7 Reasons Philadelphia Eagles benching Carson Wentz isn’t a wise move
By Hunter Doyle
4. Doug Pederson’s scheme is hurting the Philadelphia Eagles.
The screen game specifically has been awful this year. Opponents are blowing them up before they get started. Every time Doug tries to get a running back or tight end into space, the defense reads it right off the bat. It’s the same vanilla screen plays Doug has been calling for the past five years. Plus, he’s barely tried any screens with his new speed threat Jalen Reagor who can clearly make something happen when he’s given blockers and space.
Doug also goes with a pre-snap motion that puts Reagor into the backfield shortly and then he goes out for a swing pass. He rarely gets the ball when those moments occur. When your quarterback is struggling, it’s nice to get the short game going with guys like Reagor who can make electric plays in space. Doug doesn’t seem willing to try that though. Based upon Reagor’s film from this season, it’s hard to believe he wouldn’t be having success in Minnesota like Justin Jefferson is or in San Francisco like Brandon Aiyuk was before his injury. Pederson just doesn’t use him correctly or get him involved nearly as much as he should.
Speaking of pre-snap motion, Pederson has not adapted to the new NFL. Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Ravens all have some pre-snap motion built into their systems. It creates misdirection and keeps the defense off balance. Pederson usually only goes with the fake jet sweep. Defenses can key in on everything he’s doing.