Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz should have a field day against the Jets
By Brian Cass
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz may have a field day in Week 5 versus the New York Jets.
While the ground attack paved the way to a victory in week 4, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and the passing game could be the key to a victory in Week 5 versus a struggling New York Jets secondary.
Wentz has been efficient through the first quarter of the 2019 season. He’s completing a little over 60 percent of his passes and has his offense converting a little over 56 percent of their third-down attempts, the best mark in the NFL. Not to mention he’s also currently ranked as the top quarterback by Pro Football Focus heading into week 5.
The Eagles’ offense has been able to matriculate the ball down the field with some regularity throughout the season, but they’ve lacked explosiveness since wideout DeSean Jackson got injured in week 2. They currently average just 5.3 yards per play. That could all change against a struggling Jets secondary on Sunday.
The stats may tell you otherwise, but stats hardly ever tell the entire story. New York’s defense is ranked seventh in total pass defense, allowing 860 yards and just four touchdowns through the air.
The Jets just had their bye week, so those defensive numbers are a bit skewed. A better indication of how good their pass defense truly is would be found in taking the results from each game and calculating an average. In doing that, you learn that they’ve allowed 286.7 passing yards per outing. That’s the fifth-highest total in the league.
If DeSean Jackson can’t go this week as early reports are suggesting, Wentz and company should be able to take advantage of the Jets’ secondary.
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New York’s rush defense has been able to contain their opponents’ ground attacks, allowing just 88.7 yards on the ground per game. Head Coach Doug Pederson tends to only lean on the running game when it’s working, so if New York is able to limit both Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders early in the game, expect Pederson to let Wentz throw it all over the yard.
If the Birds wind up winning this game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, it’ll be behind the right arm of Carson Wentz.