Carson Wentz has passed the audition—Eagles’ future is brighter…

Some critics in the know are saying Carson Wentz just played his best game as a pro in the loss to the Redskins last Sunday.

It’s hard for me to isolate a player’s “best game” from the fact that his team lost the game—but I get their point that Wentz is making strides in his rookie year.

Eagles video editor Ben Fennell: “Wentz has improved on 3rd downs this yr… Perhaps best performance vs WAS… 10/13 116yds, 8 first downs. Best comp% since Week 3 vs PIT…”

Specifically, based upon Fran Duffy’s video review of Wentz on 3rd down plays, Wentz’s pocket movement (his ability to shuffle, slide and maneuver inside the confines of the pocket with his eyes downfield) was the best it’s looked all season. He showed poise under pressure. He didn’t make any poor decisions. He threw with anticipation and got the ball out quickly. His mechanics weren’t always clean, but he was accurate for most of the afternoon.

Wentz also displayed his “play strength” under pressure, that is, taking contact and continuing through his progressions. Can he make a throw with a defender draped over him? Can he absorb a hit in his lower body and shake off contact? Do arm tackles bring him to the ground?

There were a few instances of this “play strength” quality where I thought Wentz was actually stopped “in the grasp” of defenders and the whistle should have sounded. I don’t like to see our QB teed up like that. I’m not sure I want my guy wriggling like a lure on the end of a fishing line. Also, on at least two plays like that, Wentz tried to distribute the ball while going down. He was lucky those desperation tosses weren’t picked or batted into the arms of a defender. Thus I think “play strength” can be overrated unless it is tempered with a greater wisdom of “knowing when to fold”… I still have nightmares over the “backwards pass” young Nick Foles threw whilst being dragged down in a pile during his rookie year.

Wentz beat a Washington blitz with a “hot read” completion to Paul Turner. The Eagles faced third-and-3 at the 36-yard line, Redskins send an all-out blitz, Wentz gets the ball out quickly to Turner for a 16-yard gain and a first down. That’s pretty savvy stuff for a rookie QB.

On a couple of short throws to Trey Burton, Wentz showed his improving skill at stepping up in the pocket and sliding into a throwing lane.

On the final drive of the game which ultimately did not pan out, we did get to see Wentz making big-time throws to guys downfield before the receivers exited their breaks. That is a combination of confidence, coolness under pressure and hard work in practice which you just can’t fake in crunch time.

I believe based on the film reviews comparing Week 1 to Week 14, one can realistically conclude that Carson Wentz is getting better all the time. There are still some refinements to be made, of course, but aside from the Eagles actually winning more games than they are losing, what more could you realistically want from a rookie QB? This may be a case where patience is indeed a virtue—like waiting on the perfect pot roast simmering in a slow cook crock pot.
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CONGRATULATIONS to ATV, the new BRISUKSEGG FF CHAMP

BAD JEWS BEARS BOX SCORE
STARTERS
SLOT	PLAYER, TEAM POS	OPP	STATUS ET	PTS
QB	Andrew Luck, Ind QB	Hou	L 17-22	22
RB	David Johnson, Ari RB	@Mia	L 23-26	12
WR	Michael Crabtree, Oak WR  Q	@KC	L 13-21	2
TE	Greg Olsen, Car TE	SD	W 28-16	8
FLEX	Jeremy Hill, Cin RB	@Cle	W 23-10	23
FLEX	Jonathan Stewart, Car RB	SD	W 28-16	12
D/ST	Colts D/ST D/ST	Hou	L 17-22	22
K	Josh Lambo, SD K	@Car	L 16-28	4

105 TOTAL POINTS

NFC EAST MR. JINKS BOX SCORE
STARTERS
SLOT	PLAYER, TEAM POS	OPP	STATUS ET	PTS
QB	Philip Rivers, SD QB	@Car	L 16-28	13
RB	Le’Veon Bell, Pit RB	@Buf	W 27-20	50
WR	Malcolm Mitchell, NE WR	Bal	W 30-23	10
TE	Delanie Walker, Ten TE	Den	W 13-10	3
FLEX	Carlos Hyde, SF RB	NYJ	L 17-23	28
FLEX	Spencer Ware, KC RB	Oak	W 21-13	5
D/ST	Lions D/ST D/ST	Chi	W 20-17	32
K	Dustin Hopkins, Wsh K	@Phi	W 27-22	2

143 TOTAL POINTS

The Pantheon of BSE Champions is hereby inscribed:

2011…………………..JERKY
2012…………………..ATV
2013…………………..JERKY
2014…………………..DUTCH*
2015…………………..~BROZ
2016…………………..ATV