Tag: Carson Wentz 2022 season

Where did Commanders QBs stand in ranking all NFL 2022 QBs?

Taylor Heinicke ranked ahead of a recent Super Bowl-winning QB.

So, how about when outsiders evaluate the NFL quarterback’s play in 2022?

One such writer has “attempted” (no small task) to rank every single quarterback who threw a pass in a 2022 regular-season or playoff game.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports says the numbers reveal 82 quarterbacks attempted a pass, so he is ranking them. Benjamin, like “First Things First” host Nick Wright, employs tiers, seven of them, to rank all of the quarterbacks.

Benjamin’s tiers are

  1. Franchise Elite (No. 1-6)
  2. Overachievers (No. 7-11)
  3. Scattershot playmakers (No. 12-15)
  4. War-torn vets (No. 16-26)
  5. On and off the bench  (No. 27-34)
  6. Short-lived notables (No. 35-53)
  7. The leftovers (No. 54-82)

As for the Washington Commanders quarterbacks? Benjamin ranked Taylor Heinicke in the 25th spot, just one below Cardinals QB Kyler Murray and one above Rams QB Matt Stafford.

Benjamin has Carson Wentz in the 32nd position, one lower than Davis Mills (Texans) and one above Matt Ryan (Colts).

What about Sam Howell? Interestingly enough, though he rates Howell way down at 55, one below Skylar Thompson (Dolphins) and one above David Blough (Cardinals), he takes the time to mention Howell quite positively.

Howell was impressive airing it out for the Commanders at the close of the season, setting him up for a potential 2023 starting gig.

Indeed Howell only had 19 NFL passing attempts in his first season of experience. Hopefully, it was a season of learning for Howell. He is, perhaps more than anything, going to need the Commanders to improve that offensive line with at least two or three new starters.

But we are certainly hoping for the best for Howell in 2023.

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Commanders QB coach Zampese excited about Carson Wentz

Ken Zampese thinks we’ll see a different Carson Wentz this time around.

Not being the starter, but being asked to enter and play quarterback in the fourth quarter of an NFL game is not exactly an easy assignment.

For one thing, the starter took the majority of reps all week, and when you enter in the final quarter trailing 30-14 like Carson Wentz did last week against the 49ers, everyone in the stadium knows you are passing, so, there is not much mystery for the defense.

But Commanders QB coach Ken Zampese was pleased with Wentz’s appearance. “He looked quick on his feet. He looked like he had fresh legs and processed fast so that was encouraging.”

Zampese also liked that when Wentz planted his plant foot, he did not linger back there as a sitting target looking downfield.
“The ball came out. As we were going through earlier in the season, sometimes things got a little stuttered. This time, the ball came out faster, and that was encouraging.”

Wentz, in his first year with the Commanders, was learning the offense when against the Bears in Week 6, he suffered a broken ring finger on his passing hand, while also playing with a limited bicep and ankle.

Zampese firmly believes that Wentz was learning the offense while injured and thus prepared himself mentally for when his name would be called.
“(He) gets a chance to learn as he watches other guys and goes back in his mind, ‘Hey, we did this in the spring; this is what it looks like live.’ Just gets more mental reps at the same thing over and over again, so you come to a greater comfort level when you get a chance to come back and do it yourself.”

“I saw that when it all caved in he was able to get the ball flipped out to the back one time and then the ball came flying out of there a couple of times and we were like ‘yes, it is going where it is supposed to go, and it is going on time.’ Those things get you excited.”