The Eagles struggled mightily against the Cowboys last night and the road doesn’t get any easier from here. Not only will they face the Chiefs this weekend, but they will likely be doing so without their starting left guard, Isaac Seumalo.
Seumalo’s game was cut short on Monday night after he was carted off the field with an apparent foot injury. It was later revealed by Derrick Gunn that he may well have broken a few bones in his foot, ending his season.
This is a big blow to take for the Eagles, but it’s not the end of the world.. In theory, it means that we’ll get to see more form former UDFA Nate Herbig.
Through the opening eight games of the season, he was one of only four Eagles to play in every single offensive snap. Herbig garnered a PFF grade of 71.2 last year in 894 snaps, giving up only two sacks in that time. This is beyond impressive if you consider that before that, Herbig was merely seen as a fringe player developing so far away from the spotlight that it was almost easy to forget he was in the picture.
What isn’t so ideal is the lack of experience now on the line. Andre Dillard could still be starting alongside Herbig on the left, with Landon Dickerson filling in for Brandon Brooks on the right, although even he had a minor injury scare.
If we look back to the 2020 season, the Eagles ended up fielding 14 different offensive line combinations through 16 weeks. The team cannot afford to let this happen again given that the offense is already struggling to find a rhythm and Jalen Hurts is escaping the pocket at his earliest convenience. That, or a lack of intent to run the ball, won’t change if the QB is actually being forced off of his perch earlier and the Eagles are playing from behind.
Here’s to hoping that Seumalo is able to make a full and speedy recovery. He will be entering his contract year next season and if Nate Herbig can prove himself worthy of a starting role, who knows what the future holds in what could be a battle for the starting LG spot.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
