Hall of Fame offensive lineman Joe Thomas joined Tuesday’s edition of GoJo and Golic to recap the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, examine the remaining offensive lines in the postseason and share which teams have the advantage heading into the Conference Championships.
The Philadelphia Eagles‘ offensive line has been arguably the most DOMINANT offensive line this NFL season, creating aqueduct-like holes for the league’s leading rusher, Saquon Barkley. Thomas had tremendous praise for how the Eagles’ offensive line has played this season, noting that the Eagles’ offensive line dominates the edges. He praised Lane Johnson as one of the all-time greats at right tackle and called Jordan Mailata one of the great draft steals, considering his transition from rugby in New Zealand. Thomas also shared that their ability to seal the edges has been crucial in setting up the run game for Barkley, adding that for outside zone plays to work, a running back must first get his heels into the line of scrimmage. From there, it’s all on the running back to make defenders miss and run people over. Thomas believes the Eagles’ offensive tackles establishing themselves on the edge has made all the difference.
A team that NO ONE saw making it this far in the playoffs is the Washington Commanders, as they traveled to Ford Field to beat the NFC No. 1 seed Lions, 45-31. For a team that has faced a change in ownership and a ton of adversity internally, Thomas spoke to the importance of the culture shift in Washington and how it has helped propel them to the NFC Championship game. He expressed that the team had a dark cloud hanging over it during the Dan Snyder era, which can wear on players. When things get tough, it’s easy to make excuses. However, Thomas credited Dan Quinn for bringing in a sense of belief and direction the team desperately needed. Quinn has players buying in, creating a sense of togetherness that wasn’t there before. Additionally, having a quarterback like Jayden Daniels, who doesn’t flinch in big moments, only adds to that confidence.
"What is it going to take for someone to knock the Chiefs off at this stage in the game?" @mikegolicjr
"Well, you got to play mistake-free football. The Chiefs make you pay if you make any mistakes. If it's a close game, when the ball is in Patrick Mahomes' hands, everyone on… pic.twitter.com/xhigD0nJKs
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) January 21, 2025
The Chiefs continue to do their best DJ Khaled impersonation and continue to WIN WIN WIN no matter what, securing a 23-14 victory over the Houston Texans. Thomas said you must play mistake-free football if you want to beat the Chiefs. Even though Kansas City’s offense isn’t putting up the crazy numbers we’re used to, they thrive on opponents’ mistakes. Thomas compared it to the belief fueling Washington’s turnaround, but for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes gives everyone that confidence. As long as each guy does his job, Mahomes will handle the rest. That kind of trust lets players focus without hesitation. As a former offensive lineman, Thomas recalled a motto they lived by: Not me, not now, not ever, meaning no one wanted to be the guy responsible for a loss. When Mahomes is your quarterback, you know he’ll deliver, and you don’t want to be the weak link when the moment is most significant.
"What is it going to take for someone to knock the Chiefs off at this stage in the game?" @mikegolicjr
"Well, you got to play mistake-free football. The Chiefs make you pay if you make any mistakes. If it's a close game, when the ball is in Patrick Mahomes' hands, everyone on… pic.twitter.com/xhigD0nJKs
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) January 21, 2025
Finally, Thomas gave his thoughts on is whether the criticism of Lamar Jackson is fair after the Ravens fell to the Bills, 27-25. Thomas shared that quarterbacks live and die by the big moments. He used the example of Tom Brady, who won seven Super Bowls. He had elite defenses and productive run games early on, but in the playoffs, it always comes down to the guy with the ball in his hands. For Jackson, his late-game pass to Mark Andrews could have forced overtime. Despite the throw not being perfect, Andrews still had a chance to make the catch, whereas a pinpoint pass might have changed everything. When the game is on the line, quarterbacks either get ALL the glory or take ALL the blame, it simply comes with the job. But he does not doubt that Jackson can handle it, given everything he’s already proven and accomplished in the NFL.
Is the criticism of Lamar Jackson falling short vs. the Bills warranted?
“I think it's fair to an extent because they're the ones that get the credit when you win, right?…So, when the ball is in your hand and the game's on the line, which it usually is with one of those… pic.twitter.com/F9jxJjPAml
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) January 21, 2025
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