The real Carson Wentz is finally standing up again and it couldn’t be happening at a more opportune time. Due to a glutton of unbelievable injuries on the offensive side of the ball, Wentz is leading this football team when no one thought they had a chance.
It will be a long mountain to climb for the Eagles after a 1-4-1 start but things are slowly turning around for the team. Of course, it’s hard to celebrate two losses in a row or give yourself a pat on the back. But the Eagles should be more than encouraged by Wentz’s play in the last few games.
A History of Injuries
Here’s what Wentz had to work with during the improbable fourth-quarter comeback attempt against the Ravens.
LT Andre Dillard, Jason Peters, Jordan Mailata LG Isaac Seumalo, Nate Herbig C Jason Kelce RG Brandon Brooks, Matt Pryor, Jamon Brown RT Lane Johnson, Jack Driscoll, Matt Toth
RB Miles Sanders, Boston Scott
WR Alshon Jeffrey, Travis Fulgham, JJ Arcega-Whiteside WR DeSean Jackson, Marquise Goodwin, John Hightower WR Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward Jr.
TE Zach Ertz, Dallas Godert, Richard Rodgers
There is a myriad of reasons why the comeback fell short. It includes going for two when down 17-6? Another Jake Elliot missed field goal and a seriously questionable 2-point conversion play at the end of it all.
Although the Wentz criticism has been loud through the first three games of the season, Wentz is slowly drowning out the haters.
How quickly people forget last season when Carson Wentz willed a practice squad offense to a 9-7 record and an NFC East division crown. Or that he was the first quarterback to ever throw for 4,000 yards without a 500-yard wide receiver. This isn’t the first time Wentz has dealt with adversity, but it might be his most challenging test yet.
I’m a Believer in Carson Wentz
The Eagles’ putrid start to the 2020 season has only fuelled the Wentz haters and keyboard warriors. But after the last few weeks against some of the stingiest defense the NFL has to offer, Wentz has started to deliver.
Against the number one and two scoring defenses in the league, Carson Wentz willed a pair of fourth-quarter comeback attempts. Ultimately falling short because of Nate Gerry’s blunder on third down against Pittsburgh, and questionable decision making from Doug Pederson last Sunday.
Wentz managed these comeback bids with a shaky offensive line that had him scrambling for dear life which often resulted in sacks and quarterback hits. Wentz has now been sacked 25 times in six games including 11 in the last two outings.
Even with all of that pressure, Wentz mustered 471 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 60 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, 57 points from the offense, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Still, the Foles vs. Wentz debate rages on every Monday morning on certain Philadelphia sports radio shows.
Those numbers also don’t take into account a few dropped touchdown passes over the last two games and Jake Elliot’s inability to hit from distance anymore.
There are so many if buts and maybes during the last two games, but there’s no denying Wentz is keeping the Eagles in ball games against elite defenses.
Cue the Late Season Dramatics
Even with a 1-4-1 record, the NFC East is wide open for the taking.
With four straight winnable games including three straight crucial games against NFC East opponents, you can’t count the Eagles out yet.
Dallas hosts the world’s worst defense and the unfortunate injury to Dak Prescott makes them extremely vulnerable. Sandwich in two games against the lowly New York Giants and suddenly the Eagles have life again over the next three games.
But perhaps the most encouraging sign for the Eagles is they will get healthy before their second stretch of daunting games. Jackson, Jeffrey, Reagor, and Godert will all be back before the Eagles play the Seahawks in week 12 followed by the Saints and Packers.
Some of them will be back much sooner and hopefully the offensive line will get a massive boost with Lane Johnson returning and possibly Brandon Brooks rejoining the fold sometime in 2020.
The Eagles have backed themselves into a corner just like they did in 2019. But can they dig themselves out one more time? Time will tell but Wentz is starting to regain his top form once again and he’s proved the doubters wrong before.
This could be another setback for a major comeback for Wentz and the Eagles.
Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire
