Why is Carson Wentz still optimistic offense will turn things around?

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For most of this season, we’ve been asking the same question about the Eagles’ offense. 

What’s wrong with it? 

It certainly doesn’t look like the same unit that won the Super Bowl last season and there are probably several factors that go into that. But week after week, Carson Wentz and his teammates keep fielding the same questions without any answers in sight. 

This has probably been a pretty frustrating season and even Wentz acknowledged it would be hard for a lot of teams to remain optimistic.  

I think for some it could be. But I think the way we’ve kind of handled things is we’re always just trying to stay optimistic and believe in ourselves and really showing some of the things we’re doing well. And saying ‘hey this is something we can build on’ or ‘we just missed here a little bit and this can make a big difference.’ 

So we’ve been really good about staying positive, staying optimistic, but if we didn’t have the chemistry and the culture we have around here, without a doubt it would be easy to start being pessimistic and down on yourselves, but we’ve handled it pretty well.

Maybe the Eagles have seen flashes of their old offense, but the overall numbers aren’t good. 

• They have averaged just 20.9 points per game, good for 24th in the NFL.  

• Last year, they averaged 28.6 points per game, which was second in the league. But other offenses have caught up. That 28.6 number would rank seventh this season.  

• The Eagles have eclipsed 30 points once in 11 games this season. Through 11 games last season, the Eagles had gone over 30 points seven times, including five games in a row. 

• The Eagles have scored 21 first-quarter points this season. That’s the fewest in the NFL. The next closest team is Jacksonville, which has scored 30. The Eagles have been shutout in 9 of 11 first quarters. 

In the win over the Giants on Sunday, the Eagles scored a first-quarter touchdown on a long run from Josh Adams, but it was called back because of a penalty. It might seem dangerous, but it’s those things that are keeping the Eagles optimistic. They think they are close. 

“Some of the plays that we just miss, it’s usually just one little thing on each play,” Wentz said. “We just kind of say, ‘if this just changes, this little detail of this play, that’s a big play, that’s a touchdown.’ Things like that. Instead of degrading guys and things like that, we just say, ‘hey, this can be the difference.’ Guys can just focus on the little details and stay encouraged because of that.”

Staying optimistic doesn’t necessarily mean the Eagles’ offense will suddenly start to click, but it’s better than the alternative. Maybe the Eagles will figure it out, maybe they won’t, but at least they’re giving themselves a shot by staying confident.

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