With the news coming out of Rams HQ that Carson Wentz has headed west, Sean McVay believes he has the QB that can steady the ship if Matthew Stafford is forced to more time this season due to injury. Wentz, the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, was scouted extensively by the Rams as they would end up taking Jared Goff first overall. Here’s how McVay and the Rams should use Wentz if he needs to fill in for Stafford.
First, let’s identify Wentz’s strengths and weaknesses. For his strengths, Wentz has a big arm, above-average athleticism, an excellent frame, fantastic height and a solid base. He can make off-schedule throws and his ability to make off-platform throws is second to Patrick Mahomes.
He is a coach’s dream QB from a physical aspect. As we all know, physical gifts aren’t only one part of a quarterback’s makeup. He has some glaring weaknesses that have become ever more amplified as he gets older. Wentz is terrible at deciphering coverages, oftentimes putting the ball into unnecessary danger. Wentz plays too much hero ball, to the detriment of several potential playoff runs. He holds the ball too long, a result of his impatience, spurred on by his propensity to search for the deep ball. Wentz will willingly throw the ball into double and sometimes triple coverage and he will do so by missing the open checkdown.
That’s a lot to digest I know but he does have major upside. He has over 22,000 passing yards, has a near 2.5-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and his career-worsts are directly correlated with career-highs in sacks and pressures. The Rams offensive line might not be the best but you can scheme protection.
Let’s talk Xs and Os. How do we put Wentz in the best position to succeed? We use his attributes in old-school, but positive ways. In a variety of ways, Wentz reminds me of Daryle Lamonica, known as the “Mad Bomber” for his continued use of the deep pass. In that era, QBs primarily played under center. I think the drop-back pass with scripted 3-step, 5-step or 7-step movements will allow Wentz to throw the deep pass only when McVay desires it. Wentz is forced to throw short or medium passes on the 3- and 5-step dropbacks so by equating a numerical value with a distance, it automatically programs Wentz’s mind to throw the distance desired.
Play Wentz under center. Limit his usage in shotgun. The shotgun formation is for gunslingers. Gunslingers have big arms but they also have speed, especially speed in decision-making – something Wentz does not have. Play Wentz under center to: one, get a good downhill running game going and two, to also use play action and rollouts off of as well.
Play action and rollouts play right into Wentz’s athletic gifts. Being under center allows Wentz to throw the quick screen as well, giving McVay another option to pick up quick, cheap yards.
You don’t want him in the shotgun. The shotgun is built for patient, accurate, intelligent, fast quarterbacks and Wentz has serious deficiencies in all of those categories. Also, don’t use read-option, RPO or any play design that’s going to require quick and precise breakdowns of a pre-snap and post-snap defense.
Utilize the pistol, as well. It’s very easy to run crossing routes under the pistol. One of my favorite offensive formations in football, the pistol was popularized by coach Chris Ault at Nevada. Ault used it with Colin Kaepernick to break a bunch of NCAA records as they won 13 games and a conference title in 2010. The reason it’s so effective is that it employs the 7-step drop back with shotgun snap speed, while being able to operate a downhill rushing attack that employs screen passes.
Screens are very effective in the pistol because you are able to throw the quick outside screen while still posing a deep threat if you want to run a fake fade with the slot. If desired, you can also run read-option off of the pistol but do not add in the passing option.
The three keys will be getting the ball out of Wentz’s hands quickly, limiting unnecessary risks and using him sparingly. This should return to a run-first, quick pass offense if Wentz is forced to start. Consider moving the pocket and pre-snap motions to assist with this. Do these things and Wentz will do great things for you.