Carson Wentz didn’t plan it this way, but he is returning to the NFL at exactly the right time.
Wentz, who will play in an Eagles game for the first time since tearing two knee ligaments Dec. 10, is healthy again at a time when the NFL is doing more to protect quarterbacks than ever before, with penalty flags for roughing the passer flying and quarterbacks putting up historically gaudy numbers through the first two weeks of the season — two not unrelated developments. A year ago, we were all wondering what constitutes a catch. Now, no one, including Aaron Rodgers, Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino, cares for the calls going against the defenders hitting quarterbacks.
Carson Wentz is braced for is return. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)It’s tough man. It’s hard to really play defense now because … I understand they’re trying to protect players, but you know, you tackle a quarterback [and] they say you fall on top of them, putting your weight on top of them. They throw flags for all types of stuff,” the Rams’ Aaron Donald said. “It’s kind of hard to play the game of football now. It’s definitely tough on the pass rushers when they say you’re taking a quarterback down and you fall on top of them and it’s roughing the passer. Ain’t really much you can say, it’s just tough. I just don’t get it.”Other stats are ridiculous, too. Over 50 percent of the starting quarterbacks (17 of 32) had a passer rating of at least 100, the most in a single week in league history, and there have been six 400-yard passing performances the first two weeks of the season, which is tied with the 2011 and 2013 seasons for the most through the first two weeks of a season.
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