After two starts from rookie Carson Wentz, the Eagles don't find themselves in a place where they have to hype up their quarterback in public.
If anything, they're trying not to disclose the breadth of their joy.
"I thought he played well, obviously well enough to win," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said after the 29-14 win over Chicago. "Again, he took care of the football and stood in there made some nice, tough throws. Again, by no means was it perfect, but at the same time he's seeing things really well and he's commanding the huddle. And the dialogue on the sideline with players and coaches with him is something a nine- or 10-year vet would do, and it's just showing his maturity and the ability that he has to play quarterback."
Translation: Holy crap, this is the kind of quarterback who can keep me in Philly for longer than Andy Reid.
Wentz's numbers from Monday night -- 21 of 34, 190 yards and a touchdown -- don't come close to telling the entire story. Wentz put several deep passes on a dime that weren't caught by his receivers, including this 40-yard would-be touchdown toward the end of the first half.
He's extraordinarily mobile -- sometimes to a fault -- and seems to be as advertised after the Eagles chose him with the No. 2 overall pick in this year's NFL draft despite concerns that his level of competition didn't adequately prepare him for this moment.
"I'm feeling really good," Wentz said. "I play with a lot of confidence; I usually feel good. Even when there's bad plays, things happen, you just gotta keep plugging away and I feel confident."
Less than a week from now, Wentz will take on in-state rival Pittsburgh in a departure from what he's used to. The Browns and Bears are arguably two of the worst teams in football this year. Pittsburgh managed to shut down a powerful Bengals offense a week ago and nearly blanked the Redskins in the opener.
