Carson Wentz has one of the biggest drop-offs in passer rating in NFL history; what it means for Eagles QB
Wentz's 2020 season has been historically bad
By
Jeff Kerr
•
2 min read
Carson Wentz is on pace to have one of the worst seasons for a quarterback in Philadelphia Eagles history, certainly since the turn of the century. While Wentz's struggles can't be pinned entirely on him, the Eagles need more from a quarterback they owe $132 million over the next four years -- especially considering he is competing with Sam Darnold and Drew Lock for the title of NFL's worst quarterback in 2020.
How bad has Wentz's 2019 season been? The Eagles quarterback has reached historic marks of NFL futility with his decline in play from 2019 to 2020. Since 1950, Wentz is the sixth quarterback -- and only one under age 30 -- to have his passer rating decrease by more than 24 points from his passer rating over the previous three seasons (minimum 1,000 attempts). Wentz had a passer rating of 98.3 from 2017 to 2019, which has dipped to 73.4 in 2020.
Per NFL Research, here are the six quarterbacks that had a passer rating decrease by 24 points from their passer rating over the previous three seasons:
- Y.A. Tittle (1964) -- -42.2
- Peyton Manning (2015) -- -39.9
- Joe Theismann (1985) -- -32
- Mark Rypien (1993) -- -26.3
- Carson Wentz (2020) -- -24.9
- Brett Favre (2010) -- -24.8
Four of the five other quarterbacks to have their passer rating drop that significantly retired after that season, the last two being Manning and Favre. This doesn't necessarily mean Wentz is going to retire after the 2020 season, but the Eagles quarterback is just the second player in league history to throw 15 interceptions and be sacked 45 times through 11 games (Paul McDonald in 1984 is the other). McDonald never threw another pass in the NFL after that 1984 season with the Browns.
Wentz completed 64.4% of his passes and threw for 81 touchdowns to just 21 interceptions from 2017 to 2019, compiling a 98.3 passer rating. In 2020, Wentz has completed just 58.1% of his passes with 16 touchdowns to just 15 interceptions and a 73.4 passer rating. Wentz averaged 260.2 pass yards per game and 7.2 yards per attempt from 2017 to 2019, but those numbers fell to 231 pass yards per game and 6.0 yards per attempt this year.
Wentz ranks second-to-last in the league in completion percentage and third-to-last in interception percentage, yards per attempt, and passer rating this season -- becoming one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. The drop-off is astonishing for a player many believed was a top-10 quarterback heading into the season.
"We're frustrated, we're frustrated. I know I'm frustrated. I hate losing and it's very frustrating to have this result these last couple weeks and be where we're at this season," Wentz said Monday. "But the crazy thing about this league and this division, especially, is it's still wide open and guys know that. Guys know that and we're looking ahead to next week and getting this thing turned around getting it going in the right direction and, hopefully, surprise some people."
The Eagles are still in the NFC East race, even has the ship continues to sink. If Wentz doesn't improve over the next few weeks, his era has the franchise quarterback -- shockingly considering how he played the previous three seasons -- may be over.
