By Tucker Bagley, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
It's hard to believe that Carson Wentz's rookie campaign is already halfway over. The second-overall pick has seen his stock drop a little bit over the past few weeks after setting the world on fire during his first three starts.
But there are still a lot of good things to be taken from Wentz's performance this season and it's apparent he is well on his way to becoming a franchise quarterback. So here's a list of pros and cons regarding Wentz's play through the first eight games of his career.
Pro: His Maturity
Since Week 1, Wentz has shown a tremendous ability to adjust the offense at the line of scrimmage and put his teammates in a better position to make plays, like on this completion to Jordan Matthews:
Wentz recognizes the double-A gap blitz, adjusts his protection and drops into shotgun before hitting Matthews on an out-route for a huge gain. The amount of responsibility Doug Pederson has put on Wentz's plate is a lot for a rookie quarterback, but Wentz's experience playing in a pro style offense at North Dakota State has proved to give him a headstart in his NFL development.
Wentz's preparation has certainly helped him thus far and will continue to be a crutch he can lean on while the rest of his game develops.
Con: His Accuracy
Now, this isn't to say Wentz is not an inaccurate passer. He's completed 64 percent of his passes through eight games and has dropped a lot of dimes all over the field. However, he's completed just 50 percent of his passes over 10 yards down the field and he has made some questionable throws in clutch situations like on this throw on third down against the Redskins:
Whether or not Nelson Agholor could have gotten to the sticks is another issue, but Wentz never really gave him a chance by missing high on the throw. When Wentz misses his receivers, it's usually high or long, which leaves him susceptible to interceptions, especially on his throws over the middle. No need to really worry, however, as this is mainly a mechanical issue and can be worked out in a full offseason under Pederson's watchful eye.
Pro: He Uses All Parts of the Field
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Wentz's throw chart is how well balanced it is. His QB rating is incredibly consistent between the different sides of the field, despite using the middle much less than the sides.
Andy Reid was notorious for giving quarterback lighter workloads and shorter progressions, but Pederson has opened up the whole field for Wentz and he has taken full advantage of that freedom. There are still some spots of the field, particularly downfield, that are being underused, but it is clear that Wentz already has the ability to keep defenses off-balance by attacking weak spots no matter where they are.
Con: His First Quarter Struggles
Four of Wentz's five interceptions have come in the first quarter and he's posted a passer rating of just 63.4 in the first 15 minutes of games. That's not good. The silver lining is he has played much better in the final 45 minutes of the game, but his rough starts have put the Eagles in some pretty big holes they haven't been able to climb out of.
Pro: He's Playing With a Sub-Par Supporting Cast
Not that he would ever say so, but the Eagles offense really is devoid of talent at most of their positions. None of their running backs are averaging 40 yards per game and only one receiver, Matthews, has more than 300 receiving yards on the year. Add in the fact he's playing behind an offensive line filled with a pair of backups, an undersized center and an aging left tackle, and it's clear the Birds offense is prime for a huge overhaul.
The fact that Wentz is stuck learning the ropes of the NFL with this group isn't an ideal situation, but the fact he's been able to put up the numbers he has is a good sign he'll be that much better once a real playmaker is added into the fold.
Con: He Struggles in the Red Zone
This issue may go back to the lacking of talent around him, but Wentz's red zone struggles are worrisome. Although he has thrown seven TDs to zero interceptions, Wentz has completed less than half of his passes in the red zone and his struggles were incredibly evident on Sunday against the Giants. At the Meadowlands, Wentz didn't throw a touchdown, but the Eagles converted just two touchdowns in their six red zone attempts.
One thing that could increase Wentz's red zone efficiency is the incorporation of Zach Ertz into the passing game. Ertz has just two red zone targets and one catch for six yards in the red zone this year and that is a problem. He probably has the best hands among the Eagles receivers and his big day against the Giants may have proved that him and Wentz are finally on the same page. Now, if they can turn these yards into points, it will be another huge step in the right direction.
