3 creative suggestions for Commanders OC Scott Turner

1. Carson Wentz – Don’t Talk to Me About Interceptions

OK< I’ll give you the qualifiers right up front. Of course I don’t want interceptions. And there is a limit (known as the Jameis Winston line.) But the main takeaway – the main qualifier – is this…

I don’t care how many interceptions Carson Wentz throws for the Washington Commanders – provided he is also throwing a lot of touchdown passes. (Or setting up short touchdown runs.)

I realize you may not agree with this, but interceptions are one of the most overblown stats for a quarterback. Again, it’s not that you want or encourage interceptions. It’s just that a lack of interceptions usually means a lack of high yield throws.

You know who the NFL career leader in interceptions is? Hall of Famer Brett Favre. It’s not close. (I will refrain from commenting on Mr. Favre’s current legal problems with the state of Mississippi). In the top ten, you will also find names like Unitas, Marino, and Manning (Peyton). Brees, Elway, Moon and Manning (Eli) fill out the top twenty. Obviously, throwing interceptions, in and of itself, doesn’t necessarily make you a bad quarterback.

But you have to produce touchdowns. That’s why these guys played long enough to rise to the top of this negative list. I think we can all agree that the 30 picks Winston threw in 2019 was too many, despite his 33 touchdowns. But if Carson Wentz throws 20 interceptions this year, and offsets them with 35 touchdowns, I’m just fine with that.

I didn’t care that Taylor Heinicke threw 15 picks last year. I cared that he only managed 20 touchdowns. By the same token, I think Washington did Dwayne Haskins a disservice back in 2020 by encouraging him to be more careful with the ball. His seven picks (one per game) were not the problem. It was the fact that he grew so tentative that he only threw five touchdowns over that span.

Bottom line – unless your quarterback is Aaron Rodgers, he is going to throw interceptions. Provided he is generating touchdowns, particularly touchdowns at crucial moments when the game hangs in the balance, shut up about it.

Final Half Take – What To Do With Heinicke

I mentioned that there has been some buzz about trading Taylor Heinicke. Potential injuries to Wentz and/or Howell may affect this, as will Howell’s early development. But as a broad proposition, the Washington Commanders should trade Heinicke. A 5th round pick – which is what they gave up for Kyle Allen a few years back – that is fair value for a legit backup with some starting experience.

If he remains on the team, you might see a situation where Heinicke is essentially the number 3 QB, but is also active ahead of Howell on game days. That’s because Heinicke might be better, at least early on, should he have to go into a game in the event of an injury to Wentz. He is actually very effective in that role, bringing an energy and a change of pace to the offense. Should Wentz’s injury keep him out multiple weeks, I would expect Howell, with proper preparation, would become the starter with Heinicke reverting to the backup role.

That’s all the free advice I have for today. I’ll have some for the defense one of these days, but that’s not as pressing a matter.