The key play in Sunday's 37-19 Eagles loss to the Rams came early in the second half.
Trailing by five points, the Eagles forced a punt and drove all the way down the field. But on 1st-and-10 from the LA 21-yard line, Carson Wentz threw an interception on a ball down the middle of the field into the end zone intended for a well covered J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, of all people.
"Good question, good question," Doug Pederson said with a pause when asked by Angelo Cataldi when Wentz decided to force a ball to a second-year struggling wide receiver, who did not have any catches in the game.
"I'll just say that that's a play that I think Carson would like to have back, we'd all like to have back and I think the execution of the play would be a little different. Those are one of those things that we can't do, we flat out can't do. We can't put ourselves in that situation when we're coming out of the locker room. We just stopped them, we forced them to punt, we take the ball. I think we started on our 14-yard line and we're moving the ball down the field with a chance to score and go ahead in the game and who knows what happens after that. So for me, as the head coach, as bad as plays like that are, those are also teachable moments. Those are learning moments for us. I use the phrase a lot around here, pain instructs. And those are one of those painful moments that's going to instruct us and we're going to have to learn from that, coach that, teach that, and prepare our players that way."
Wentz finished the game 26-43 for 242 yards, 0 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, and 2 INTs. Wentz now has thrown for 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in two losses this season and his 27.9 QBR is ranked 32nd in the NFL.
"I was just moving to my left and saw J.J. had a step on his guy," Wentz said when asked about the interception after the game on Sunday. "I really just tried to force it in there before the free safety – obviously not what I should have done. [Rams CB Darious Williams] undercut it and made a great play. We had some good momentum, that drive, going. We were moving the ball well. Tried to do too much, tried to make a play and, obviously, can't do that."
Pederson agreed.
"You don't want him to press or try to force plays," Pederson said of Wentz on Monday. "Sometimes you think you have to take things over yourself. It's something that we've got to continue to work through. I just want Carson to focus on his job and doing his job.
"I don't think it's the mechanics. I just think it's something we're continuing to work through with him. There are some new faces on offense and we missed 500 reps in the offseason...That's valuable time for those guys to build a chemistry."
Cataldi asked Pederson if he's worried about the season with the Eagles off to an 0-2 start.
"No, not at all," Pederson said. "I'm not. Not at all, because I've really empowered the team -- everybody can be a leader on this team, coaches included, that's what we need to do. Sure, our backs against the wall. We've got ourselves in a hole a little bit. The players are mad, they're upset. They're ticked off and that's a good thing because I think deep down I think they know they're a better football team."
