At 6-foot-6, 237 pounds, Carson Wentz is a pretty impressive athlete.
We’ve seen it so far in two games. It’s not just his arm strength, it’s the plays he can make with his feet, too. While Wentz is a threat to take off and run for yards and first downs, he’s an even bigger threat to extend plays long enough to look downfield.
Even though he’s been with the first-team offense for just a couple of weeks, he’s already showing the signs of being able to pull off these types of plays with those receivers.
“It’s huge. I always tell those guys they’re never dead on any of their routes,” Wentz said. “There’s always an opportunity for me to extend plays. And it’s one of those things, we’re still working through it. We feel that we have really good communication about where they’re going once I do break the pocket, but a lot of it is really just instinctive and making a play.”
On Monday night in Chicago, on several off-schedule plays, he showed the composure to avoid pressure while keeping his eyes downfield, looking for his receivers. A few times he even directed them where to go on those broken plays.
“He’s always had that ability to keep his vision down the field,” Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said after the win in Chicago on Monday. “That’s what makes him a good pocket passer, being able to see the entire field that way.
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“Gosh, when guys were falling around his feet and the pocket kind of collapses, he’s always looking to make a play down the field. Even though on some of the scrambles tonight he took shots down the field, we didn’t capitalize on them, but it’s great to see that he can see that part of the field.”
Here are a few plays from Monday’s win in which Wentz showed that ability:
This first came late in the second quarter, as the Eagles were driving down the field to get the field goal that put them up 9-7 as the first half closed. It was 2nd-and-4 at their own 33-yard line — Wentz is in shotgun with five wide. Nelson Agholor is the far receiver on the left sideline, while Jordan Matthews is inside.
Wentz feels pressure from his back side and steps up. With just Lamarr Houston to beat toward the outside, the rookie could have run for a first down, but he kept looking to pass.
Matthews was streaking down the sideline, calling for the ball. Perhaps Wentz didn’t see him or didn’t think he could get the ball there. Instead, he made a pretty tough throw across his body to Agholor in the middle. Agholor made the 18-yard catch in traffic and the Eagles went on to kick the field goal.
This next play came on the first drive of the third quarter. It was 3rd-and-20 from the Eagles’ own 16-yard line after a penalty and a sack. Wentz is in shotgun, with three wide. Agholor was on Wentz’s far right. As the play develops, Wentz feels the pressure and steps up.
As Wentz rolled right, he kept his eyes downfield and even began to motion to his receivers. The play was off-schedule, but it wasn’t dead. In fact, he almost made an incredible play.
After Wentz threw the ball on the run about 52 yards, it was a tad underthrown. Agholor tried to come back after his go route and get the ball but couldn’t because Jacoby Glenn got in his way. Agholor wanted a defensive pass interference call — and it would have been warranted — but didn’t get it.
These last two plays were ones in which Wentz actually took off running after avoiding the pressure. The first one went for seven yards and the second for five. But the thing they have in common is that running was the second option. The rookie wanted to make something happen with his arm first. Eventually he will.
No, Wentz didn't hit big on any of these plays against Chicago, but the potential was there. And eventually, it should pay off.
