Blaming Carson Wentz is Neither Productive Nor Accurate
Quarterbacks in Philadelphia have seldom succeeded, and understandably so; the fans expect excellence, and when they don’t get it, the quarterback will never hear the end of it. Just take coach Pederson’s word for it.
When he was a quarterback for the Eagles in the 90s, he claimed to have batteries thrown at him. Even for as much as McNabb did for the team, his name was amongst the first to be blamed when the season began to go awry. Nick Foles, the man who can do no wrong in this city, also dealt with his fair share of criticism.
Remember when fans booed him and wanted him to be replaced by Sudfeld after that Raiders game?
So, it shouldn’t be surprising that the city’s golden boy, Carson Wentz, is getting bluntly analyzed by those sitting at home. No, Wentz hasn’t been a star quarterback this year per se, but is it fair to criticize him the way he has been? No.
Wentz is certainly not going anywhere with that new extension, and most of the issues on offense have not been his fault, so save your breath and focus on the real problems.
1) Coaching
Photo: Yong Kim/Philadelphia Inquirer
Doug Pederson and Mike Groh have certainly not done any favors for Carson. The lack of creativity, predictive play-calling, and failure to involve key players into the game plan have led to the underwhelming offensive product put out this season. In 2019, the Eagles have had a pass/run ratio of 59.53 percent. For a team that ranks 13th in rushing and 18th in passing, that’s a pretty disappointing ratio. In the past 3 games, the offense has had a pass/run ratio of an absurd 69.12%. Those 3 games weren’t even games that the Eagles had fallen massively behind in for the team to become throw heavy.
In fact, after going up 14 in 2nd half against the Dolphins, the Eagles only ran the ball 4 times, which was simply foolish.
Forcing Carson to throw the ball 40+ times will rarely bare positive results for this team as opposed to about 25 throws and 30 runs. Assessing the team’s strengths is something Doug Pederson has to get better at. As for Mike Groh, well, simply put, he’s hindered Carson’s progress and will continue to do so.
2) Surrounding Pieces
Photo: David Maialetti/Philadelphia Inquirer
5 years from now, you might forget that DeSean Jackson came back to the Eagles. His injury was unfortunate, but for a player with only 2 completely healthy seasons out of 12, his addition to the team was a head-scratcher. Given the time of Carson Wentz’s career, bringing in young talent is a must. Although DeSean Jackson hasn’t lost a step, he won’t be here for the majority of Wentz’s future given his age. Wentz needs to pair with a receiver that he can play with for at least 7 years, and currently, only Arcega-Whiteside fits that criteria.
Alshon Jeffery, who’s age isn’t decreasing either, has gone through massive regression. He’s on pace for 735 yards which would be the worst year he’s had since his rookie year in which he only started 6 games. His injuries have piled up to the point where his numbers will keep going down from here on out.
Nelson Agholor has gone back to his 2016 self, now accounting for 4 of 22 drops, but an argument can be made for more than that. Still, he’s mainly been a deterrent to this team, and from Wentz’s standpoint, it is a roadblock from becoming elite.
Even Zach Ertz, Wentz’s favorite target, hasn’t been his usual self. Don’t let his stats fool you, he’s not the same player from last year. He’s been bottled up to just 13 catches on 3rd down this year, a down where someone of Ertz’s caliber is monumental, and in coordination with the rest of the team, has had problems with drops, tied for the team lead with 4. As for the rest of the team? They haven’t been relevant enough to warrant mention.
3) Chemistry
Photo: Jason Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports
And last but not least, the chemistry of the team. For no fault of his own, it seems as though the rest of the team, the offense at least, does not respond well under Wentz’s leadership. For some, it may be because of their history and passion for Nick Foles. For others, it may be because of their “lack of faith” in Wentz, as one anonymous NFC coach put it. This also goes vice versa. Wentz may also lack faith in his recievers. Whatever it is, it can’t happen. Bringing in the best players won’t make a difference if there is no overall trust. This means no “anonymous” reports coming out, no burner accounts, no locker room drama, etc.
If the Eagles need to clean house, so be it, but they must bring in players who are willing to fall under the leadership of Carson Wentz.
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Categorized:Eagles