Doug Pederson Believes Winless Eagles 'Not Far Away' From Getting Back On Track Ahead Of 49ers Game
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The winless Philadelphia Eagles are searching for answers, but it will not be benching quarterback Carson Wentz. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, though, doesn't believe the Birds are far from getting back on track -- and that was essentially his message to his team as they prepare for the 2-1 San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football this weekend.
"For me as the head coach, you got to show the good, the bad and the ugly," Pederson said Wednesday. "But at the same time, you have to keep your goals in front of the team. You got to keep the reality that this is where we are, but at the same time, we're close. We're not far away."
The Eagles (0-2-1) also put rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor on injured reserve on Wednesday.
Reagor, the 21st overall pick in April's NFL draft, had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb.
After losing to the Washington Football Team and Los Angeles Rams to open the season, the Birds played to a 23-23 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. It was the Eagles' second tie with the Bengals in the past 12 years.
Once again, Wentz struggled on Sunday with two more interceptions. He has now thrown two interceptions in each of his three starts this season. He leads the NFL in turnovers with seven.
But Pederson said Tuesday benching Wentz would be an overreaction.
"No, no you don't go there. That's a knee-jerk reaction," Pederson said. "That's a reaction to things that are sometimes the aura that's out there. That's not what we believe internally and we're gonna continue to get better. Carson's our quarterback, we're gonna get it fixed, he's gonna get it fixed."
Wentz on Wednesday said the turnovers "are really killing us."
"I've got to be better with that," he said. "I know that."
The Birds have the worst turnover differential in the league at minus-7, with their defense having just one takeaway through three games.
On Sunday night, the Eagles will begin a difficult three-game stretch in San Francisco.
