Two series after Cutler fumbled on a strip-and-sack by Eagles defensive tackle Destiny Vaeao, Cutler threw off his back foot and never saw linebacker Nigel Bradham, who returned the interception to the Bears 2.
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“Well, not as tough as past year because we were 0-3”, he said.
“It’s something we don’t talk much about; we do talk about ball security and all of that”, Pederson said. Obviously it felt bad without looking at the tape.
Philadelphia, which has not lost a turnover in its two victories, actually got three second half takeaways but failed to capitalize on one of them. It definitely wasn’t a clean game. “So we’ve got to take a look at it and whatever is bothering us on offense we’ve got to get it fixed”.
Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz played under control completing 21 of 34 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown.
The Eagles’ division was wide open to start the season, and while things have changed, that’s still the case: The Giants look like they might be better than 8-8, and the Cowboys don’t appear to have lost a step without Tony Romo, while the Redskins are disappointing so long as Kirk Cousins is their quarterback.
There’s more: Bears linebacker and co-captain Pernell McPhee, who is now on the PUP list, bumped Cutler on the sidelines after the interception.
The injury affected Cutler.
“I thought he played well”, said Doug Pederson, the Eagles’ coach. “It was unfortunate, hurt the team”. Wentz then threw a screen to tight end Trey Burton, the first touchdown from scrimmage of Burton’s three-year National Football League career, and the Eagles’ second TD in 21 seconds, after managing none in the first 44 minutes, 7 seconds.
“I couldn’t get as much on it as I wanted to, to put it over the top of that ‘backer”, Cutler explained. “We’ll have plenty of time to evaluate it, and we’ll keep you posted”. Safety Chris Prosinski injured his right calf, and running back Ka’Deem Carey strained his hamstring.
The Chicago Bears suffered a slew of injuries on Monday night, but none were bigger than the hand injury suffered by quarterback Jay Cutler.
Asked if he did anything different to prepare for his first start on Monday night, Wentz reacted as if he had just played in a preseason high-school game.
The Bears actually had a chance to even the score on their previous possession after Royal turned a screen pass into a 31-yard gain.
Sturgis’ other field goals came from 25 and 29 yards.
Think the Eagles are handling Wentz with kid gloves after trading starter Sam Bradford two weeks before the season opener to accelerate the future of the passer whom they mortgaged their future for in April?
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The Philadelphia offense was able to move the football with relative ease on those three scoring drives in the first half, all of which ended in field goals but each revealing vulnerability and a continuing inability to deliver stops in critical situations early in drives. “You get what you pay for”, McDonough said. “It strengthens you. If it was easy, anybody could do it”. He’s played two games, and we already expect most of his throws to be right on the money.
