Carson Wentz is bad right now.
There’s no reason to sugarcoat it. There’s no reason to beat around the bush. We’re all grown ups here. The Eagles are getting some of the worst quarterback play in pro football in 2020. Not just slightly below average, where you could squint your way into believing something that makes you feel OK. That would be a lie.
Don’t believe me? Look around the league. Context is key, so here’s the context of the league Wentz currently plays in.
After Sunday Night Football’s four-turnover debacle vs. the Cowboys, Wentz ranks 30th in the NFL in passer rating, 31st in completion percentage, 27th in QBR, and leads the league in turnovers. And please save the excuses about injuries and weapons. When you pay a quarterback the money the Eagles committed to Wentz, you pay for a player that can uplift the team around him and make the most of whatever is on the field. Wentz isn't making poor choices and playing selfish football because of players that aren't on the field with him. We're watching a quarterback play like one that won't be a starter in the NFL for long.
This isn’t just a game or two of spotty play. It’s half of the season. If you’re looking for some perspective on how bad we’re talking, consider this snapshot:
Wentz’s current 16-game pace: 24 passing TD, 32 turnovers
Jameis Winston’s 2019 season: 33 passing TD, 35 turnovers
Those numbers (which included a higher QBR, yards per attempt and completion percentage than this version of Wentz) got Winston nothing more than a backup job in New Orleans this season. We just watched a highly-picked quarterback go from starter to out of a job with an almost identical season to the one Wentz is trending toward.
So, now what? How do the Eagles survive this?
Here’s how I see the options, ranked from the most-to-least likely to happen in the second half of this season.
Coach around him
Cue the Doug Pederson bashing, and I’ll allow it here. My major Pederson criticism has little to do with play calling, and more to do with mindset. Sometimes it feels like Pederson forgets his No. 1 job (head coach) by prioritizing his most crucial role (play caller). The Cowboys debacle didn’t have to be so hard. Run the ball, take the ball out of Wentz’s hands, don't be afraid to punt and lean on the defense, and use Jalen Hurts more to get out with a win.
Pederson seemed to want to get Wentz in a rhythm early and use healthy playmakers to create explosive plays. Fun idea! The only problem: A turnover-prone quarterback who can’t be trusted right now, even against a defense that came into the night allergic to taking the ball away from opponents.
There’s a path to making the playoffs with Wentz playing like this. Every possible iteration of that path means turning Wentz into a game manager, asking for less and not allowing him to torpedo the offense.
Ride it out
Let the Bronco buck, right?! Sure, Wentz is putting up laughable statistics and making games against bottom feeders into nail biters, but let him be. He’ll have a drive or two per game and that should be enough in this NFC East! Maybe his decision making and play will even out on its own as the Eagles win the division. There are eight games left, so that means eight fourth quarters to make up for inane play in the quarters preceding it. Don’t mess with a first-place team!
(The last paragraph was meant to be as sarcastic as you imagined. There’s also a terrifyingly good chance that it comes to fruition.)
Start working Jalen Hurts in as a second quarterback, not just change of pace
This has to be a consideration after the bye week. Wentz isn’t efficient and has shown zero ability to have an outstanding game in a league where excellent quarterback play and numbers are the norm. Taking him off the field for full drives at a time won’t be a detriment to a breakthrough, but could turn an uneven performance or loss into a win.
So far, the Hurts package of plays has yielded mixed results. Part of it is predictability (Hurts doesn’t attempt to throw it often enough) and part is the design. Leaving Wentz on the field (usually as a wide receiver) does nothing to help Hurts-driven plays succeed. Defenses don’t really have to respect Wentz on the outside, and it makes the design of the play suddenly 10 vs. 11.
Pederson could build in entire packages of plays for Hurts, and give him a full drive when the offense needs life. Think of it like the running back that comes in for a full drive in the second or third quarter of the game. If it’s a three-and-out, oh well. If it leads to a scoring drive, it’s good for the team and gives the coaching staff something else to think about in each quarter moving forward.
As for Wentz? Maybe watching from the sideline and seeing the opposing defense from a new vantage point could give him a different viewpoint for when he heads back to the huddle.
Bench Him
Don’t pretend that you didn’t think about it around halftime vs. Dallas. We all did. How could you not? Wentz is playing poorly enough to get benched. That’s clear to anyone who is paying attention. It’s also clear that Wentz’s contract and the headache a benching would cause the franchise is part of the calculus, but that doesn’t make it right.
If Wentz doesn’t come out of the bye looking and playing like a smarter and more cerebral quarterback, sitting him down in the middle of a game is more than fair. As for what happens after that? Let the chips fall where they may. If Hurts comes in and excels, the Eagles will have a decision to make. If he doesn’t, perhaps it’s a Kevin Kolb 2008 in Baltimore moment and Wentz takes a break like Donovan McNabb once did. It may cause a stir within the fanbase, but could help Pederson keep his locker room in order. The players see what’s going on, and have to be harboring the same Wentz doubts any other sane person is right now.
I’d be shocked if the Eagles pull the plug anytime soon. But if I were in Pederson’s shoes, I’d try to game plan around Wentz while working full series for Hurts after the bye. If that doesn’t wake Wentz up, my hand would be on the plug and ready to make a move at a moment's notice.