Sredenschek: The forgotten man

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Welcome to Wentz-lvania, where space is filling up quickly on the Wentz Wagon. Yes, Carson Wentz is the toast of the town, and for that matter, the National Football League right now. He has played mistake-free football and put the Eagles at 2-0 going into a great early season showdown with cross state rival Pittsburgh on Sunday.

But the guy lost in the shadows is the other newcomer. There wasn't a lot of fanfare when Doug Pederson was introduced as the Eagles head coach on January 19. Adam Gase off the list. Ben McAdoo. Hue Jackson. The last team to fill a head coaching vacancy was Philadelphia.

The 2-game case study is early for Pederson. Cleveland and Chicago, frankly, are not very good football teams. But Doug Pederson has orchestrated brilliant game plans for Wentz. He has been conservative when he's needed to be; aggressive when he feels he should. He is 4-4 on 4th down conversions. Wentz has made them look easy. Doug is pushing every right button.

Face it: when the Eagles traded Sam Bradford 8 days before the season opener, it wasn't because they wanted a 1st round pick back. They made the move because they liked what they saw from Wentz, and more importantly, how Pederson had already started to groom him. In much the same way Pederson the player mentored Donovan McNabb in 1999, Pederson the coach is fostering the development of Wentz.

He knows this city. He knows his quarterback. And his plan for the kid and this team are right on schedule.