Commanders’ Carson Wentz still has more passing TDs than these starters

If you said before the season that Carson Wentz wouldn’t play in the Washington Commanders’ Week 13 matchup against the NY Giants, you’d be forced to assume the trade went horribly. While it hasn’t been a smashing success, it’s not Wentz’s fault the team caught fire just after he underwent finger surgery.

And for what it’s worth, Wentz got this hot streak started by gutting through a broken finger against the Bears on Thursday Night Football. You’ll remember Wentz laying a mammoth block on Roquan Smith on a Brian Robinson touchdown run, and doing just enough to help Washington squeak out an ugly win.

Since then, the Commanders haven’t looked back.

Wentz lost his starting job as a result. But for every erratic and carless pass from Taylor Heinicke — which have come in bunches in recent weeks — the veteran seemingly inches closer to reclaiming his spot under center.

Some fans will be happy to see Wentz back quarterbacking the offense. While his pre-injury performance was widely criticized, the former Pro Bowler still has more passing touchdowns than a handful of starting QBs around the league.

Yes, Russell Wilson is one of them.

Commanders’ Carson Wentz has more passing TDs than these QBs

In six games, Wentz completed 62.1% of his passes for 1,489 yards, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 84.1 passer rating. If you can believe it, Wentz’s 10 touchdowns are equal to the Titans’ Ryan Tannehill (nine starts), the Giants’ Daniel Jones (11 starts), and the Rams’ Matthew Stafford (nine starts).

Despite missing the last last fives, Wentz has thrown for more touchdowns than Broncos flop Russell Wilson, who’s started 10 games. Could you imagine if Seattle accepted Washington’s reported offer of three first-round picks for Wilson in the offseason? Count your blessing, folks, because that would’ve set the franchise back years.

Beyond Wilson, who may actually be a “cooked” product, Wentz has accounted for more passing touchdowns than the Patriots’ Mac Jones (six), who’s started two more game than Wentz’s six, the Jets’ Zach Wilson (four), who made seven starts before getting benched in Week 12, and the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett (three), who has a long way to go to prove he was worthy of a first-round pick.

Russell Wilson is obviously the big takeaway here. To say Washington avoided a disaster would be the understatement of the decade. How bad is the Broncos offense? It forced the NFL to flex Patrick Mahomes out of primetime! The Chiefs-Broncos Sunday night matchup in Week 14 will be replaced by Chargers-Dolphins.

Furthermore, Denver is averaging just 14.27 points per game this season; the worst by any team since the 2000 Browns. Now 3-8 after losing to the Panthers, the Broncos would have five more wins if they averaged just 20 points per game.

Has Wentz been perfect for the Commanders? Far from it, but Heinicke’s flaws (slowly but surely) coming full-circle once again and these mind-bending stats just prove Washington fans have it better than they think. If Heinicke keeps underwhelming, we’d be happy to have Wentz back running the offense.

It’s deranged to think the Commanders can keep winning games by running the football to milk the clock in the fourth quarter. Wentz is markedly more capable of making a “dagger” throw than Heinicke, even if the latter’s clutch gene is undeniable.