On Friday, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson confirmed Carson Wentz's assignment on a double reverse in the fourth quarter of Thursday's win over the Giants was to block.
Just five plays after Wentz returned from passing concussion tests, the head coach dialed up a play that called for the franchise quarterback to lower his shoulder and take out a would-be tackler.
Concussion testing aside, did Pederson have any hesitation to call that play and ask his starting rookie quarterback to throw a block?
"We can speculate all day, I guess," Pederson said. "Obviously, our goal in everything we do is to try to win a football game. I think the second that you sort of hesitate in any situation is the time you get beat. And again, I had no hesitation on making that play and putting him in that situation."
Pederson said there wasn't any added hesitation because Wentz had just returned to the game. He cited Wentz's running into and out of the locker room as a reason why.
Wentz needed to briefly leave the game for the end of a drive in the third quarter after getting pummeled into the ground by Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon. He was back on the field for the Birds' next drive, though, which included the double reverse.
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The play in question started when Wentz flipped the ball to Jordan Matthews, who then tossed it to Nelson Agholor, which left Wentz out in front as a lead blocker, along with left tackle Jason Peters.
Pederson said that typically on a double reverse, the quarterback is asked to become a blocker. With Wentz's physical and aggressive nature, it's no surprise he didn't pause when asked to block.
Wentz actually did get out in front and blocked rookie corner Eli Apple, but didn't make solid contact, likely to the relief of Eagles fans watching the game.
It seems like a curious decision to have Wentz block, especially considering the longstanding concern with how the rookie must protect himself. For weeks, Pederson and offensive coordinator Frank Reich belabored the point that Wentz needed to learn how to protect his body by sliding or going out of bounds.
In fact, here's what Pederson said about Wentz in May: "I would say the No. 1 thing with him is learning how to protect himself."
This is the same coach who seven months later dialed up a play asking that same player to lead block and then saw nothing wrong with it … even defended it.
"If there was anyone out in front there, I was going to go pick up a block," Wentz said on Thursday night after the game. "When I was cleared, I was ready to go. It didn't really affect me and it didn't affect my decision making in doing that. Once you are cleared, you're good to go."
