A rivalry is in the air, as the Eagles and the Commanders get ready to face off. We’ve been hearing the narratives about Carson Wentz VS Jalen Hurts, and you’ll probably see a million articles and blogs about who is better over the next week. The winner will be lauded as the team who made the right choice, and the loser will experience hyperbolic criticism.
Real original, am I right?
However, while most Philadelphia Eagles blogs and local media outlets continue to grab the low-hanging fruit off the Negadelphia tree, Iggles.com is more original than that. We thought we would take a more positive angle on the situation, so we decided to stray from the pack and celebrate some of the incredible things Wentz did on the field as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s understandable to be frustrated with what could have been in Philadelphia, and it’s also important to get closure so we can appreciate how crucial Wentz’s play was in winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl. Carson Wentz is in a rival uniform, but 2017 will remain the greatest of times to be an Eagles fan.
Let’s look at Carson Wentz’s five most significant moments as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.
5. The Houdini, Redskins @ Eagles, 2017
During what should have been Wentz’s MVP season, Carson Wentz displayed a bit of magic at the Linc for all to enjoy. To be honest, I’ve never seen anything like this play, and this may have been the moment NFL fans realized Carson Wentz was a special kind of talent.
Philadelphia was facing a 3rd-and-8 with a touchdown lead over Washington in the 4th quarter. Washington brought a blitz, and the Eagles QB was dead to rights. So we all thought.
With four defensemen piling on for what looked to be an apparent sack, Wentz somehow escaped, ran for a first down, and led the Eagles on a touchdown drive to put the game out of reach. Pure MAGIC.
4. The Division Clincher, Eagles @ Giants 2019
This game didn’t feature Carson Wentz’s most glamorous stat-line, but a test of his leadership at the time. In this game, Carson would spread the ball around, with 5 Eagles pass catchers gaining around 50 yards or more.
The most memorable play came in the second quarter after the 2-minute warning. Tied 3-3 and at the Giants’ 30, Carson Wentz would make a beautiful throw across his body and field to Josh Perkins for a touchdown.
This game would clinch the NFC East title for the Eagles, an improbable feat given how injured and battered the Eagles roster was at the time. That team had no business making the playoffs in 2019, but Carson wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Carson Wentz put a team of backups and below-average starters on his back and forced his way into a playoff birth.
3. Destroying Arizona, Cardinals @ Eagles, 2017
Hosting the Arizona Cardinals in 2017 almost felt like a coming-out game for Carson Wentz. He posted solid stats against the Commanders, Chiefs, and Giants to start the season, but Arizona felt like a story of true dominance for him.
He showed off his dual ability as a mobile passer, making accurate strikes on the run. Two memorable plays included a 72-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor and a 59-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith. He spread the ball around to 8 different pass catchers, at least 3 of them having 60 yards or more.
This was indeed a game that displayed his talent as a passer, and it put the league on notice.
2. The Scramble And Bomb, Eagles @ Commanders, 2017
We’ll never forget how the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles season began. The Eagles began their season at FedEx Field, and Wentz made magic happen on the opening drive. On a third and long Wentz avoided the rush, and scrambled around for about 10 seconds.
He resembled Donovan McNabb against Dallas in 2004, throwing a 58-yard strike to Nelson Agholor for a touchdown. That touchdown felt fitting and set the tone for 2017, eventually becoming arguably the favorite to win MVP for that season.
This game also ended an incredibly annoying losing streak to Washington for the Eagles.
1. Threading The Needle To Miles, Eagles @ Commanders, 2019
This play and moment remain one of the best passes of Wentz’s career. Down 4 points with less than 6 minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Eagles were down in the red zone.
Second down with nine yards to go from the Washington 15, Wentz scrambles to the left, then right, looks downfield, and threads the needle between two defenders to Miles Sanders for a 15-yard touchdown pass.
Credit goes to Sanders for a fantastic catch and for keeping himself in bounds as well. This game featured another great Wentz play in the game-winning touchdown pass to Greg Ward.
This was my pick for the #1 moment for several reasons. Yes, it was part of a pivotal winning streak to clinch the NFC East in 2019. But what’s more impressive was that Wentz willed the Eagles to the playoffs that season with a crew of practice squad players around him. Most counted out this Eagles team, and they delivered with Wentz’s leadership.
Now that we’ve had a nice trip down memory lane, we can appreciate who Carson was in Philadelphia. He is now the enemy, and we have a great guy at quarterback in Jalen hurts.
It’s time to give him hell on Sunday. Go birds.