Wentz, Goff exceed expectations in Year 2
Jared Goff and Carson Wentz have answered almost all the questions they faced following suspect rookie seasons as the top two picks in the 2016 draft.
Both young quarterbacks have their teams in first place in their divisions after they became the first QBs drafted Nos. 1 and 2 in the same year to each throw four TD passes on the same day this weekend.
Wentz had gotten off to a promising start as a rookie in Philadelphia before a rough second half. He lost seven of his final 10 games while throwing more interceptions than touchdowns with a pedestrian 5.8 yards per attempt.
Goff’s year was considerably worse after being taken one spot ahead of Wentz by the Rams. There were hopes he could quickly become the face of the franchise that had just arrived in Los Angeles.
Instead, he couldn’t even win the starting job until halfway through the season and finished the year averaging 5.3 yards per attempt with a 63.6 passer rating.
That has all changed. Goff and Wentz have undergone sophomore surges to put their teams in contention in the NFC and lead a group of players who have been far better in the first half of this season than many expected.
Wentz has led the team with the NFL’s best record as the Eagles (8-1) have a 2½-game lead over Dallas in the NFC East following a 51-23 win over Denver. He leads the NFL with 23 TD passes, including 17 in the past five games.
“I think he’s progressed at a rate as fast as anybody I’ve seen really,” Washington coach Jay Gruden said about Wentz before losing to him last month. “His ability to make plays in the pocket, his ability to stay in the pocket in the face of a rush and still deliver balls accurately, his command of the offence.”
Goff has had a staggering level of improvement from his rookie year with obvious help from new coach Sean McVay and better talent surrounding him.
His numbers have shot up in every category. He has increased his yards per attempt from 5.3 to 8.3 to go with 13 TDs, only four interceptions and a 97.9 rating.
That performance has helped put the Rams in first place in the NFC West following Sunday’s 51-17 win over the Giants.
“I think he’s just continuing to take an ownership of our offence. We talk about being an extension of the coaching staff and I think he is truly starting to become that,” McVay said. “But he’s only going to continue to grow and get better.”