Right now, there are four teams who seem to have separated themselves as the best teams in the NFL through Week 13: The Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Of those four teams, the Eagles have been very impressive, especially considering how badly they collapsed late last season, and they’re looking to challenge the Lions as the class of the NFC.
One reason for the Eagles’ success is their offensive line, which may be the best in the league, and according to Pro Football Focus, offensive tackle Jordan Mailata is the highest graded player in the entire league right now.
Jordan Mailata is on another level this season 🦅 pic.twitter.com/DaYqEu2rJS
— PFF (@PFF) December 4, 2024
Maitala, 27, hasn’t been named to the Pro Bowl in four previous seasons in the NFL, but perhaps this is the year he finally gets such a nod.
He had a unique pathway to the league, as he is a native of New South Wales in Australia and grew up playing rugby professionally.
He had a major roadblock along the way when he had to undergo surgery to repair the upper and lower chambers of his heart after fainting during a preseason training session.
Maitala is one of a handful of Aussies who currently play in the NFL, as the league tries to spread gridiron football across the world.
The Eagles have capitalized on the strength of their offensive line, as running back Saquon Barkley is having a season for the ages with 1,499 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns, and they seem to have a real shot at returning to the Super Bowl after blowing a golden opportunity there versus the Chiefs two seasons ago.
