9:02 am | October 28, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
LONDON — This was the first week in Carson Wentz‘s young career where grumblings could be heard in Philadelphia about the quarterback’s play.
Not full-on Philly heat, but after Wentz failed to punch it in the waning moments last week against the Carolina Panthers despite being deep in Carolina territory, some questions popped up: Does he need to be more clutch late in games (he has three game-winning drives in three seasons)? Is he struggling with his decision-making? How much of the Panthers loss, and the Eagles’ slow start to the season, should he wear? It was a topic of conversation on sports talk stations and around water coolers. Coach Doug Pederson was even asked if he would speak with Wentz about blocking out the noise.
You can bet those grumblings grew louder after Wentz committed two turnovers on the first two possessions of Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team’s season teetering in the balance.
Wentz rebounded in a big way, though, tossing three touchdowns to propel the Eagles past the Jaguars, 24-18, sending Philly into its bye at 4-4 and with some hope for the second half of the season.
“Huge win. It was a huge win for us after a shaky fourth quarter last week,” Wentz told the NFL Network after the game. “Obviously, we didn’t start the season the way we wanted, but coming down here, with all the uniqueness of the trip, huge for us to come out and beat a good team in Jacksonville.”
His legs came alive late in the half, showing some of his best burst and agility since coming back from a multi-ligament knee injury. He used his feet to pick up a key first down on third-and-11, and again to find space to sling a 32-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Dallas Goedert. He followed with a a TD pass to Wendell Smallwood on the first possession of the second half.
His best moment, though, came, well, in the clutch. Jacksonville’s offense sprang to life and rattled off 10 straight points to cut the deficit to two. Thoughts on another late collapse, like the one they had against the Panthers and Tennessee Titans, crept in.
Wentz helped ease those concerns by engineering a six-play, 75-yard fourth-quarter drive in response. He zipped a 36-yard completion over the middle to Jordan Matthews, and later threaded one to tight end Zach Ertz in the corner of the end zone from five yards out.
A big stop by the Eagles’ defense on fourth down with three-plus minutes remaining kept the charging Jags at bay.
Wentz now has the second-most three-touchdown games over the last two season with eight, trailing only Tom Brady (9) — a stat that’s all the more impressive when you consider he missed the final three-plus games last year. He has tossed 13 TDs to two interceptions on the year.
He and the Eagles still have an uphill climb. Injuries continue to mount — they lost right tackle Lane Johnson (ankle) and corner Jalen Mills (foot) Sunday — and have a difficult schedule over the second half that includes games at the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams. But at .500, they have life. And so long as Wentz is healthy and continues to play at a high level, anything is possible.
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