Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Giant Memories
Peters remembers hit that made Wentz woozy last year
PHILADELPHIA » The last time the Eagles played the New York Giants, Carson Wentz had to be helped off the field.
Wentz owes Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters a favor for showing him to the sideline after a hit by pass rusher Olivier Vernon. Wentz was so disoriented that Peters put one arm around him and with the other, waved to the sideline for help. It took a while to walk his shaken teammate to the sideline late in the third quarter.
“I just saw him kind of woozy so I grabbed him and took him to the sideline,” Peters said after practice Thursday. “It’s tough when you’ve got rollouts and guys coming free that are unblocked. And sometimes the referee’s just got to protect the quarterback a little bit better.”
Kind of woozy seemed an understatement. Thursday Night Football sideline reporter Heather Cox reported that Wentz was in concussion protocol and that he’d had a concussion in college.
Though Wentz returned — and coach Doug Pederson took heat for putting him back into a meaningless game — he wasn’t the same that night. The Eagles hung on for a 24-19 victory.
Vernon was flagged for roughing the passer. Wentz’s head bounced awkwardly off the Linc turf as he was tackled while throwing the ball away. The Eagles don’t need to leave their quarterback’s health and safety with Jerome Boger, the referee this weekend.
The Eagles dodged a disaster. The sequence illustrated how quickly circumstances can change.
To keep Wentz safe, the Eagles want to get the run game going this weekend. Maybe veteran guard Chance Warmack, who’s wider than an ‘A’ gap, can open holes Sunday against the Giants.
All-Pro left tackle Peters thinks so. And he should know. One critical look at the Giants tells Peters it’s going to be a brutal afternoon if the run game doesn’t get going.
Warmack has the opportunity to turn into a folk hero, the man who saved the run game or something like that.
“Physical guy,” Peters said. “Can move his feet. More of a thumper in the run. His pass pro is OK. But he’s going to get in there Sunday and see what he can do.”
The Eagles are low-keying the demotion of Isaac Seumalo (6-4, 301), who is lighter and quicker than Warmack (6-2, 323). It will be the first action of the season for Warmack, who didn’t dress the first two games.
If the change doesn’t work and the Giants’ front four plays its game, Wentz won’t be able to play his. The Giants (0-2, 0-1 NFC East) have a lot more to lose than the Eagles (1-1, 1-0).
“They’re top-five, in my book,” Peters said. “The front four is as good as it gets. You’ve got the two edge rushers and then you’ve got the two big guys, the run stoppers. They’re as good as it gets. We’ve got to be on our game or else they’re going to get to Wentz. That’s what they do, they pass rush. We’ve got to get the run and stuff established. That way we can help Wentz out in the pass game.”
Peters and his teammates have hinted the run game will return. Unless the Eagles dig themselves a huge hole, you won’t see them attack the Giants as they did the Chiefs, who were vulnerable in the passing game without injured All-Pro safety Eric Berry.
The common sense plan was to attack the Chiefs with receivers Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith and Zach Ertz.
“The coaches felt that outside on the edge they couldn’t guard Ertz, they couldn’t guard Alshon and Torrey,” right tackle Lane Johnson said. “You saw them make big plays so they really couldn’t. So it was really just trusting the line to keep it protected up, which we didn’t do to the best of our ability. You saw Ertz with a big game. That’s why we threw the ball so much.”
The Eagles allowed six sacks to the Chiefs. Wentz was hit several more times, one bump creating the interception setting up the go-ahead score.
The Giants’ veteran secondary is an obstacle in the pass game this week. Wentz thinks the Giants have three of the best corners in the division and that safety Landon Collins is one of the best at his position.
No NFL quarterback has been hit more this season than Wentz, the number reported at 19.
“Right now I feel good,” Wentz said. “It’s a team thing. It’s the O-line, it’s the running backs, it’s me a lot of times hanging onto the ball and trying to make plays. Sometimes we’re making plays and I am getting hit. But we’re making the play. So you’re just constantly weighing the thing out but fortunately I feel good right now.”
The Eagles obviously want to keep Wentz that way.