Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz had a strong regular season debut in Week One, throwing for 278 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-10 victory over the Browns.
Offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Friday that the team “got what we expected” from Wentz in his first outing and his answer to a question about what quarterback Wentz reminds him of suggests that the expectations are as high as you’d expect for a player drafted second overall. After saying that Wentz is “blazing his own trail,” Reich said he was reminded of a player he spent a lot of time watching from a front row seat during his playing career.
“Physically, he reminds me a little bit of a combination of Andrew Luck -- though, I’ve never played with him -- just watching him play, but a guy that I did play with in Jim Kelly, the size, strength and just the toughness,” Reich said, via NJ.com. “The mentally tough, physically tough attitude and not being afraid to stand in the pocket and take a hit. I think Carson showed that, having played with Jim Kelly all of those years, a Hall of Fame quarterback, you don’t want those guys to take hits but it is the willingness on fourth and four with guys coming up the middle to make the play to [tight end Zach Ertz] and take the hit because that’s what it takes to make the play and keep the drive alive, so those are good signs.”
With the caveat that it’s just been one game against the Browns duly noted, anything that Wentz does that elicits memories of Kelly is a good sign for what his future holds in Philadelphia. He’ll have a chance to further the comparison against the Bears on Monday night.
