Eagles focus on consistency for Carson Wentz’s second season
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will enjoy the same coaching staff and offense in year two, a rarity in the NFL.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz showed throughout his rookie campaign that he, internally, has everything necessary to compete at the highest level of football. Yes, we’re all aware that he aired it out too much. Still, most football pundits would tell you they agree with his chances at long-term success in the NFL. Now comes the process of surrounding him with help.
It’s fortunate that fans don’t run NFL teams. That’s not a knock on anyone who’s a fan. We just realize you’re emotionally involved with your team. It’s a trait that could force one into making emotional decisions. Take Eagles fans for instance. Some were ready to run head coach Doug Pederson out of town following the team’s first meeting with the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously, with the mess he walked into, he’ll need more time to right the ship if he is, indeed, the man for the job.
The decision:
We say all that to say fans, regardless of what they may say, understand the need for consistency. Each NFL team is aware of this. So is Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. Recently, he stepped in and blocked quarterbacks coach John Defillipo from interviewing for the New York Jets‘ offensive coordinator position. The move received a lot of press from many media outlets (including us). The fallout from the decision, however, has been minimal.
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The long and the short of it is Lurie, who’s seen the positives of having a coach and quarterback work together over a consistent period of time, namely former quarterback Donovan McNabb and former head coach Andy Reid, is well aware of how beneficial it is for his franchise quarterback to be able to rely on consistency. Rumors state Lurie isn’t satisfied with the fact that his team hasn’t won a Super Bowl yet, and he’s beginning to get a little impatient with the process of building a winner. His attempts to keep Pederson, Defillipo, Wentz and offensive coordinator Frank Reich together are further evidence of his commitment to making the Eagles one of the NFL’s elite teams again.
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Wentz’s reaction:
Wentz is aware of the value of what he has as well. In a recent story released by NJ.com, Wentz expressed his excitement about heading into year two with familiar faces. “I’m really excited about it. We have a year under our belt now. We’ve kind of grown together. He’s learned a lot about me. I’ve learned a lot about how he operates. It will just keep growing. That’s the cool part.”
Wentz continued, “Having that continuity year in and year out is hard to do in this league….. for at least another year, we’re going to be able to have that.” At one point, there were even some concerns as to whether Reich would be back. Wentz is fortunate and he appreciates that. Spending some time in the locker room with Sam Bradford may have taught him that struggle comes along with a lack of consistency in leadership (an issue Bradford’s dealt with his entire career).
Whatever the case, the word “rookie” no longer precedes quarterback when describing Wentz. Step one is complete. Step two involves building the offense around him. We’ll all see where this heads together.