Carson Wentz's tipped interception dooms Eagles in loss to Chiefs

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carson Wentz was trying to throw the ball away. He was trying to minimize damage. He was trying to give his defense a shot. 

He wasn't trying to throw the ball at Justin Houston's helmet. 

But that's exactly what he did in the fourth quarter of the Eagles' 27-20 loss Sunday to the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium (see breakdown). It was a huge, pivotal moment in the game. 

"Obviously, it was a bad throw and got tipped around and they made the play," Wentz said. 

Doug Pederson dialed up a screen play on 3rd-and-12 at the Eagles' 31-yard line. With a blitz coming and with the play already blown up, Wentz tried to just throw the ball away, in the vicinity of running back Darren Sproles. Instead, he threw it right into the helmet of a charging Houston and Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones was able to pick it off. 

The Chiefs scored the go-ahead touchdown five plays later. 

"It was a pass that just, appeared like it hit a helmet," Pederson said. "So something I'll have to watch on the way back and just see for sure. But looked like it hit a helmet and popped straight up. 

"Those situations there, just critical times of the game, can't make those mistakes."

Wentz could have taken full responsibility for the terribly-timed interception. As one of the captains of the team, he could have jumped on the grenade. He didn't. 

So how much of the interception was bad luck and how much of it was Wentz's fault? 

"I'll have to watch the tape," Wentz said. "Obviously anytime the ball gets tipped around, it's bad luck. But obviously, I'd rather not throw it into a D-lineman's helmet." 

The Eagles started that drive at their own 20-yard line with a chance to break a 13-13 tie in the fourth quarter. Instead, they came off the field after giving the Chiefs the ball back deep in their own territory. 

Wentz actually started that drive with a tremendous play, scrambling to his right and juking Houston for a 13-yard gain. But then Wendell Smallwood lost two yards on a first-down run and Wentz's second-down pass to Zach Ertz fell incomplete. That set up the pick on 3rd-and-long. 

Wentz now has two interceptions in his first two games this season, which isn't bad. But he has 16 in his first 18 NFL games and 14 interceptions in his last 12 games, dating back to last season (see Roob's observations)

And for a guy who is 6-foot-5, he certainly seems to have a lot of his passes tipped. 

"I mean, those guys just sort of stopped and put their long arms up," Ertz said. "Their guys are like 6-7, they're huge guys. It's tough. I thought Carson played great today. We have to do better surrounding him, helping him out. He did a really good job, he did the most he could. And we're going to get back to work for him."

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