The Eagles have a plus defensive line and LB. Look at what other teams do to run successfully against us for much of a game. They use motion for more than eyewash. They use sweeps. They use passes to loosen up the box.
The Eagles offensive line is not what it was. Dickerson is not healthy. Johnson is a certain HOF, but his age is showing. Pryor was just plain bad. The running plays were way too predictable for Barkley. Too high a percentage of first down runs and too many up the middle runs.
Howie traded for Johnson because the team knew Pryor isn't an acceptable backup tackle. Pryor was the first sub on Sunday, because Johnson is still learning the scheme.
It's not just that the Eagles have gone way too conservative on the long passes. There was precious little medium-range passes, other than dump offs to Barkley. If the Eagles pass more early in the game, then the Rams DL and LB would have had something to think about, rather than just focusing upon Barkley. The Rams are a good team -- fully able to thwart a one-dimensional offense.
"Point out the issue, let Stout and the line know they need to figure out a solution."
I think the issue is obvious and it isn't primarily the line. Pryor is a problem. But, a very timid offense is the major issue. They need to pass. Hurts proved in the second half that he can get the ball to his receivers deep, even when the D knows we have to pass. The OL gave him time to pass deep, at least for the most part. The Eagles need to go back to being more of a passing team, so that the opposing D has to work to stop the run, the short pass, and the long pass on every down. Change the play calling to accomplish that and the O is unstoppable and the OL is just fine. Apart from Pryor simply not being a tackle, the other line problem is that Calcatera cannot block. The team needs two TE who can both catch passes and block well. That's a roster problem.
