Has Eagles Quarterback Carson Wentz Regressed? 'It's A Good Question,' Says Pederson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles are coming off a very disappointing home opener against the Los Angeles Rams at a fanless Lincoln Financial Field. The Birds lost by 18 and now have an 0-2 record.
You, the players and everyone else knows how this works in football. Fair or not, quarterbacks get too much credit when teams win and most of the blame when they lose.
That's why Carson Wentz is the center of attention after Sunday's loss to the Rams. He threw two more interceptions. He has four in only two games. It took Wentz 10 games last season to reach that number.
So the first question to Eagles head coach Doug Pederson today was has Wentz regressed?
"It's a good question. For us, it's a matter of continuing to work. I think as coaches and players, we continue to strive to get better every single day. I just don't want Carson to feel like he has to make all the plays every single time," Pederson said. "I want him to just be Carson and you guys know him, you've been around him, you've heard him, his demeanor. He wants to do everything right and we've given him control to do that, but we just have to continue to work to get better. I don't think anybody can totally master the sport. You're constantly learning and getting better, and that's what we've got to do and continue to coach that."
The Eagles invested $128 million in Wentz last summer and now they have one less lineman to protect their greatest asset. Starting left guard Isaac Seumalo will miss some time with a leg injury.
But Wentz isn't the only one who served up a questionable performance. The defense was non-existent Sunday.
Rams QB Jared Goff completed his first 13 passes and ended the game with three touchdowns. LA also rushed for 191 yards.
It was a beatdown in South Philly and not the way the Birds drew it up.
"We consider ourselves a good run defense and a good overall defense, and today we failed to do that. We gave up too many touchdowns, not enough turnovers, we're behind the sticks a lot in first and second down which put them in a position where we were faced with a lot of 3rd and 2s and a lot of 3rd and 3s, and that's challenging to win," safety Rodney McLeod said. "But overall, we were unsuccessful today, and have to get back to work. That's all you can do in this moment. You have to wear this on your sleeve [and] understand who we are and where we are at this point in time, and go back to work and prepare for Cincinnati [Bengals]."
The 0-2 Eagles will look for their first win Sunday when they host the 0-2 Bengals on CBS3.
