Wentz-O-Meter: Week 2, 2022

[Boone]

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The BGO Supercomputer whirred for hours trying to figure out a score for what was truly a Jekyll and Hyde performance by Carson Wentz yesterday. While Wentz bounced back from a truly abysmal first half to record some impressive numbers, the Wentz-O-Meter rating of 6.9 was heavily influenced by that first half which all but doomed Washington to a loss. Nevermind a 1st half shutout, in 8 first half drives, Carson Wentz's offense was able to muster just 2 first downs. Of course no QB is an island, and Wentz's performance is inextricably tied to his offensive protection, WR/TE/RB play, and playcalling. So while it would be unfair to hold Wentz solely responsible for the absence of any kind of offense in the first half, his play was absolutely at the heart of Washington's issues.

Wentz looked entirely overwhelmed during that first half - and was unable to get anything going. 5 of the 8 first half drives were 3 and out. Wentz added a fumble recovered by the Lions for a safety. On the other 2 drives, we managed a single first down. On passing downs, Wentz held the ball too long on a number of plays and was generally inaccurate. As the starting QB, his primary responsibility is to generate offense and contribute to sustained drives. Despite the oft-maligned Washington defense limiting the damage in the first half, Wentz was a non-factor until the 2nd half.

It's true - we saw a different offense in the 2nd half and Wentz gave an electrifying effort finishing 30/46 for 337 yds and 3 TDs, with 26 more yds rushing. For the 2nd week in a row, Wentz bounced back from major adversity to give his team a chance to win. Unfortunately, it was too little too late and the effort was wasted by a late defensive collapse and some suspect coaching decisions by Ron Rivera.

Vote in our poll to give YOUR score for this week.

On to the next one.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I went 7. The throw that got picked was high, no doubt, and there were a few other missed throws.... there were also, once again, throws made that few in the NFL can make. I'm gonna take a look at the All - 22 this evening at home and see how much of the holding the ball was on him, and how much was on the playcalling.... He held the ball quite a bit, especially early on..

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Another five because it's the same old, same old. No marked improvement, no catastrophic regression. Just the same totality of bipolar tendencies. Holding onto the ball, numerous high balls, the safety and other sacks.
Then he catches some fire, makes some brilliant throws, pads his stats. I suspect he has never bothered to really learn reading defenses for the past few years. A talent with arrested development.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I’m giving Wentz a 5. Playing well in the 2nd half only partially makes up for the dismal first half. I don’t know what the offenses problem was in the first half, but they did nothing. Wentz is the QB so he gets marked down for that. The second half was much better, which I’m happy about, but it left me scratching my head as to why they were so lethargic on offense in the first half.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

I'm going with 6 because I need to watch the first half over again and get a read on what was the cause on that atrocious performance. I was a bit too pissed off to really pay attention to the play calling on offense when our defense was also getting roasted.

 

[Canadian Hog]

It's a 6 for me.

The nightmare of a first half left Wentz in a position where he needed to be next to perfect the rest of the way for the team to have any sort of chance, and we know that Carson is just not that type of player.

There is a lot of good that he brings, but you are going to have to accept some mistakes along the way too. It's part of the package with Wentz.

Unfortunately, when your defense is as leaky as ours, his lapses in play are not going to be easy to sweep under the rug.

 

[Primus Porcus]

So... i'm two plays into my 'film study' and i find this...

1st and 10... 1st play of the second drive. WR at the top goes in motion causing the safety to come down, it's clearly man coverage.

Play action fake, and the WR who went in motion runs a skinny post, the TE runs a deep crossing pattern, and the WR at the top of the screen runs a deep cross the other direction... the routes are run around the 32 yard line... the ball was snapped at the 16. (My route lines are clearly a little short of the actual). In the first picture below, you can see Wentz has reached the peak of his drop and the receivers have not even turned around yet... so they have not entered their breaks.... there also is NO check down... Picture 2 shows Wentz jus standing there waiting for the routes to develop....

The Picture below shows the split second after the cross. The WR at the bottom of the screen is open... if Wentz had time, this may be a TD, but as you see in the backfield... Wentz ran out of time. This was a very deep route package, and despite Wentz having 'time' it ran out before he could get the ball out.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Here is the safety... This one is definitely on Wentz... though I don't exactly like the playcall... a play was there to be made. We attempt to spread them out and run a veritcal pattern with the two outside receivers running deep out patterns.. VERY deep out patterns.

Theres two ways to look at this... The WR at the bottom of the screen gets behind the defender.. now I don't think you can really hold that against the playcall, but it's clearly man / press there and the WR wins. This is where i wonder if Wentz and the WR have enough freedom to change this route from an out, to a fly, a the LOS. If they do that, it may be a TD.

I also circled Gibson in Yellow. He's wide open and it should have been a very easy read for Wentz, as soon as he got to the top of his drop, the ball should be out to Gibson for likely a moderate gain. He hesitates, and it's too late.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Here is the safety... This one is definitely on Wentz... though I don't exactly like the playcall... a play was there to be made. We attempt to spread them out and run a veritcal pattern with the two outside receivers running deep out patterns.. VERY deep out patterns.

View attachment 6149View attachment 6150

Theres two ways to look at this... The WR at the bottom of the screen gets behind the defender.. now I don't think you can really hold that against the playcall, but it's clearly man / press there and the WR wins. This is where i wonder if Wentz and the WR have enough freedom to change this route from an out, to a fly, a the LOS. If they do that, it may be a TD.

I also circled Gibson in Yellow. He's wide open and it should have been a very easy read for Wentz, as soon as he got to the top of his drop, the ball should be out to Gibson for likely a moderate gain. He hesitates, and it's too late.

View attachment 6151View attachment 6152

Missing Gibson is typical Wentz. He missed Jonathan Taylor last year and instead threw a pick into triple coverage.

 

[Boone]

Good stuff SilentThreat!

 

[Primus Porcus]

Missing Gibson is typical Wentz. He missed Jonathan Taylor last year and instead threw a pick into triple coverage.

Yeah missing Gibson hurt.


I will say I'm not happy about that playcall because you're playing with fire calling such a deep route combo in that part of the field. I can see it if Gibson was the primary read, and the outside stuff is there simply to open up the underneat, but if that was the case... i don't think Wentz misses Gibby.

I hold the play against Wentz because it WAS there, but the call, and the design, also wasn't exactly setting the offense up with the best chance of success.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Yeah missing Gibson hurt.


I will say I'm not happy about that playcall because you're playing with fire calling such a deep route combo in that part of the field. I can see it if Gibson was the primary read, and the outside stuff is there simply to open up the underneat, but if that was the case... i don't think Wentz misses Gibby.

I hold the play against Wentz because it WAS there, but the call, and the design, also wasn't exactly setting the offense up with the best chance of success.

I’m with you on the play call. That’s bad situational awareness by the coaches. They sent all 5 out on routes and the Lions rushed 4. It was 1-on-1 on the edges. If you are going to call a play with long developing routes from that spot on the field, you have to leave 1 or 2 guys in to block to give it time. The way Gibson went out on his route, I don’t think he was assigned to block anyone. Maybe he waits to see if a 5th guy rushes and then goes, but he was out on his route pretty quickly. I just want to see a little more help for the lineman when you are in that spot on the field. Maybe even just chipping the end to give more time. It just takes one of them to get beat and it’s a disaster.

 

[Boone]

With as much talent as we have in terms of targets, not having someone as a safety outlet on every play when your QB is getting pressure is just dumb.

 

[Lovin Cousins]

Has anyone talked about the difference that a mobile, scrambling Heinicke would have made, under the duress of the Lions' pass rush ?
Or are we allowed to mention Heinicke's name in this thread ?
I know Theismann To HOF would agree

 

[Boone]

He only scrambles to evade pressure some of the time. His other go to move is chucking it up for grabs into double coverage

I don’t know if Heinicke does better in that half. I’m not sure he can do what Wentz did in the 2nd half either.

 

[Lovin Cousins]

I don’t know if Heinicke does better in that half. I’m not sure he can do what Wentz did in the 2nd half either.

The overall results could be a wash, between the 2

 

[Boone]

I like both good Heinicke and good Wentz.

Thing about Wentz, he gives you the potential to score in bunches. And with our D that apparently is going to be essential.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Wentz has proven able to elude and scramble. Obviously not on the same level as Heincike, but he's more than capable.

 

[MikefromOH]

4.

He held the ball too long
He didn't evade or run until it was already over
He gave up the fumble for a safety

He just looked lost all game

 

[Theismann To HOF]

He only scrambles to evade pressure some of the time. His other go to move is chucking it up for grabs into double coverage

I don’t know if Heinicke does better in that half. I’m not sure he can do what Wentz did in the 2nd half either.

When you're losing by 28 or 35 points near halftime like against Dallas last year, why not chuck the ball into double or triple coverage? The game is over anyway. I don't fault Heinicke for that at all. When the game is already over, I don't care if a QB throws 10 INTs.

When a game is still winnable, Heinicke is the much better QB. Better decision maker, quicker release, better football instincts overall. And Heinicke also has much better accuracy.

Washington would have had more than 60 yards of offense in the first half if Heinicke was the QB on Sunday. The Lions defense ain't as good as the Cowboys defense last year. Wentz was really bad in the first half. MikefromOH is correct, Wentz looked lost.