Carson Wentz gets one more chance to be the Washington Commanders quarterback on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Head coach Ron Rivera named Wentz as the starter over Taylor Heinicke Wednesday, and the pressure will be on Wentz.
If the Commanders win their final two games, they are in the playoffs. They don’t need help from another team. And if Washington gets by Cleveland in Week 17, the Dallas Cowboys come to FedEx Field to end the season in Week 18.
Wentz is focused on the Browns, not the Cowboys or the playoffs.
“Obviously there’s a whole bunch of what-ifs that lie ahead,” Wentz said. “But at the end of the day, we know we’re in control of what we can. And the Browns are no slouch; you know, they’re a good team. Their defense plays fast. They got some playmakers over there that we have to account for that can make life really difficult. So they’re a good team. I’m excited that they’re coming to our place, that we get ’em at home and they present a tough task. Obviously defensively, they do some good things, and they’re similar schematically to what the Niners did to some extent kind of similar systems. So I think some of that recollection and kind of overlap can help us. Buy they’re a good team and a good defense that we gotta show up and be ready for.”
Wentz didn’t take the bait about looking ahead to a potential berth in the playoffs. He understands the significance of this game for him personally and for the entire team.
If Wentz plays well and leads Washington to a win, he can become a hero against the Cowboys to close the season and make the playoffs. It would also increase the likelihood he’d return for another season with the Commanders in 2023.
