Philadelphia Eagles: 3 Surefire ways to get Carson Wentz back on track

2. The Philadelphia Eagles still need to surround ’11’ with veterans.

In 2018, statistically, Wentz had a better year in terms of completion percentage and yards per game than he did in 2017, but Philly’s fans saw Wentz take a lot of chances and put himself and the ball in harm’s way. Also, as was the case in 2017, ’11’ ended up missing the stretch run and the playoffs thanks to another season-ending injury.

At that time, despite adding Dallas Goedert, Wentz’s mastery of the offense wasn’t always there as it was in 2016 and 2017, but the most significant missing piece was Defilippo as he spent the 2018 season in Minnesota as the offensive coordinator of the Vikings.

In 2019, ’11’ played a full season for the first time since 2016. He struggled, but overall, he played at a more consistent level. This despite the fact that he spent most of his time down the stretch surrounded by rookies and practice squad players. What Wentz did in Philly’s final four games solidified him as the future of the franchise.

Just how was Wentz able to do more with less? For that answer, Eagles fans needn’t look any further than backup quarterback Josh McCown. The journeyman was brought to Philly to be a veteran presence in Wentz’s ear after Nate Sudfeld sustained an injury during a pre-season game.

McCown embraced his role, regularly reviewing footage and mentoring Wentz on the sideline after every single drive. A large part of Wentz’s ability to carry the team last year into the playoffs was the constant mentorship and accountability he got from a teammate that he trusted.