Steelers give Wentz credit - a little, anyway
The Pittsburgh Steelers became the third team to be picked apart by Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, but the Steelers handed out praise grudgingly. Instead of gushing about the rookie from North Dakota State, they said they didn't execute.
The Pittsburgh Steelers became the third team to be picked apart by Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, but the Steelers handed out praise grudgingly. Instead of gushing about the rookie from North Dakota State, they said they didn't execute.
Wentz had a lot to do with the Steelers' lack of execution. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions Sunday in a 34-3 rout of the Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field. Wentz also wasn't sacked and gained 10 yards on his lone carry.
These weren't the Eagles' first two opponents, the Cleveland Browns or the Chicago Bears. These were the Steelers, considered a trendy preseason Super Bowl choice.
Still, the Steelers were guarded in their praise, but it came out in little drips.
"He did a nice job executing their offense in similar ways he did the first two games," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "Like I said, leading up to the week, he has done an awesome job, but they have also done an awesome job in managing him and managing that group."
One thing that Tomlin and the players agreed on is that the Eagles diced up the Steelers with their screen game and Wentz obviously had a lot to do with that.
"Their screen game was exceptional," Tomlin said.
Linebacker Ryan Shazier expanded on Tomlin's comments.
"He did a really good job in the screen game and he kind of knew where we were coming from and he changed the runs and everything," Shazier said. "He didn't give any turnovers and he did his job today."
It was interesting how Wentz was viewed through the eyes of his counterpart, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The two quarterbacks share the same agency, and before the draft they worked out together and went to dinner.
Like most of his teammates, Roethlisberger was slightly reserved in his comments, but he was a little more revealing than many of the other Steelers.
"He played a great game and won the game," said Roethlisberger, who completed 24 of 44 passes for 257 yards, with one interception and a 62.4 passer rating.
Wentz has thrown 102 passes without an interception. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it's the most passes thrown without an interception to begin a season by a rookie quarterback.
"He managed the game, he makes throws, he does checks and audibles," Roethlisberger said. "I am not sure how much freedom he has, but shoot, look at the score."
The Steelers were consistent in their belief that Wentz didn't do anything that surprised them.
"He is a good football player but he didn't do anything we didn't expect," said veteran free safety Mike Mitchell.
Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward simply said that Wentz got the job done.
"He just played well," Heyward said. "I have to look back at the film, but he delivered the ball to his receivers and I commend him for that and wish him luck in his endeavors."
Like, many of his teammates, Mitchell praised the entire Eagles team, rather than signaling out one player.
"We take our hats off to them - they put a thorough butt-whipping on us," Mitchell said. "We thought it was more a lack of our execution than what they were doing."
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