The season may finish in the same vein it started for the Philadelphia Eagles, at least as far as the Left Guard position is concerned. The year opened up with a seeming committee based effort between Stefen Wisniewski, Isaac Seumalo and Chance Warmack. It would be the former Jaguar who came out on top, but with his status listed as questionable for this weekend’s matchup against the Giants, the baton is being passed down the depth chart once again.
When Wisniewski was forced out of the game with an Ankle injury last week, neither Seumalo nor Warmack set the game on fire. This may largely be down to the ruthless pass rush they were facing, captained of course by Aaron Donald. While the Giants certainly are not the L.A Rams, their pass rush is still dangerous and has the potential to wreak havoc if given the chance.
There’s no clear backup at left guard. In fact, it wasn’t until Wisniewski secured his starting role against the Cardinals that there was a clear number one guard either. After that game and very much in the few games before, the Eagles rushing efficiency exploded. Powerful downhill running headlined the show while the Birds amassed a ten-game streak of 100+ rushing yards. With Wiz gone, it’s back to square one. The way Pederson spoke about the position today however, was very optimistic.
“Wiz [G/C Stefen Wisniewski] has obviously played really well and he’ll continue to play well for us, and these guys are quality, competent backups that we are going to need going down the stretch. This will be a great opportunity again both for Chance, if he gets a chance to play, or Isaac.”
The Eagles are in a very odd position. In one corner is their third round draft choice from one year ago who has the versatility to play center if required. On the other, Chance Warmack. A former first rounder and Alabama pupil of Jeff Stoutland who is yet to rekindle the fire that earned him such a stern reputation.
In a game where the East is secure and the Eagles are playing for #1 seed rights, the Giants are playing out of pride. Interim Head Coach, Steve Spagnuolo has been a notoriously ruthless defensive coordinator throughout his career. There is every chance that he, Oliver Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul smell blood in the water. A weakened left hand side of the line and a quarterback making his first NFL start in 13 months. Expect blitzes, expect pressure. This is either going to bode extremely well or extremely unwell for a pair of linemen vying to win a role for the future.
“Spags has always been a very aggressive play caller on defense, and he brings pressure a lot and so that’s something that we’ve prepared for.” Pederson reassured reporters on Friday. “I wouldn’t think it would be anything crazy, but at the same time, we’ve got to be prepared for any area of the field, basically, any down, ready for pressure.”
This will very much be a coming of age game for the Eagles offensive linemen. Isaac Seumalo has spent a large bulk of the year listed as inactive and Chance Warmack has suffered a similar fate. Now, in crucial situations, the final leg of the ‘left guard competition’ begins. This may no longer be an opportunity to earn a starting role, but a long-term future may well be up for grabs that neither player can afford to let pass them by.
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