What do Carson Wentz and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside have in common?
Both players lined up at wide receiver for the Eagles in Sunday’s 23-23 tie with the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. But neither Wentz nor Arcega-Whiteside was targeted, or caught a pass.
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In Wentz’s case, it was only for three snaps, in which Doug Pederson let second-round rookie Jalen Hurts run a few wildcat-type plays from the shotgun. Hurts carried twice for 8 yards and handed off to Miles Sanders. He still hasn’t thrown an NFL pass.
Overall, the Eagles ran 36 times for 175 yards. Though it sounds strange to say, they could have run more, especially in the second half, with Dallas Goedert and DeSean Jackson sidelined by injuries, and Wentz throwing to Deontay Burnett and John Hightower.
With Jalen Reagor (thumb) out, Jackson or Hightower should have been the long-range option against the 0-2 Bengals, But Jackson caught just two passes for 11 yards before suffering a hamstring strain, and Hightower’s two catches amounted to 19 yards. The Eagles' longest successful pass play came on Wentz’s best throw of the day, 30 yards to Zach Ertz in overtime.
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) and quarterback Carson Wentz (11) walk off the field after a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles heads couch Doug Pederson walks towards Bengals head coach Zac Taylor after a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. The game ended in a draw in overtime, 23-23.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles safety Jalen Mills (21) walks off the after a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters is injured during overtime of a game agains the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. The game was a draw, 23-23.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz dives into the end zone for the game tying score past Cincinnati Bengals free safety Jessie Bates late in the fourth quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz celebrates with teammate Eagles center Jason Kelce after a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. The game ended in a draw in overtime, 23-23.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver Greg Ward (84) scores a touchdown in the second quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver Greg Ward (84) celebrates his second-quarter touchdown with quarterback Carson Wentz (11) during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles tight end Richard Rodgers (85) makes a catch in front of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback William Jackson III (22) during a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during the second quarter of a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles linebacker Nate Gerry and free safety Rodney McLeod (right) stop Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd during the second quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman dives after Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon during the first quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the second quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz throws the football past Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Amani Bledsoe during the first quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws the football past a leaping Eagles defensive tackle Malik Jackson during the second quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the second quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles running back Boston Scott gets stopped by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap as Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson tries to assist during the first quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow during the first quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox gets helps standing-up after getting hurt during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) pressures Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in overtime of a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett (96) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in overtime of a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) makes a catch in front of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips (23) in overtime of a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (91) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in overtime of a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles running back Miles Sanders (26) can't make a catch under pressure from Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt (57) during a game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson talks with quarterback Carson Wentz (11) during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles tackle Jason Peters (71) is apparently injured in overtime of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws a third quarter touchdown pass to teammate wide receiver Tee Higgins as offensive tackle Jonah Williams blocks Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins celebrates his third quarter touchdown past Eagles linebacker Nate Gerry on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles cornerback Trevor Williams and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Auden Tate go after the football during the third quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz tries to catch the football against Cincinnati Bengals middle linebacker Josh Bynes (right) and strong safety Vonn Bell in the third quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz walks away after Cincinnati Bengals cornerback LeShaun Sims intercepted the football during the third quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles cornerback Trevor Williams and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Auden Tate go after the football during the third quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz escapes from Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson during the first quarter on Sunday, September 27, 2020.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Fletch guts it out
Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, listed as questionable, was active for the 128th time in 131 possible Eagles games, and he picked up his first sack of the season.
Cox, 29, suffered an oblique (abdominal) strain in last week’s loss to the Rams.
Inactive Sunday were quarterback Nate Sudfeld, wide receivers Alshon Jeffery (foot) and Jalen Reagor (thumb), running back Jason Huntley, safety Rudy Ford (groin), defensive end Casey Toohill, and offensive lineman Jamon Brown. Isaac Seumalo is on injured reserve.
Wide receiver Deontay Burnett, safety Grayland Arnold, and offensive lineman Sua Opeta were active for the first time.
But what about the trophy?
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and his brother, Eagles passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Press Taylor, have a homemade trophy their parents keep for them, on which is recorded each victory one achieves over the other. Does it have a place for ties?
“I’ve never tied in my life,” the Bengals' Taylor said Sunday. “It feels strange, for sure. I know it sure as hell doesn’t feel like we won, that’s what I can tell you. There were so many opportunities we had out there. ... There was no game-changing moment that took the game over for us.”
Les Bowen has covered the Eagles since 2002. Before that, he covered the Flyers for 13 years. He came to the Daily News from the Charlotte Observer in May 1983, just as the Sixers were winning the NBA championship. He thought, "Gosh, this sort of thing must happen all the time here."