Commanders vs. Browns: QB Carson Wentz Starting Mean 'New' Offense?
The Washington Commanders will have a new starting quarterback for the clash against the Cleveland Browns after Taylor Heinicke was benched for Carson Wentz.
Having not started an NFL game since Week 6, the Commanders' offense will look a little different on Sunday....but not too different, according to offensive coordinator Scott Turner.
"I think there's not going to be much difference as far as what we want to do," Turner said. "We still want to be physical and be balanced in that way. But I think just his excitement and energy coming in will be good.”
That excitement has come through loud and clear since Wentz's introduction in the fourth quarter of the 37-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers that dropped them to 7-7-1.
Having been on the sidelines for the best part of 10 weeks, one could excuse Wentz for being rather amped at returning to the starting ranks. For Turner, one word comes to mind when talking about how Wentz feels about his first start in over two months.
“Carson's excited to get back in playing," Turner said. "
"He's been preparing the last couple weeks to play. He was excited to get back in the game. I think Coach [Rivera] talked about it, you know, Taylor [Heinicke] has been a little beat up. We've had some issues, some of them have been stuff Taylor’s done, some of it hasn't been his control. I think it gives a little bit of a spark of Carson coming in. Like we said, he's healthy, energized, ready to go."
With two games remaining in the regular season and Washington likely needing to win both to lock up a playoff spot, Wentz's honeymoon of a reintroduction will be short-lived.
Coming up against a 6-9 Cleveland Browns team that Wentz called "no slouches," the Commanders will need to be firing on all cylinders. For that to happen, Wentz will have to curtail his "excitement" and lead Washington its eighth win of the season.
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