If you’re Evan Mathis, it’s hard to decide whether to be relieved or nervous.
The left guard is the last man standing on the Eagles offensive line, and the rubble around him is much of the reason the Eagles are in the 3-5 spot they’re in.
“It’s been a rough one,” Mathis told Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com. “It’s one that will test your will. It’s crazy to think the line we had is almost completely gone.”
It started in the preseason when left tackle Jason Peters tore his Achilles tendon. Center Jason Kelce blew out his knee in Week Two. Right guard Danny Watkins is in and out with a “chronic ankle condition” and right tackle Todd Herremans is out for the season after injuring his foot last week.
Mathis hasn’t completely dodged the bullet, with a preseason bout of vertigo.
“I remember getting the call hearing about Jason tearing his Achilles,” Mathis said. “The thought of that is just crushing to know you’re losing one of the best tackles in the NFL. It’s crushing to know your teammate who wants to be out there with you can’t. It’s a guy you got comfortable next to. And then one by one it happens to everyone else out there. It’s kind of unbelievable.”
The string of injuries directly correlates to the beating quarterback Michael Vick is taking, as he’s been sacked 27 times already. Monday against the Saints, he was sacked seven times by a team that only had 13 in its first seven games.
“The communication and calls with the guys who come in, they usually do a pretty good job of figuring all that out,” Mathis said. “But continuity does go a long way for the offensive line. That’s one of the biggest things impacted by injuries.”
That’s something they’re going to have to get straight against the Cowboys, who have had injury issues of their own, but can create pressure well.