Eagles Shouldn't Miss Beat With Halapoulivaati Vaitai at Right Tackle

The biggest compliment you can pay to Halapoulivaati Vaitai is that you didn't even notice him.

As the second half went on Sunday and Vaitai got his first regular-season action of the season, there was very little drop-off from the first half, when Lane Johnson was manning right tackle.
 
Johnson, a top-5 pick in 2013, suffered a concussion Sunday during the first half of the Eagles' 34-7 win over the Cardinals at the Linc, and Vaitai, a second-year fifth-round pick, filled in capably.
 
In the first half, the Eagles averaged 6.3 yards per play, Carson Wentz was sacked once, and the running backs averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
 
In the second half, the Eagles averaged 6.8 yards per play, Wentz wasn't sacked and the running backs averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
 
"Nobody in this organization is really surprised with what he did," said right guard Brandon Brooks, who lined up next to Vaitai.
 
"The biggest (growth) for a player is between Year 1 and Year 2. He gets a ton of reps, and he was prepared. He's the swing tackle, so he has to get reps, just in case someone goes down."

Vaitai is expected to start against the Panthers in place of Johnson, who was ruled out Wednesday with a concussion.

Filling in for a half at home against Arizona when your team is already up by three touchdowns and making your first start of the season on national TV in a short week against the NFL's No. 3 defense is another thing.
 
It will be the seventh career start for Vaitai, who started six games in place of Johnson during his 10-game suspension last year.
 
The Eagles face the Panthers Thursday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
 
The Eagles only had a couple walkthrough-level practices leading up to the Panthers, but offensive coordinator Frank Reich said that doesn't matter.
 
"He's been working hard, getting enough reps here and there as the process goes," Reich said. "That's the nature of a backup role, you have to be ready. There's no excuses. So that's what we expect, that's what we demand.
 
"He still gets lots of physical work and we expect him to step up against a really good defensive end and play very well."
 
Vaitai had a very rough NFL debut against the Redskins last year but improved dramatically during his month and a half stint that ended when he suffered a knee injury against the Seahawks in Seattle.
 
"As the year went on, kept getting better and better," Brooks said. "The more times you do anything, the more experience you get doing anything, you're going to get better, and I think everybody saw that last year and (Sunday).
 
"Look forward to him playing Thursday. He'll be fine. I'm not worried about it. I don't think anybody is."
 
Vaitai did not make himself available for interviews Tuesday, the only day the locker room was open to the media this week.
 
His position coach, Jeff Stoutland, said this summer Vaitai had improved dramatically from last year.
 
"Night and day, apples and oranges," Stoutland said. "Just his understanding of the position, his balance, his body control, the way he uses his hands. This is a lot faster game than college.
 
"I think he's just more confident knowing the calls, knowing the guys he's working with, knowing exactly what he's coached to do. He's had success against some good opponents and learned from his failures.
 
"And I just think that Big V has been playing more aggressive this year from training camp on, I just see an aggressiveness in his play that I like."
 
Vaitai is the Eagles' only backup offensive tackle, so benched left guard Isaac Seumalo got emergency reps this week at offensive tackle, head coach Doug Pederson said.
 
There's no way of knowing how much time Johnson will miss. The Eagles are 33-22 (.600) the past five years with Johnson starting and 5-9 (.357) when he doesn't start.      
 
"Big V came in and started the third quarter (Sunday), and we went down and got the points right away," Pederson said. "(He) played good. Played solid. He's one that the more he plays, the better he gets.
 
"Even on a short week, for him not getting a ton of reps at tackle, to come in off the bench like he (did) is just a tribute to the way he prepares himself and the way he battles and gets better every time he gets out there."

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