Wentz feels he’s ready despite limited action

Parts of three meaningless games. Twenty-three passes. A couple of jolting, if tolerable, hits. A loss. Two wins, including a 38-31 triumph over the Miami Dolphins Thursday.

That’s enough, Carson Wentz believes.

That’s enough for one preseason.

“That’s kind of how it works,” he said. “That’s preseason football. I got lots of work in during camp. For 16 games last year, I was healthy. So I got good work in during the preseason. I don’t think it was overkill, but it was a good number. And I feel confident going forward.”

Since Wentz will not play in the Birds’ preseason finale next week against the Jets in New Jersey, his exhibition season is over. He believes he graded out well.

“I feel good,” the quarterback said. “I feel confident. And I am thankful that for the most part, everybody is pretty healthy, too.”

Wentz lasted a quarter Thursday, throwing two touchdown passes, but absorbing a sack and throwing an interception. Yet he emerged healthy, which is its own victory.

“This offense tonight, it was a good showing for us,” he said. “The interception was unfortunate. But we moved the ball well and for the starters, it was exciting to watch.”

••• The same really couldn’t be said for the starters crouched down in front of Wentz.

Vaunted and proud, the Eagles’ offensive line, which they believe is this team’s finest collective strength this season, was excited to get the chance to work together as one starting unit in this third preseason game. Consider the result a mixed bag.

Wentz was sacked once and he was pressured a lot more than that. At the same time, the Eagles’ running game kicked it up a notch against the Dolphins, with LeGarrette Blount and Wendell Smallwood combining for 47 yards on eight early carries behind the starting line.

Then there was Wentz getting at least enough time to throw touchdown passes to Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery. So hey, the film review session shouldn’t be all that bad.

“The run game was something we wanted to emphasize,” Birds tackle Lane Johnson said. “I think we had 50 yards in the first quarter, so that was a plus for us. We wanted to make sure we could run the ball tonight, so that was our primary focus.”

When the regular season begins, however, the emphasis will certainly be on protecting this team’s No. 1 asset, that being the smiling, red-bearded guy with the strong arm and surprisingly effective gift of escapability.

But Carson Wentz can’t count on scrambling out of dangerous situations all season long.

“It still could have been better,” center Jason Kelce said of the line’s performance. “It’s still just a little bit sloppy and a little bit of not all being on the same page. We need to start preparing for opponents throughout the week and start getting used to the blitzes and the different things that they have to offer, and that will just clean everything up.”

••• Despite the loose NFL tradition of coaches using starters deep into Week 3 preseason games, Doug Pederson went to his bullpen Thursday at the end of the first quarter.

By then, he’d seen plenty from his starters … particularly considering that they’d already had two days of joint practices with the Dolphins.

“I did,” he said. “I did. I was pleased, obviously, with the way they played. We got great work for two days against the Dolphins, Monday and Tuesday. And we got a couple of scores.”

In his brief appearance Thursday, Wentz hit both of his new receivers, Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery, with touchdown passes.

“I was happy to get them in there,” Pederson said, “and get them out.”

••• Bothered through most of training camp with a mysteriously sore elbow, Nick Foles missed practice Tuesday. Pederson said the backup quarterback just needed a rest. “Just precautionary,” the coach said at the time.

That caution continued Thursday when Foles was a pregame scratch. Also scratched were Paul Turner, Sidney Jones, Brandon Graham, Jordan Hicks, Josh Andrews, Billy Brown, Beau Allen and Destiny Vaeao.

Graham (arm) and Hicks (quad) both left practice early Monday and have not played since. Pederson has characterized them as “day to day.”

Of those situations, Foles’ is the most mysterious. Still, Pederson is not projecting concern.

“He got a little sore during the week with the Dolphins,” Pederson said. “A lot of throws early in camp. And then coming back, he had some more intense throws against the Dolphins (in practice). And I just didn’t want to push him. The more rest you can get on that elbow, the better. I’m confident with Nick, a veteran quarterback, understanding our system, that the rest would help him.”

Pederson has not yet decided if Foles will play in the Week 4 exhibition game against the Jets.