Carson Wentz shined in the first NFL game of his career, but some pundits are hesitant to jump on the bandwagon. It was against the lowly Cleveland Browns, after all.
Still, the Eagles‘ couldn't have asked for any more of him last Sunday.
The QB situation in Philadelphia has been all over the place. Sam Bradford was set to start before being traded to the Vikings. It was assumed that Chase Daniel would take the reins of the offense, but Wentz was anointed as the starter instead.
Rather than pout, Daniel has assumed a mentorship role with Wentz. To do so, he's using lessons from the future Hall of Famer who helped him early in his career: Drew Brees.
From ESPN's Tim McManus:
“It honestly started my rookie year,” Daniel remembers. “Drew was like, ‘Hey, we're going to be here at 5:30 in the morning, and this is what we're going to watch on Wednesdays, this is what we're going to watch on Thursdays, this is what we're going to watch on Fridays.' And I was like, ‘OK. Yes, absolutely. I'll do whatever you say.' I'm a rookie, he's throwing for 5,000 yards a season.
“As time progressed there, we sort of got into a routine. I have two pages of notes on the schedule of exactly what we're supposed to do, and I sort of brought that to Kansas City with us. Alex [Smith] really loved it, felt he was really prepared and that's sort of what I've tried to bring here with Carson.”
The heavy schedule can be taxing, but Daniel thinks it's already helping Wentz, who has embraced all of the film study:
“We're always staying one day ahead of the team. [Thursday], we put base behind us and we started on third down. [Friday], we put third down behind us and we get started on red zone. We're always staying one step ahead and we're always going back and checking, ‘OK, here's the base plan.' We have this schedule where it just fits. It works well for the mental reps and the mental side of things and so far Carson likes it, he enjoys it.”
There's something to be said about young quarterbacks gaining experience beneath perennial Pro Bowlers like Brees. Even though Wentz isn't directly learning from the Saints QB, his lessons are still impacting Wentz's transition to professional football. Finding ways to win before game day is a necessary part of succeeding in the modern NFL.
At the end of the day, Daniel believes Carson's abilities are why he succeeded against Cleveland, though:
“Obviously, the schedule is not what made him play well against the Browns. I think his superior athletic ability, his intangibles, his smarts, his arm strength, that's what made him play well, but you'd love to think that the preparation part is pretty important, too.”
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