No more excuses for Wentz with Eagles' offense healthy

Share

To say the Eagles' offense has been subpar this season is like saying 2020 hasn't gone to plan for most of the planet. They rank 27th in total yards per game and 24th in points per game through nine weeks.

Injuries have played a significant part in their struggles. For a couple of weeks, the offense was Carson Wentz, Jason Kelce and nine backups.

Now the starters are beginning to get back on the field from their various injuries. Tight end Dallas Goedert returned for the Cowboys game in Week 8, and Miles Sanders, Jason Peters and Lane Johnson practiced with the team this week. Even Alshon Jeffery is on track to make his season debut Sunday against the Giants.

"We are starting to get pieces back, which is really exciting," said Goedert, who missed four games with a high-ankle sprain and a fractured tibia. "Anytime we can add really good players to the team, it can only make us better."

At 3-4-1, "better" isn't a high bar to set, but with the schedule beyond the Giants game Sunday, the Eagles need to get better quickly.

And with the offense's health quickly improving, the time for excuses is over.

Wentz's charitable contributions to the other team have been an alarming trend all season. He's had one turnover every game this season and is on pace for 32 if he plays every game.

"Some of the fumbles, some of them are just happening," Wentz said earlier this week. "But other times, it's 'OK, just throw it away. Just live to fight another down.' Some of the interceptions are just being really aggressive, and trying to force a play that maybe isn't there."

I suppose it's progress that Wentz is acknowledging that there is a problem. You can't find a cure without a diagnosis. And perhaps a week away from the playing field, along with getting some of the first-stringers back, will lead him toward the mindset that he doesn't have to try to do everything. 

But there are parts of what Wentz said about the turnovers that are certainly alarming. To say fumbles are "just happening," and that some interceptions are "just being really aggressive," isn't a comfort at all. 

Patrick Mahomes has thrown 329 passes, fourth-most in the NFL. Tough to get more aggressive than the Chiefs' offense. He has one interception this season, and no lost fumbles. 

Turnovers are frustrating enough, without the chief offender sloughing it off to happenstance and aggressiveness. Many of them are flat-out dumb decisions, or lack of decisions.

We all saw Wentz's potential at different points of his career. His 2017 was a great season. The final month of the 2019 season was probably as good as any quarterback could perform under the circumstances. This year, he's been awful.

The thing is, while 3-4-1 isn't terrible, just imagine where the Eagles would be if Wentz didn't turn the ball over three times against Washington in the opener. That's probably a win. Or if Wentz doesn't throw a pick to give the Bengals a short field, which led to a fourth-quarter field goal, that's likely another win. His lone turnover against the Ravens, a lost fumble, was turned into seven points five plays later. The Eagles lost the game by two points.

See where we're going here?

No one wants to see or hear about the silly turnovers anymore. Yes, turnovers sometimes happen, but that's not something a player who averages two turnovers a game says. Don't tell us, show us that you're committed to taking better care of the ball.

No more excuses.

Contact Us