Yesterday, the Washington Football Team defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27-17. Washington scored 27 unanswered points, but their defense was the most significant part of the game. They sacked Carson Wentz EIGHT TIMES, and the Eagles scored zero points in the second half.
I’m a Washington fan, and I didn’t see this coming at all. The defense is the bright spot of the team, but there are other factors at play if you’re getting eight sacks in a game. That’s why the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line has earned Bonafide Scrub of the Week. If you’re not familiar with this series, the introductory post is here. This award commemorates an athlete (or in this case, group of athletes) who don’t perform up to snuff in a given week.
Sure, you can argue that Carson Wentz is to blame for some or even most of the eight sacks. He also lost an avoidable fumble late in the game that prevented any chance of a Philadelphia comeback. Wentz needs to get rid of the ball quicker. But he shouldn’t be put in a situation where he has to make that decision, either. The Philadelphia line needs to be better at doing the one main job they have: protecting their quarterback.
Wentz shouldn’t have to fight for his life every other snap with Chase Young and Ryan Kerrigan coming at him. For him to be the quarterback that Philly fans have been insisting he is since his NFL career began, he needs better protection. I’ve seen a lot of people suggest that all the sacks are entirely Wentz’s fault for holding onto the ball too long. But imagine a world where throwing the ball away didn’t have to be an option. What if the offensive line gave him more than two seconds to go through his reads before getting pummeled?
For Washington, congratulations to rookie Chase Young on his first career sack. Also, a big shoutout to Ryan Kerrigan for breaking Dexter Manley’s franchise sacks record. Eagles O-Line, congrats on Bonafide Scrub of the Week. And as Stephen A. Smith said, “No disrespect whatsoever.”
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