Offensively at least, most of the Eagles’ struggles in the pre-bye week 33-16 loss at Tampa Bay can be traced to the absence of star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, as well as All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson.
Johnson was apparently cleared from the league’s concussion protocol, according to his friend and FOX Sports television analyst Jay Glazer, who revealed on the FOX pre-game show that Johnson called him Saturday night from Tampa to say that he was cleared and ready to play before “two other doctors jumped in and said ‘No, let’s hold off on this.’"
"They’re trying to protect him from himself,” according to Glazer.
The final stage of the NFL’s Return-To-Participation Protocol explains that “Upon clearance by the Club physician for full football activity involving contact, the player must be examined by the Independent Neurological Consultant (INC) assigned to his Club. If the INC concurs with the Club physician that the player’s concussion has resolved, he may participate in his Club’s next practice or game.”
In the case of Johnson, that would mean the INC and an Eagles’ physician cleared Johnson on Saturday before presumably two team doctors pulled back and decided to err on the side of caution with the team’s bye week looming.
The results were not good as replacement Fred Johnson allowed two sacks, two quarterback hits, and seven hurries for 11 total pressures in 38 pass-blocking opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus.
To give you the context of Johnson vs. a replacement player. The potential Hall of Famer has not been credited with giving up a sack, QB hit, or hurry in 92 pass-blocking opportunities this season. Johnson is at 16 pressures allowed (two sacks, two QB hits, and 12 hurries) in 71 pass-blocking reps.
The Eagles are 97-59-1 (.621 winning percentage) when Johnson plays and 14-24 when he does not (.368).
That’s almost a QB-like impact for an NFL offensive lineman and that’s what Philadelphia is getting back in the lineup post-bye in Week 6 against Cleveland.
