The Browns couldn’t stop him very often Sunday, but after the game, it was Carson Wentz’s inability to go that kept him from celebrating.
Via whiz reporter Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, Wentz was hanging around the locker room about an hour after his debut win, trying to rally the troops so he could provide the required urine specimen for the league. But for the first time all day, it took him some time before he was ready.
“Believe me, I have places to go,” the rookie joked, about his longer-than normal stay in the locker room while chugging sports drinks and water.
During the game, it was up and down the field, as he was 22-of-37 for 278 yards and two touchdowns, with no turnovers and a clean 101.0 passer rating.
“This is who he is,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. “This is his DNA . . . He prepared like a five-, six-year veteran, and obviously, he played that way.”
Wentz showed no nerves from the start, which is impressive with a guy who started on eight days notice after the Eagles traded Sam Bradford, making it his and his alone. Leading them on a game-opening touchdown drive was just the first evidence.
“I wasn’t really nervous. I really don’t get nervous. I like to listen to worship music before the game, kind of calm my nerves, and just go and have fun,” Wentz said. “It gave me a lot of confidence - going down, moving the ball, getting that [19]-yard touchdown right off the bat, it was huge for my confidence, huge for this team’s confidence. I know the people here were rockin’. So it was a lot of fun, and a great start to the year.”
At least until after the game, when he had to wait for that one more critical pass.
