LANDON DICKERSON IS A GRANDMASTER WHEN IT COMES TO SECOND LEVEL BLOCKING

Eagles Landon Dickerson has become one of the game's premier offensive lineman. Photo by Andy Lewis.

It was the Eagles' second play from scrimmage against the New York Football Giants on October 26 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Jalen Hurts took the snap from under center, turned and made a simple hand-off to Saquon Barkley who cut slightly to his right, then shifted to his left like he did so many times during his historical 2024 season, blew through an opening so big, it looked like he was running through a homecoming entrance at Whitehall High School.

Barkley cruised to a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead that would grow to a 38-13 cushion and eventually a 38-20 win to take the Birds (6-2) into the break.

How did the massive hole develop a split second after the ball was snapped?

Everyone blocked well for sure, but if you can watch the replay real close, watch three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson do his thing.

When the ball is snapped, Dickerson joins center Brett Tott to double up defensive tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, Sr. and push him to the side, Dickerson peels off and clobbers inside linebacker Darius Muasau.

Eagles 3X Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickson is known for a dry, playful, sarcastic sense of humor. Photo by Al Thompson

Then, while holding off Muasau with his right arm, Dickerson uses the length that comes with being 6-foot-6 and taps safety Dane Belton on the shoulder pad with his left arm just enough to make sure the speedy Belton would not be able to catch Barkley.

Belton tried admirably, but Dickerson held him up just enough.

Basically, in the world of grid iron blocking, Dickerson was playing chess, while everyone else on the field was playing checkers.

Former NFL offensive lineman and veteran analyst for the NFL Network Brian Baldinger looked back on the play and listed it as the best job of blocking with Dickerson as the front man this season.

“Landon and Toth executed a perfect combo block on Nacho,” Baldinger recalled, referring to Nuñez-Roches. “And (then) Muasau...then (Dickerson) got a piece of Belton.

“[Dickerson] combines rare power and good movement to climb to the second level to execute this block and create the best alley of the season.”

Barkley left the game in the fourth quarter after he felt a twinge in his groin. He had 150 yards on 14 carries, scored a rushing and receiving TD. As it turned out, it wasn't serious and with newcomer Tank Bigsby pounding out a nine-carry, 104-yard effort, it was an easy decision to sit Barkley.

In the first Giants game, the Eagles did not have the services of Dickerson. The Birds rushed 20 times for just 73 yards (3.7 yards per carry) with Barkley accounting for just 58 yards on 12 carries.

“[Dickerson] combines rare power and good movement to climb to the second level to execute this block and create the best alley of the season.” Former NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger on the blocks thrown by Dickerson that helped spring Saquon Barkley for a 65-yard TD run. Photo by Andy Lewis.

Barkley was asked about how much impact Dickerson has on the game.

“Landon is super important,” Barkley said. “Not just his talent, but how he is as a leader, how smart he is and how vocal he is.

“Definitely not having him hurts, but all those guys who played...Brett (Toth) stepped up, he played well too. It's the little things, we're close.”

Giants Part II: The Birds rushed for 276 yards on 33 carries which nets out to 8.4 yards a carry...more than triple in the total yards for the team and more than double in the yards-per-carry category.

It is hard to ignore Dickerson's impact.

The former Alabama All American can have a dry, playfully sarcastic streak in him at times, when talking to reporters.

After the Eagles big game against the Giants, he was asked by a veteran reporter to describe the 65-yard TD run.

Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith had a big day against the Vikings thanks in part from suggestions by the O-Line. Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles.

“It was amazing,” Dickerson said with a laugh, “It was spectacular!”

He was urged to talk more about the play.

“My job is to block the guy and Saquon's job is to run the ball. Usually when you have more guys blocking and then they have defending, it helps.”

While Dickerson was clearly kidding around at his locker, he did have some meaningful takes on how the offense can work in the Eagles favor.

“It depends on what is favorable,” Dickerson said, referring to blocking schemes. “When you go with an extra lineman in the game, usually you're going to get a one-up on their personnel and they're going to load up the box more. Depending on the plays you have called and what you want to do, it can be good.”

OC KEVIN PATULLO TALKS ABOUT COLLABORATING ON BIG PLAY TO DEVONTA SMITH

Against Minnesota, many feel the play that broke the Viking's back was the 79-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith in the second half.

It was said Dickerson and others talked about the play at halftime to offensive coordinator Keven Patullo. They believe the bomb was there and that the offensive line – bad backs and all – could block the play.

Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has complimented his players, including Dickerson, for their observations at halftime. That advice helped set up the 79-yard Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith TD pass against the Vikings. Photo by Andy Lewis.

“That play was put in on Wednesday when we put the plan together,” Petullo said the Tuesday after the game. “It was a play off of a play. The process started Wednesday with the installation. We walk through it, we go through it in practice, and then as you get closer to the game, we identify which plays we like going in.

“There's some setup plays that lead to a play like that. When you go through that process, the guys know it's on their radar, and obviously, that was one that potentially could go to him or to A.J. (Brown).

“They're both on high alert for like, 'Hey, if this gets called, this is my deal.' What was going on early in the game was we had some formations and some plays that set up the looks potentially.

“What's great about our team is their football IQs are so high, so when I asked them a question like, 'Hey, can you run what I need you to run here, what are the leverages?'

“The guys are really good about identifying what they're seeing and telling me. Once we got the question asked and he answered it, then it was a matter of like, 'Okay, can we protect this and get this done properly with what they're doing?'

 Saquon Barkley's 150-yard breakout game against the Giants was made possible by the return of a somewhat healthy Landon Dickerson "Landon is super important," said Barkley. Photo by Andy Lewis. 

“So then, you've got to go to the O line, and the communication goes from there. All the guys are on the same page because once that play gets brought up, they know what we're trying to do and then it's a matter of finding the proper window to get it called. At halftime, it was one of the plays that we discussed that were going to come up early if we got the right opportunity, and it presented itself.

“That's the biggest thing that when the guys know the plan, and that's what we kind of talked about all last week and we continuously do, is when you know the plan and you understand it, it's easy for them to adjust and grab what we're trying to do and execute in those moments. It's really a team thing.

“I mean, you can see how connected everybody is within the plan on the offense and they understand. I know Landon talked about it, too. He knew what we were trying to do. Everybody knows, 'Hey Kev, we talked about this. Here it comes, we can protect it. Let's let it fly.' So, it's pretty cool.”

Landon Dickerson has complimented the job done by Bret Toth when called on to step in for injured Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens. Photo by Andy Lewis.

THINKING A FEW DEEP THOUGHTS

Dickerson played most of the games this season dealing with lingering issues from his offseason knee surgery.

He was also hit with some minor back and ankle injuries that ended up keeping him out of the Giants game.

But after the road win against the Minnesota Vikings, Dickerson talked after the game and said he was still hurting, ““It felt terrible today, but it is what it is.”

The Eagles had arguably their best drive of the season the first time they touched the ball in noisy U.S. Bank Stadium.

The drive featured the Birds going for it on fourth down twice; since they scored a touchdown on the drive, the Eagles converted on both gambles.

Dickerson was asked to talk about the opening drive and if the fearlessness was intentional.

“I think that's our mindset going into every game,” Dickerson said while sitting at his locker. “We've had some time to reflect after the past couple weeks...we just want to go our there and execute...whatever play was called, we want to make it good.”

Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had a big day against the Vikings including the 45-yard game-winning catch, thanks in part from suggestions by Dickerson and the O-Line. Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Dickerson has said he can't see touchdowns being scored because he is always preoccupied with his blocking assignment. When asked if he saw any of the incredible catches made against the Vikings, his recollections seemed to change.

“I don't see the ones when we run the ball on touchdowns, I think I might have been misquoted,” Dickerson said with a smile at his locker after the game. “Hurts made some really nice throws, the one to Smitty was awesome to see. His throw to A.J. (Brown) early on which was great. Yeah, execution of plays that were called.”

The play to Brown that ended the Vikings game, Dickerson said he did not see, but looked forward to seeing on film. The 6-foot-6, 332-pounder said there was a reason for missing the play.

Landon Dickerson can look mean on the field but he can be pretty funny at his locker. Photo by Andy Lewis.

“I don't really see that,” Dickerson said, setting up a wisecrack. “I'll see it on film. Usually, there's a really big guy trying to go hit him in front of me, I try not to just turn around and look at him and see the ball. That wouldn't go very well.”

Back to the 38-20 win over the Giants, did Dickerson feel better as the game went on and the O-line was having its best day of the season? He had said he felt better in the game against Minnesota as the game went on.

“I mean a little bit,” Dickerson said at his locker after the game. “It (still) doesn't feel good.

Didn't having two one-hundred yard rushers make Landon feel better?

“Maybe emotionally,” he said.

Dickerson was asked how Brett Toth played in place of Jurgens, who missed the Giants game due to issues with his knee he hurt the week ago against Minnesota.

“I thought Brett did a good job,” Dickerson said. “It's tough...Brett's a swing guy..he kind of goes in for anybody. For him, especially, having a week at center there, be able to go in and make the calls. He's playing against a really good tackle (Dexter Lawrence II)...I think he did well.”

Dickerson was asked how he knew things on Sunday against the Giants were going to go their way. His ankle is still sore, his back still bothers him.

“We just kind of had a feeling, I don't know,” Dickerson said. “It was just a feeling. It gets frustrating when you're one block away...if we were just six inches farther over here, we could have broken it...things just kind of clicked today.”

Eagles fans hope Dickerson and the rest of the offensive line keep clicking. *

Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com