Eagles Jordan Mailata Looking Forward To Another Great Battle In Trenches

The Philadelphia Eagles saw Micah Parsons on Monday and will now see another great pass rusher in Aidan Hutchinson when the Detroit Lions visit Sunday night.

Nov 10, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata (68) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - Micah Parsons last Monday to Aidan Hutchinson this Sunday, it never gets much easier with the edge rushers in this league that the Eagles have to block to win.

Parsons was neutralized enough to allow a 10-7 escape from Lambeau Field. In 2022, the last time the Eagles played the Lions, who will visit on Sunday night, Hutchinson as making his NFL debut. A rookie then, he didn’t do much at all and had only one assisted tackle in 68 snaps. He’s better now.

“It was game one of the rookie year a long time ago,” Hutchinson told reporters in Detroit earlier this week. “I played (Eagles tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata) and I was like, 'If every tackle is like this; I was like, ooh.' It's good, we get to see them three years later now. I think I've grown quite a lot since then.”

Hutchinson has seven sacks this year after battling all the way back from a broken leg after five games of the 2024 season.

Johnson hasn't given up a sack or quarterback hit all season, and Mailata has allowed only one sack against Denver, which leads the NFL in sacks with 46, and three total hits on quarterback Jalen Hurts all season.

Aidan Hutchinson Will Test Jordan Mailata's skills

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) cheers on at players introduction before first half against Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, November 2, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“It’s gonna be another battle this week between the two lines, offense and defense, I think on both sides of the ball on both teams,” said Mailata. “Aidan Hutchinson is a great rusher. He’s proven himself in this league. I’m excited for that matchup. It’s good on good. It’s a good test to see where my skills are at.”

Even though he is listed on the Lions’ depth chart as a left defensive end, Hutchinson lines up primarily on the right side, which means he will get a heavy dose of Mailata. Last week, in the Lions’ 44-22 win over the Commanders, Hutchinson played just four snaps on the left side, where Johnson will be waiting if Detroit moves its best pass rusher to that side.

The Eagles will counter with newcomer Jaelan Phillips in their pass rush. Phillips played about as well as he could possibly do in Eagles debut against the Lions. He will line up a lot against Detroit’s right tackle, Penei Sewell, who may be the best player at that position, though Johnson could certainly make a case that he is the game’s top right tackle.

“Penei is a beast,” said Phillips. “It’s definitely going to be a great matchup. He’s a great athlete, super strong, super powerful, very skilled. Really nothing but compliments for him.”

The Eagles will line up Nolan Smith on the other side of Phillips, which could pit him against veteran Taylor Decker, though Decker has missed the previous two games with a shoulder injury.

Smith returned from a five-game absence due to injury against the Packers and notched his first sack of the season to go along with two quarterback hits in just 19 snaps.

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