Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata isn’t holding back after a costly flag wiped out wide receiver A.J. Brown’s touchdown in his team’s recent loss. The Eagles outgained the Los Angeles Chargers for most of the Monday Night game, but turnovers and miscues made them lose the game 22-19. Yet, Mailata believes the most frustrating moment in the game came on his controversial holding call.

“We overcame some early penalties – my penalty that cost us the seven points on the board,” Jordan Mailata said recently on Sports Radio WIP. “And kind of mad about that penalty – kind of pi–es me off. To be honest, I just don’t think that was a penalty.

“I don’t really say much about officiating. But I just think that it was such a little ticky tacky that flag because as I’m lying on the ground looking behind me, I’m just looking at Khalil Mack be lining straight for Jalen. And I’m sitting there like, oh my God, he’s going to get killed. Touchdown! Get up and see the flag, and I’m like, ‘Man, I wonder who’s that on?’ And they call my number. But I’m like, how do I get a holding call? The guy has a straight line to Jalen Hurts.”

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Mailata described the entire play in real time exactly as it happened in the second quarter of the Monday night game. During the play, Malaita saw Chargers’ linebacker Khalil Mack head straight for Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts as he looked to throw the ball. So, Mailata tried to stop Mack, only to fall on the ground while Mack escaped. 

The Chargers’ LB then had a clear path to Hurts. Still, a whistle was blown, and a flag was thrown for a holding penalty on Mailata at the same time that Hurts threw the ball to A.J. Brown for a touchdown. So, the play was called back for a penalty, and the Eagles settled for yet another field goal. 

Mailata even said he knows when a flag is coming. But during this play, it shocked him. So, you could hear the clear disbelief in Mailata’s retelling. And honestly, can you blame him? How do you get called for holding when the defender is practically untouched and sprinting at your quarterback? Even Philly’s head coach, Nick Sirianni, looked frustrated by it on the sidelines. 

Nevertheless, that moment changed the tone of the entire first half of the game. The Eagles had a chance to tie the game at halftime and steady themselves. Instead, the six points disappeared. But as the game continued, the Eagles still fought back. Running back Saquon Barkley broke loose for a stunning 52-yard touchdown to open the fourth quarter. It gave the Eagles their first lead of the night. 

But the Eagles’ defense struggled to protect the lead. Twice, the Chargers marched downfield to kick game-tying field goals. Then, overtime hit, and on a potential game-winning drive, Jalen Hurts fired toward WR Jahan Dotson. But Chargers cornerback Cam Hart tipped it, and safety Tony Jefferson snagged the interception. Just like that, the game was over, and the Eagles lost 22-19.

What went wrong for the Eagles in the OT loss to the Chargers?

On Monday night, A.J. Brown finally got the targets that he had been begging for all season. He finished the game with a season-high 13 targets, but he caught only six of those for 100 yards. As such, he even took accountability for the dropped catches after the loss. 

“For me, it was like three plays I wish I could have back the entire game,” A.J. Brown said in the post-game. “First one at the beginning of the game, I wish I could somehow find a way to make that one. The ball over the middle: no, it wasn’t perfect, but I’m more than capable of making that catch. That last one in the end zone just made a play at the right time.”

Still, the turnovers overshadowed everything for Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts recorded five costly turnovers. The Chargers’ defense also intercepted Hurts four times and forced one fumble. That’s double the interceptions he had all season heading into the game. Add in the missed field goal and the wiped-out A.J. Brown touchdown, and you almost expect the loss.

Now, at 8–5, the Eagles look shaky. Their offense, still led by Hurts, looks nothing like the well-oiled unit from last season. But the Eagles have a chance to reset next week against the 2–11 Las Vegas Raiders. So, if the defending champions want to avoid a late-season slide, this is where the turnaround has to start.