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Jordan Mailata Has an 83.6 PFF Grade and a Rookie Opposite Him, and Josh Hines-Allen Is Next
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- Jordan Mailata Has an 83.6 PFF Grade and a Rookie Opposite Him, and Josh Hines-Allen Is Next
Jordan Mailata is the most established blocker left on the line that will protect Jalen Hurts in London. Around him, Philadelphia projects a rookie at right tackle , a center who was on the practice squad and a left guard who spent last season on injured reserve. That puts unusual weight on the snaps Mailata takes against Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen.
Hurts has been sacked 12 times in four games, four of them by the Rams last week, a game in which PHLY analyst Fran Duffy told the Jaguars' website the protection calls broke down badly. All of that came before Lane Johnson, who sat out the Rams game, announced his retirement Tuesday and before the Eagles agreed to trade center Cam Jurgens a day later.
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Hines-Allen and Mailata by the numbers
Sep 13, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) in the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Melina Myers - Imagn Images
Hines-Allen has 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. According to PFF, he has 10 pressures on 119 pass-rush snaps and a 76.4 overall grade through Week 4. He was limited in practice all week with a groin injury and carries no game designation .
Mailata has played all 242 of Philadelphia's offensive snaps. PFF gives him an 83.6 overall grade and an 80.5 pass-blocking grade through four games, and no other Eagles lineman grades higher overall. He has also had advice for Markel Bell, the third-round pick replacing Johnson. "What I told Markel is that he's not here to fill anyone's shoes," Mailata told The Associated Press .
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Jaguars don't need to send everyone
Sept. 27, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
Jacksonville can generate pressure without sending extra rushers. The Jaguars have 41 pressures without blitzing, tied for fifth in the league according to the Eagles' website . Travon Walker, who matches Hines-Allen with 1.5 sacks, leads the team with 15 pressures, according to PFF, so Philadelphia cannot send all of its help toward Hines-Allen. Bell has a 36.6 pass-blocking grade from PFF, though on only 34 pass-blocking snaps, a sample too small to lean on.
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"We're supposed to lose every game; people are waiting for us to fail," Hines-Allen said this week . The front he leads is a large part of the Jaguars' place among the league's best after four weeks.
The stakes reach past the sack column. Jacksonville ranks 31st in passing yards allowed, safety Caleb Ransaw is on injured reserve and safety Eric Murray is doubtful with a concussion. A rush that wins early keeps that secondary from covering for long. If Mailata holds his side and the help reaches Bell in time, Hurts gets the seconds to find Dontayvion Wicks, who averages 16.4 yards per catch, and to use the legs that have produced 105 rushing yards. Dave Pasch, Kurt Warner and Jason Kelce have the NFL Network broadcast at 9:30 a.m. ET.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Oct 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
