When Carson Wentz jogged onto the field with one minute and 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter with the Eagles trailing the Lions by one, I immediately assumed he was going to lead a game-winning drive because a) What can’t Wentz do? and b) What team is better suited to give up a rookie quarterback’s first-career game-winning drive than the Lions? Then, the unthinkable happened: Wentz threw his first interception of the season, and the Lions escaped with a 24–23 victory.
Wentz has been phenomenal so far this season, and was solid again in Detroit on Sunday. He completed over 75% of his passes, throwing for over 200 yards and two touchdowns. A major key to his success this season has been an ability to avoid turnovers, but Wentz’s 0% interception rate was always unsustainable, and he was finally picked off on the first play of his potential comeback drive, as Darius Slay nabbed a deep ball intended for Nelson Agholor.
• WATCH: Carson Wentz’s first career interception
It was a rare rookie mistake from Wentz, who’s played within himself even as the hysteria has grown through the first five weeks of the season. The pass wasn’t the most ill-advised throw, but it was certainly impatient, as Wentz had time on the clock to dink-and-dunk down the field instead of launching a ball deep into double coverage on first down. The rookie’s first interception coincided with the Eagles’ first loss, as Philly dropped to 3–1 on the season.
(The Lions, by the way, came away with a win to save their season. Detroit is now 2–3, but will need Matthew Stafford to play more consistently to keep playoff hopes alive.)
The Eagles’ first loss in no way casts a pall on what’s been a shockingly great start to the season. Now Wentz will face his latest test in responding to a tight loss—and it’s hard to imagine him not responding well.
