After weeks of bad performances backed up by ‘I need to be better’ quotes and desperation to clutch at any excuse that saves admission of the fact Carson Wentz has regressed, the end might finally be on the horizon.
Wentz looked atrocious against the Browns, and like every game, he wasn’t the sole problem, but he was a significant one. The Eagles have 3 wins through 11 games and the season is most likely over at this point. Is it time to bench Carson Wentz?
At this stage, a poll would likely end in a 50/50 split. Some fans are dying to see any kind of offensive spark, while others don’t want the wheels to come off completely. The enigma here is who would step in to those QB2 shoes. It’s easy to assume that man would be Jalen Hurts, but it’s really not that simple.
In a year plagued by COVID-19, teams didn’t get to go through preseason or have OTA’s and camp as they usually would. Rookies were understandably a little further behind than they’d otherwise be projected to be and it’s arguable that we’re seeing an example of this with Jalen Hurts.
The Eagles insist on trying to sprinkle Jalen Hurts into the offense but all that we continue to see are read option looks over, and over, and over again.
It’s a little reminiscent of when Nick Foles went down prior to the 2018 playoffs. Nate Sudfeld was dropped into the game in his own territory, handed the ball off and was promptly pulled when Foles was able to go back in. Different scenarios, sure, but you could make the case that just like Sudfeld, who has not seen any kind of NFL passing action outside of week 17 appearances, the team just don’t trust Hurts to pass yet.
This is speculative but understandable. Hurts didn’t get to gel with his receivers in a preseason setting and training camp was limited. You can understand the desire to drop him into a game, but in the event Wentz is benched, how much of the playbook does he really have down?
Nate Sudfeld, whose ceiling is far lower, has been with the team for over four years now. If there’s anyone who should know the playbook inside out, it’s this man. He may not be the most capable arm in Football, but if the Eagles are going to pull Wentz, is it really worth feeding Jalen Hurts to the Lions in games that will only continue to spiral out of control now that the flag of surrender has been waved?
With more experience, more chemistry, and less risk of damaging a valuable asset, the decision to bench Wentz hinges on one thing. Do they bench him to win, or bench him to throw in the towel? If it’s the former, putting Jalen Hurts in, knowing he could fully well thrive due to his incredible athleticism, will do this team no favors when it comes to speculation about who has the right to sit on the QB throne. If it’s the latter, then Nate Sudfeld will be the man bringing whatever is left of this broken down ship back home.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
