Last time, it was a disaster.
And after Jack Driscoll’s performance against the Jets, it was fair to be a little concerned when we learned just a few hours before kickoff Sunday that All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson would miss the Bills game and Driscoll would start against one of the NFL’s toughest fronts.
“I went out there and I didn’t play my best football,” Driscoll said of the Jets game – the Eagles’ only loss this year. “You guys know that. I know that. It was frustrating, but my thing was get better every day. If my number is called, I’m going to be ready to go.
“I didn’t play up to my standard. … Today was the opportunity to go out there and show what I can do.”
And he did exactly that as the Eagles won their fifth straight since the Jets loss and improved their league-best record to 10-1.
Even with just a few hours notice, Driscoll went out and battled for 60-plus minutes in the Eagles’ 37-34 overtime win over the Bills. A little bit of a tough start on the Eagles’ first series, but after that he calmed down and played very well.
The Eagles netted 378 net yards – 279 after halftime – and scored 37 points against a defense allowing 18 per game.
Driscoll said offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland called him around 11:30 a.m. or noon and told him Johnson was out and he’d be starting.
“Just time to go,” he said. “We’ve got a game to win and no one is going to sit there and feel sorry for me. Just go in there and play my hardest. It’s not going to be perfect. Play my hardest to help the team win.”
Jalen Hurts was sacked twice but just for seven yards and not at all over the Eagles’ last six drives, which included four touchdowns and a field goal.
“Phenomenal,” Jason Kelce said of Driscoll. “You didn’t really notice too many negative plays. Obviously, Lane Johnson, our success with Lane in the game and out of the game is very well documented. He’s a big part of what allows us to function at a very high level.
“Jack found out late that he was going to have to go in there and play, and I think he’s played a lot of good football for us. I know things didn’t go how he hoped probably for the Jets game, but he goes out there today and really plays great against a lot of really good defensive ends.”
Since the Eagles drafted Driscoll out of Auburn via UMass in the fourth round in 2020, he’s played the same role, backing up guard and tackle and never knowing when he’s going to have to play.
He’s started 17 games now at three different positions – four at right tackle as a rookie, eight at right guard and one at right tackle in 2021, one at left tackle and two at right tackle last year and now one at right tackle this year.
“Jack was more prepared,” Kelce said. “He had a lot more reps at tackle. Going to the Jets game, he was moving all over because we had some extenuating circumstances that had him preparing for multiple positions.
“This week, he was really honing in on right tackle so I think even though he had to play last minute, he had a lot of reps this week and spent a lot of time thinking about being prepared at right tackle, which I think you saw better technique and a lot of things done at a high level today.”
Hopefully, Johnson can return for the 49ers on Sunday. The lousy field conditions had something to do with the Eagles’ decision to sit him Sunday.
But if Driscoll has to play again? He definitely inspired a lot of confidence with the way he performed Sunday.
“Obviously, Lane is one of the best players in the NFL,” Nick Sirianni said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that Lane Johnson is one of the best players in the world. We have a ton of confidence in Jack Driscoll. I haven’t seen the tape, but I have a feeling he played an outstanding game just because of the way the game was going, the rush, all those different things.
“Lane wanted to play, wanted to go tough it out. Just didn’t feel like he could in that sense. I know that hurt Lane, that he wanted to play badly in this game. … We obviously did a lot of our plan looking how we were going to help (Driscoll). Started off a little bit early in the game to do some of those things, but he settled in and played a really good game.
“We felt like as the game grew on, that was our plan, see how the game was going, see if we have to continue there. As the game grew on, we continued to gain more and more confidence in Jack’s ability to stop this rush.Big contribution by Jack.”
Everyone knows how valuable Johnson is.
He’s a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. A Hall of Fame-caliber right tackle.
And everyone has seen the numbers. Going into Sunday, the Eagles were 70-31-1 since 2016 when Johnson plays and 10-22 when he doesn’t.
That’s now 11-22.
Because Driscoll was ready.
“I mean, it’s our job to be ready at any time,” he said. “It’s no different whether it’s the first play of the game or before the game or (whenever). My mindset is to be ready because I don’t want to be the reason why we go in there and we can’t execute or we can’t be good on offense.”
