Carson Wentz re-enters picture as Commanders search for ‘spark’

ASHBURN — Ron Rivera said it would have been “asinine” to switch back to Carson Wentz last month when Taylor Heinicke had the Washington Commanders rolling. But even in the midst of that winning streak, the coach admitted that, in the back of his mind, he was prepared for the possibility of turning to Wentz again.

After going winless over the last three weeks, Rivera came to the conclusion Tuesday it was time for another change at quarterback. 

Wentz, he decided, would start Sunday against the Cleveland Browns in place of Heinicke. 

“I’m hoping to get a little bit of a spark to get us going,” Rivera said. 

Rivera said Wednesday he believes that Wentz is capable of providing that jolt to a Commanders team desperately trying to maintain their playoff positioning. At 7-7-1, Washington remains the seventh seed by only a half-game — with Detroit, Seattle and Green Bay trailing behind. 

Though Wentz didn’t exactly lift the Commanders during his first stint — the team went just 2-4 in his six starts before breaking his finger In October — Rivera said he thinks the quarterback is in a better position to do so this time around. 

Wentz now returns to a team with a reliable defense and a steady run game.  And in addition to the improvements around him, the Commanders are also banking on Wentz’s growth inside the offense. The Commanders saw a glimpse of that Saturday when the 29-year-old came off the bench to replace Heinicke. 

Wentz went 12 of 16 for 123 yards and a touchdown, leading Rivera to praise the quarterback’s play. Specifically, the coach noted the way the signal-caller was able to adjust on the fly to a blitz-heavy defense — something that Wentz struggled with earlier in the year. 

“Just being out, I wasn’t just out and away from everybody,” said Wentz, who was sidelined for two months and spent two games as a backup. “I was still in every meeting, trying to grow and trying to learn within this offense and take every chance I could to get better and further my understanding for this opportunity.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Wentz was blitzed on 43% of his 16 dropbacks but still completed six passes for 77 yards with an 85% completion percentage. Through his first six games, Wentz had completed just 54.2% of his passes when blitzed and 45.7% of his passes when under pressure. Wentz’s performance against San Francisco may be an outlier, but the quarterback said he is now able to understand the offense “a little bit deeper.” 

Wentz, after all, arrived to Washington having to learn a brand new system. During the first six years of his career, Wentz played in the same scheme under then-Eagles coach Doug Pederson and then-Colts coach Frank Reich. Over the Commanders’ first six games, Wentz was very uneven — starting strong against the Jaguars before hitting a skid against the Lions, Eagles and Cowboys. 

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Wentz shied away from the idea that he could be the spark the Commanders need with only two games remaining. But he said he was excited about the opportunity.

In the locker room, multiple players said they were a little surprised about the switch — including Heinicke. Against San Francisco, Heinicke put up some of his best numbers of the year as he had a 72.4% completion percentage and a season-best 114.6 quarterback rating. But he was pulled in the fourth after committing back-to-back turnovers.

“It sucks,” Heinicke said. “Every guy in this locker room should feel like they should start. If they don’t then they shouldn’t be in this league. But it is what it is. I’m going to try to be the best backup I can be.” 

Tight end Logan Thomas said teammates won’t have to “buy back in” to Wentz, adding they were all professionals. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, used to quarterback changes, said the group was “really confident” in Wentz’s ability. The wide receiver added he thinks Wentz’s arm could help Washington connect more frequently on explosive plays.

“That was a big reason why we brought him here,” McLaurin said.

The Commanders also brought in Wentz in the offseason with the hopes that he could raise Washington’s ceiling.  And now, the playoffs are still in reach. The Commanders just have to have a quarterback play well enough to help get them there.

“It’s exciting for me personally, but I think at the end of the day, it’s exciting for this team,” Wentz said. “We have a shot. … We all know where we’re at. We all know what we’re capable of and what we’re up against. So it’s exciting for us as a team.”