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LANDOVER, Md. — Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz defeated his former coach, received his first recreation together with his new staff and confirmed his new one what it is wish to have him as a quarterback — all of the dangerous and the nice.
In Wentz’s first recreation with Washington, he threw for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns, together with two within the closing quarter, to guide a 28-22 comeback win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wentz performed 5 seasons with Jaguars coach Doug Pederson when each have been in Philadelphia.
“It felt nice,” Wentz mentioned of the win. “To type of rally collectively and get it achieved when it mattered on the finish, that was cool. Cool strategy to begin.”
However the motive Wentz needed to rally the Commanders was as a result of he threw interceptions on consecutive performs, resulting in 10 Jaguars factors. Wentz known as it an unsightly stretch, made attainable by being late on one decide and forcing the second.
It was the type of rollercoaster journey that has come to outline Wentz’s profession — and it is OK together with his new coach, Ron Rivera, who is aware of precisely how he’ll take care of it through the season.
“I will take antacids,” he mentioned. “We’ll journey with him, we’ll go along with the nice, we’ll go along with the dangerous. We did a variety of analysis on him and we felt snug and assured that this can be a man we’d like round right here, a man that has some braveness.”
After the second interception, Wentz pounded the bottom on the sidelines after which checked out Rivera, who instructed him he’d now need to go win the sport. Wentz replied, “I’ll,” after which calmly walked away — and received the sport.
“That is simply the fact,” Wentz mentioned. “You make a pair dangerous performs, it is time to go repair it. However on the similar time not attempt to repair it abruptly. Simply go do the subsequent proper factor, go make the subsequent play.”
After which he did. After Jacksonville took a 22-14 lead with 11 minutes, 52 seconds remaining, Wentz confirmed the big-play means that led Washington to commerce for him in March, hoping he solves their decades-long quest for quarterback stability. Wentz was the thirty third quarterback to begin for Washington because it final received the Tremendous Bowl after the 1991 season.
Wentz confirmed why they hope there’s higher days forward when he capped a four-play drive with a 49-yard cross to receiver Terry McLaurin, hitting him in stride.
Wentz then led a 13-play drive for the go-ahead factors. He accomplished five-of-eight passes for 59 yards and linked with rookie receiver Jahan Dotson for a 24-yard landing cross with 1:52 remaining.
“I’ve performed a variety of soccer, I’ve seen the ups and the downs,” mentioned Wentz, who threw two first-half landing passes, “and simply realizing from the previous attempting to do an excessive amount of in these conditions can come again to hang-out you. I believed in them and guys made performs when it mattered.”
Wentz’s season final yr ended with a 15-point loss to Jacksonville, costing the Indianapolis Colts a playoff berth and all however sealing his destiny after one yr. The Colts agreed to a commerce lower than two months later — and solely a yr after buying him from Philadelphia.
However this can be a completely different Jaguars staff, one now coached by Pederson. Wentz caught up with him earlier than the sport.
“Two years in the past, we have been right here in Week 1 collectively (with Philadelphia),” Wentz mentioned. “You notice how loopy issues change, however he is a man I’ve nothing however respect for and need him the perfect. It was enjoyable to see him, catch up once more and compete towards him.”
After the sport, Wentz spoke to his new teammates, hammering dwelling the resiliency of the Commanders and telling them how he has to play higher.
“However the important thing level,” McLaurin mentioned, “was how he responded and stayed poised beneath stress.
“He would not get too excessive, he would not get too low. To return again after the robust turnovers and reply the best way he did, that is a real take a look at of his character. We’ll have a variety of alternatives to win some video games.”
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