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PHILADELPHIA -- On Monday night, Carson Wentz became just the fifth rookie quarterback since 1970 to win his first two season-opening starts. More significantly, he became the first rookie to win his first two season-opening starts and not throw an interception.
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Wentz hasn't thrown a pick in 71 attempts.
"(Ball security) is something I pride myself on and it's something this offense prides itself on," Wentz said. "Just controlling the ball. Protecting the football. Making smart decisions. Being aggressive, but also being calculated. Knowing when to take chances."
Three weeks ago, the Eagles planned to have Wentz spend his rookie season on the bench watching and learning behind Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel. Then the Eagles traded Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings and the plan changed.
Wentz was considered a project coming out of FCS North Dakota State with just 23 college starts. But he has shown extraordinary poise in his first two pro starts.
"He's commanding the huddle, and the dialogue on the sideline with players and coaches and him is something that a nine- and 10-year vet would do," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. "It just shows his maturity and the ability that he has to play quarterback."
Pederson has been impressed by the way the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Wentz keeps his eyes down the field even in the face of pass-rush pressure.
"He's always had that good down-the-field vision," he said. "That's what makes him such a good pocket passer.
"He can see the entire field that way. When people are falling around his feet and the pocket is collapsing, he's always looking to make a play down the field. Even on some scrambles Monday night, he took some shots down the field. We didn't capitalize on them, but it's great to see he can see that part of the field."
--REPORT CARD vs. Bears
RUSHING OFFENSE: B-minus -- The Eagles didn't have a lot of success, particularly early on, running the ball against the Bears. They were held to 21 yards on 10 carries in the first half and averaged just 3.1 yards per attempt for the game.
PASSING OFFENSE: B -- Playing in his first NFL road game, Carson Wentz turned in another solid performance. Even without one of his go-to receivers, tight end Zach Ertz, Wentz completed 21 of 34 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. Didn't throw an interception for the second straight game. Trey Burton, who replaced Ertz, had five catches, including one for a two-yard TD.
RUN DEFENSE: A -- The Eagles shut down the Bears' ground game, holding them to 64 yards on 18 carries. The Bears had just six rushing first downs.
PASS DEFENSE: B-plus -- Playing without one of their starting corners, Leodis McKelvin, the Eagles bent but didn't break against Jay Cutler and the Bears' passing attack. Cutler completed 12 of 17 passes for 157 yards before leaving the game with a hand injury, but didn't have a touchdown pass.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C -- Caleb Sturgis had three first-half field goals, including a 53-yarder right before the end of the half that gave the Eagles a 9-7 lead. The Eagles' normally reliable punt coverage unit gave up a 65-yard TD return to the Bears' Eddie Royal.
COACHING: A-minus -- Doug Pederson got his young quarterback, Carson Wentz, into an early rhythm by coming out in no-huddle and having him throw six straight short, high-percentage passes, all of which he completed. Jim Schwartz's defense has given up just 17 points in the first two games.
