
For the season, Gotsis has recorded 21 combined tackles and 4.5 stuffs (stop a run for two yards or less).
MITCH WISHNOWSKY
The Aussie punter’s 49ers thrashed Mailata’s Eagles in Week 13 to assert themselves as the best team in the conference.
Due to the 49ers’ dominant display on offence, Wishnowsky only punted twice in the win, but he managed to make them count.
Philadelphia punt returner Britain Covey was glowing in his praise to an Eagles insider in the locker room after the game.
MICHAEL DICKSON
Wasn’t required at all in Seattle’s 41-35 loss to Dallas last Friday, but neither was his opposition punter Bryan Anger.
The high-scoring clash marked just the fifth time in NFL history that both teams combined for zero punts for the game and the first instance since Philadelphia-Kansas City two seasons ago.
In addition, it was the first zero-punt game in history in which both teams scored at least 35 points.
While not needed against the Cowboys, Dickson has been needed throughout the season and he’s failed to let his team down.
His gross punting average of 49.1 is tenth in the league while he’s fourth in the league in the more important stat of net punting average (43.8).
LOU HEDLEY
The rookie punter has had some good moments but has mostly struggled for the Saints, much to the ire of some New Orleans fans on social media.
A look at Hedley’s statistics this season, and it’s not hard to see why fans aren’t all too impressed with the Aussie.
Hedley is currently ranked last in the league for gross punting average and fifth-last (28th) for net punting average.
What has been a bright spot is the fact that Hedley has been able to pin opponents inside their own 20 on 21 occasions, which is good for 10th in the NFL.
CAMERON JOHNSTON
Johnston created waves earlier in the season when launching a 74-yard punt against the Carolina Panthers – the longest in Houston Texans history.
His season has been ticking over nicely since with the 7-5 Texans one of the league’s surprise packets.
Johnston missed the first four games of the season but he’s still managed to record 16 inside-50’s from just 37 punts.
It’s because he’s had to punt with short fields to work with that is average isn’t that high, but if you are Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross, you’d be pretty content with the Aussie’s output.
DANIEL FAALELE
The Ravens beast has only been seen on special teams in the past two games, with his input on offence dwindling as the season has progressed.
Faalele, who is still very much a project in his second season, has flashed glimpses, but it’s likely we won’t see the best of him for a couple of years.
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