4 Philadelphia Eagles Week 6 narratives: Overreactions or serious issues?
By Ben Swanger
3. Philadelphia Eagles “star” tight end Zach Ertz has morphed into a ghost.
Its spooky season and for Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, Halloween has gone on for the entire month of October for Eagles fans. Ertz’s costume should be a ghost. What a timeless, classic choice.
Over the course of the last two games, Ertz has seen 11 targets from Wentz. The result has been 15 receiving yards. For a guy who thinks he deserves a similar contract to George Kittle and Travis Kelce, he sure isn’t helping his cause.
On Wentz’s third-quarter interception, Ertz ran a quick slant, got nudged off of his route, and gave up on the play. Yes, it was an inaccurate pass from Wentz, something we’ve become accustomed to, but Ertz put in approximately zero effort to try to finish his route and fight for the ball.
Ertz has been one of the worst tight ends in the league after the catch since entering the league, and with Kittle, Kelce, and even Darren Waller changing the tight end position in terms of YAC (yards after catch) and his play-making ability, Ertz’s playstyle has become fossil-like.
Ertz’s running mate, Dallas Goedert, on the other hand, he’s showcased his ability in the open field, and now, with the emergence of Fulgham and Goedert inching closer to returning, one has to question how effective Ertz can be the rest of the season?
’86’ has had trouble separating from linebackers and safeties. He faces defensive schemes each week centered around shutting him down. He doesn’t have game-changing speed after the catch. What does Ertz bring to the table that even Richard Rogers can’t do?
Ertz was great in his prime. His prime has ended, and his time in midnight green will probably end end at the conclusion of the 2020 season or when his current deal ends in 2021. Might he be trade bait prior to the deadline? Ertz’s decline probably played a part in the team claiming and converting Iowa State product Hakeem Butler. Let’s end things here on anice note.