Andrew Buller-Russ
Carson Wentz hasn’t just been bad, he’s also apparently dealing with an injury. Just a day after the Washington Commanders‘ Week 6 win on Thursday night, head coach Ron Rivera revealed his starting quarterback is actually managing injuries to both his throwing hand and his shoulder. Since the Commanders now have nine days before their next matchup, Wentz will visit the hospital for a doctor’s visit.
There has been no indication as to what specific type of injuries Wentz is dealing with other than the fact they are to his right hand and shoulder. Wentz could be seen inadvertently smacking his hand into a helmet during Thursday’s win, so it’s possible that’s where the hand injury came from.
We should presumably receive more accurate news once the Commanders feel like providing an update, yet they won’t have practice until Monday, so it may be a while until we hear any more on their current starter’s playing status.
For now, when asked about Wentz’s status for Week 7, coach Rivera says, “we’ll see.”
Related: Ron Rivera blasts NFL reporter, defends Carson Wentz trade
Carson Wentz injury could provide perfect excuse to start a backup
We see this all the time in sports. An ineffective starter pops up on the injury report before ultimately being ruled out for a week or more.
This case could be no different. Wentz has largely struggled through six games as Washington’s starter. They’re lucky to be 2-4 instead of 1-5, or even worse. While we can’t place all of Washington’s scoring issues on Wentz, he deserves just as much blame as anyone.
Sure, Washington’s offensive line is suspect. Pro Football Focus had the Commanders’ line as the 27th-ranked unit heading into the week. The stats back it up too. Not only has Wentz been sacked 23 times, but the Commanders also rank ninth-worst in rushing average. If Brian Robinson’s return to the lineup can create a spark for the ground attack, then Wentz will be the next variable to experiment with.
- Carson Wentz stats with Washington Commanders: 62.1%, 1,489 passing yards, 10 TD, 6 INT
Washington can’t afford to lose many more games if they still hold out hope to compete for an NFC Wild Card spot. With the Philadelphia Eagles at 5-0 and the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants at 4-1, the Commanders have a lot of ground to make up in their own division, let alone in the conference.
Yet, Wentz’s injury just might be the excuse coach Rivera needs to give either backup QB a chance. Taylor Heinicke has 16 games of NFL starting experience and was able to lead the Commanders to a 7-8 record a season ago. It’s possible Rivera wants to see if he’s improved at all with another year of seasoning.
Then, there’s also preseason sensation and rookie fifth-round pick out of North Carolina — Sam Howell. We know what Heinicke is, he’s a high-level backup who can step in and start a few games if need be. But he’s not carrying any teams to the playoffs. There’s not much upside with the 29-year-old QB.
But Howell, on the other hand, is just 22 years old, and we just don’t know how he might perform in the NFL yet. At one point, Howell was being mentioned as a potential first-round prospect. Losing his most talented receivers from his junior season to his senior year sent his draft stock plummeting, but he’s still an impressive prospect who offers a versatile skillset thanks to his mobility.
If Wentz isn’t close to 100% (most aren’t by Week 7), then maybe it’s time Howell finally gets his chance.
Related: 3 reasons why it’s time for the Washington Commanders to fire Ron Rivera
