Johnson excited for return of ‘The Sheriff’
Eagles’ tackle doesn’t expect any restrictions on QB Wentz
PHILADELPHIA » No Eagles player was happier to see Carson Wentz cleared for his first start this weekend than offensive tackle Lane Johnson.
Johnson calls Wentz, “The Sheriff”. He knows how desperately Wentz wants to be back in the huddle, how hard the quarterback has worked to come back from knee surgery and how badly he misses being part of the victories.
“I really can’t explain this,” Johnson said. “But I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
Wentz hasn’t played since tearing knee ligaments in Los Angeles early last December. Though he’ll roll with a brace on his left knee, it hasn’t exactly slowed him during non-contact practices.
But don’t trust the limited scouting of the media.
“The way I think it’s going to go is he’s going to hit the ground running,” Johnson said. “He looks stronger than maybe he did last year. Just all that work in the weight room, the rehab and stuff. His arm may be stronger
“He looks stronger than maybe he did last year. Just all that work in the weight room, the rehab and stuff. His arm may be stronger than what it was last year just from what I’ve seen. – Philadelphia Eagles’ tackle Lane Johnson on the return of quarterback Carson Wentz.
than what it was last year just from what I’ve seen. Mobility wise he’s running around looking good. We’ve just got to protect him and good things will happen.”
Wentz and the Eagles (11) aren’t expecting a cakewalk Sunday when they take on the Colts at the Linc. Frank Reich, Doug Pederson’s confidante the previous two years, is the head coach of Indy.
Nick Foles was sacked three times in a 27-20 loss in Tampa Bay last Sunday. The Eagles went all but a few plays without wide receiver Mike Wallace, who sustained a fractured fibula. Running back Jay Ajayi was shaken up as well.
With Ajayi banged up and Darren Sproles nursing a hamstring issue that sidelined him for the second game, the Eagles promoted running back Josh Adams to the 53-man roster. The product of Central Bucks South and Notre Dame had 23 rushes for 90 yards in the preseason.
Wentz threw a franchise-record
33 touchdown passes in just 13 games last season, albeit with a full complement of receivers, and a healthier running back room. Johnson, with no ill will for Foles, thinks the Eagles will be better the moment Wentz steps on the field.
“All he has to do is just be Carson Wentz,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to protect better, run the ball more efficiently and everything else will take care of itself.”
*** Concerned that Reich’s intimate knowledge of the Eagles would be an advantage this week, Merrill Reese asked offensive coordinator Mike Groh how the team planned to deal with the matter.
“Frank, who?” Groh said. When the nervous laughter subsided, Groh spoke of the respect the Eagles have for Reich and how he’s impacted the offense.
“There’s some provisions that we need to make and accommodations for that,” Groh said. “So we’re in the process of doing that, communicating with our guys so that we don’t try to give them any kind of unfair advantage over what we’re doing.”
The Eagles might not want to admit it, but the Bucs used the familiarity that former Eagles Beau Allen and Vinny Curry had of the program to get off to a big start in Sunday’s win.
***
NOTES » Rookie wide receiver DeAndre Carter was cut to make room for Adams. … Ajayi is tied with Todd Gurley and James Conner for the league lead with three rushing TDs. … With 3 1/2 sacks, Fletcher Cox ranks third in the NFL. … Rookie linebacker Darius Leonard leads the NFL with 27 tackles. He also has one sack. … Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz says Andrew Luck’s 71.4 completion percentage got his attention. And it should. But Luck is averaging just 5.93 yards per attempt. The Bucs, led by Ryan Fitzpatrick, are completing 78.7 percent of their passes with a yards-per-attempt average of 12.9.