Wentz a bit stunned at Birds’ third-down deficiency

Carson Wentz was so bewildered by the Eagles’ 27-17 loss to the Giants he didn’t realize how inept the offense had been.

The Eagles failed to convert nine third-down opportunities.

“I knew we struggled on third down, I didn’t realize we were that poor,” said Wentz, who completed 21 of 37 pass attempts for 208 yards. “Anytime you’re 0-for-9 you’re obviously not doing something very well. Hats off to them. They had a good game plan. That’s a good defense over there. They made it hard on us. It’s extremely frustrating.”

The league leader with 16 giveaways entering the game, Wentz played turnover-free for just the second time this season, yet to

no avail. Quarterback counterpart Daniel Jones played his second straight game without a turnover, and his third of the season.

Though the Eagles were just 1-of-4 on fourth down, adding insult to injury, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson complimented Wentz.

“I thought he played OK, I thought he played good,” Pederson said. “Obviously there were some throws we’d like to get back from the standpoint of accuracy. He managed the game in the run game really well. He put us in some really good situations, hung tough, did what he’s capable of doing. We just have to continue to work with him and our young skills guys to get on the same page. But I think overall he played well.”

Wentz was sacked three times. Entering the game he’d been dropped 32 times, the most in the league.

The Eagles started Sua Opeta and Matt Pryor at the guard positions as Nate Herbig was nursing a hand injury. Opeta tripped Wentz backpedaling on a thirdand-one in Giants territory in the first half. Pryor was better in the run game than pass protection.

Wentz couldn’t say enough about the Giants’ defense. Implied but not stated was that the Eagles failed to adjust to it.

“We don’t go into a game thinking we’re going to struggle like that and go 0-for-9 on third downs and only put up a couple points,” Wentz said.