Is Benching Carson Wentz the Right Move?
Following another pathetic loss to the Browns this past Sunday, Eagles fans are calling for Carson’s head. The struggles of Carson and this team have fans fed up and tired, and I’m one of them.
Watching this team right now isn’t fun at all. But is benching Carson the right thing to do?
Short answer, no. Carson is the QB of this team whether you like it or not. It’s not fun watching Carson right now and he looks completely broken, but you do not bench him (at least not right now). You paid him the big money and you can’t give up on him now.
Everyone wants to blame Carson, but what the hell is Doug doing? Stop saying he’s a good coach because of the Super Bowl, we are way beyond that point now, he is still good but nowhere near the level of 2017. Doug is a good head coach, he’s not an offensive coordinator. It is time for Doug to give the play calling up whether he likes it or not.
Doug’s schemes are horrible and it’s so annoying watching the same thing every week. If Doug keeps calling plays it’s going to be the same results every week. I’d like to see Rich Scangarello or Duce Staley take over play-calling for the foreseeable future.
A different play-caller with Wentz could be a big improvement in his game. New schemes, new route trees, new philosophies could do wonders for Carson.
Doug can’t scheme to get his receivers open, he relies on them to win one on one every time and this is not helping Wentz even a little bit. I’d rather see Carson with a new OC ten times out of ten then Doug with a new QB.
Doug needs to put more focus on being a head coach, not an offensive coordinator. In the last couple of weeks, the team has looked flat and flat out undisciplined. The amount of penalties is sickening and that needs to change soon. Let someone else take over play-calling so that way you can get this team back on track, as you can.
If Doug decides to give up play-calling duties (fingers crossed) there are a couple of things the next play caller can do to help out Carson.
You do not have to be a rocket scientist to realize that Carson thrives when outside of the pocket, so the first step is to draw up more plays where he rolls out.
Now you obviously can’t do this every play, but you can do it a lot more than now.
The second thing I would do is draw up more plays to get your receivers open.
Doug’s play-calling does not scheme any of the receivers open, they are just expected to win one on one every play. Go and watch the games and just look at how the receivers have to beat one on one coverage every time. This is why Carson is always hesitating and second-guessing his throws. Short quick throws to get your playmakers in space is what this team needs to focus on. Miles, Boston, Reagor all should be getting quick passes and letting them work in the open field. I want plays where Carson doesn’t have to think, just dink and dunk. This is the only way to get your QB’s confidence back, it isn’t going to come back at once, you need to build it up.
Switching play-callers also answers the question everyone has been asking is the blame on Doug or Carson. If someone else takes over play-calling and Carson starts dotting up opposing defenses, then you know that the problem was Doug. If Carson plays the same or worse, then you know that it has been Carson’s fault, not Doug’s. We are never going to get the answers by doing the same things week after week.
With the money, the Eagles gave Wentz you have to be absolutely certain that you did every possible thing to improve his game before benching him. If it gets to the point where all hope is gone and you tried every possible way, then you make the switch. Right now the Eagles are doing the same thing each and every week, it is obvious it isn’t working but nothing is changing.
Carson gets me heated every week too, but at some point, you got to step back and look at what is going on. When you keep doing the same thing every week how are you expected to succeed?
With the way things are going, it may look like benching Carson is the right thing, but you can’t give up on him yet.
Put him in a better position and let’s see what happens.
Featured Image: Mitchell Leff/ Getty Images
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