Why Eagles Offense Will Take A Turn For The Worse Once Lane Johnson Retires

Give Lane Johnson a ton of credit. Not many offensive lineman in NFL history have an extended run of dominance into their mid 30s.

The ones that do? They make the Hall of Fame.

This is the reality the Philadelphia Eagles will unfortunately will have to face the second Lane Johnson retires from the NFL. Johnson isn't just the one of the best tackles in the NFL -- he's one of the best players on the Eagles.

Life for this franchise just won't be the same without Lane Johnson. The greatest run of success in Eagles history was when Johnson was lining up at right tackle.

Before Johnson arrived, the Eagles had two NFC Championships in the Super Bowl era. They won three NFC Championships in the 13 years he's worn an Eagles uniform. The Eagles have won two Super Bowl titles with Johnson at right tackle -- they never won one prior to Johnson's arrival.

Who's the only position player on the Eagles to start Super Bowl LII and Super Bowl LIX? Lane Johnson.

Of this tremendous run of success the Eagles have been on since the turn of the century, many franchise icons have been churned. Brian Dawkins, Nick Foles, Jason Kelce, Brandon Graham, Malcolm Jenkins, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and many others.

Johnson is essentially lost in that mix. He's been so dominant at right tackle over the years, that Johnson's presence is essentially taken for granted.

When Johnson does eventually hang it up -- as he indicated that will be a possibility after this season -- the Eagles offense may be in major trouble.

The Eagles just aren't the same without Johnson

This is a tried and true formula. The Eagles offense isn't as good when Johnson is on the field, no matter who is the head coach or offensive coordinator.

Chip Kelly's offense struggled without Johnson. So did Doug Pederson when he was leading the Eagles. The same held true for Nick Sirianni.

This is the impact Johnson had on the Eagles over the years. The proof is in the pudding.

Going back to the 2016 season, the Eagles are 94-41-1 with Johnson on the field -- an incredible .695 win percentage. Without him? They are 15-28 -- a .349 win percentage.

That's a significant difference, what separates a team from going from a perennial Super Bowl contender to a playoff afterthought.

If Johnson is on the field, there's a very good chance the Eagles are going to win. If he isn't, the Eagles are in trouble. Johnson is the one player the Eagles can't afford to lose.

In Johnson's 13 seasons, the Eagles averaged 26.2 points per game when he was on the field. That dips to 22.2 when Johnson doesn't play. The MVP on the Eagles is Johnson.

Why Eagles could survive without Johnson

Whenever Johnson does decide to walk away from the NFL, there is the chance the Eagles can still be a dominant team without him. This has little to do with Markel Bell nor the performance of the offense.

The Eagles defense has bene dominant since Vic Fangio became the defensive coordinator. Fangio has become the golden goose of the Eagles success.

Since Fangio became the Eagles defensive coordinator, the defense has been elite. The Eagles have been a top-two defense in the league over the last two seasons, and the numbers back it.

The Eagles have allowed the lowest passer rating (79.0), yards per attempt (6.2), pass touchdowns (36), and completion rate (59.5%) over the last two seasons. They're second in yards allowed per game (296.3), yards per play (4.8), and points per game allowed (18.5).

As long as Fangio is around the Eagles will have a chance. Fangio has become just as valuable as Johnson, and the Eagles have evolved into a defensive juggernaut.

Even without Johnson, the Eagles will have a shot because of their defense. Their chances of winning games aren't as a good, but they still have a chance.

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