Wentz puts Philadelphia in passing lane as 2nd- year pro
Brent Vigen, from time to time inside his office at Wyoming, would turn on film of CarsonWentz, whowas quietly evolving into an NFL quarterback prospect in 2014.
Vigen was Wentz’s offensive coordinator at North Dakota State during his freshman and sophomore seasons in 2012 and 2013, before following coach Craig Bohl toWyoming.
The quarterback Vigen would see on film wasn’t the same young player trying to grasp the game two years earlier. So last year, when Vigen connected again withWentz, he wanted to know what had changed.
“I had asked Carsonwhat the biggest thing going from his first year starting, which was the first year we had left, to his senior year at NDSU,” Vigen told The Denver Post in July. “And he said, ‘ I was finally able towatch myself and learn from myself instead of watching someone else do it.’ ”
Wentz has transformed from small- college quarterback to a legitimate MVP candidate in the NFL. He has led the Philadelphia Eagles, who host the Broncos on Sunday, to a 7- 1 record while throwing 19 touchdown passes, tied for the most in the league.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft followed a similar formula this past offseason as he didwhen he prepared to take over as the starter at North Dakota State. Hewatched himself, taking notes of what went right and wrong during his rookie season.
Itwas a deep self- study— resulting in some minor mechanical changes, among other things— for a quarterbackwho has guided his team to a sixgame winning streak, throwing 15 touchdown passes and just three interceptions during that stretch.
“I can see it on film,” Wentz told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Everything, pocket movements, different things, everything’s more subtle. Everything’s quieter from my feet. And it just looks like I’m more comfortable.”
If there’s one thing the Broncos’ inconsistency at the quarterback position since Peyton Manning retired in March 2016 has proven, it’s that there’s no easy way to predict quarterback success. But teammates saw it from Wentz in his first NFL season, when he responded to a five- game losing streak to lead the Eagles to wins in their final two games, momentum they believe set up the impressive start in 2017.
“He’s a great quarterback,” Broncos safetyWill Parks said. “His maturity level is at an alltime high. He’s not turning the ball over a lot. He’s doing a good job as far as reading his targets. It’s going to be a pretty good challenge for us, but a challenge we’ll be ready for.”