Eagles give fans what they want - Wentz - in preseason win

The calls for Carson Wentz came in the first half of the Eagles' preseason opener Thursday night from fans who endured a 100-degree heat index in Philadelphia to catch their first glimpse of the Eagles' future franchise quarterback.

"We want Wentz! We want Wentz! We want Wentz!"

The original plan was to keep them waiting until the start of the second half, but coach Doug Pederson altered course and sent Wentz onto the field to run a two-minute drill with 79 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Wentz's introduction was the most anticipated moment of the Eagles' 17-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which also marked the first game with Pederson on the sideline as Eagles head coach.

Pederson and the Eagles staked their futures on Wentz, the No. 2 overall pick who came to the Eagles in a blockbuster trade in April. With an initial plan to keep Wentz sidelined to begin the regular season, the preseason could be the only chance this year for those fans to watch the quarterback.

"I know the fans are excited," Wentz said. "And I know it's going to be a heck of a ride here."

Wentz finished 12 of 24 for 89 yards and one interception. He also rushed three times for 15 yards. Similar to training camp, there were plays that served as evidence why the Eagles invested so much to acquire Wentz, and there were plays that showed why the Eagles are being patient with his development. But there was more good than bad in his debut, and his ability to sense pressure and throw on the run were the most promising parts of his performance.

"By no means was he perfect," Pederson said, "but pleased with his first outing."

On one 10-yard completion in the third quarter, Wentz immediately recognized the pass rusher and rolled to his right to connect with Paul Turner on a dart to the sideline. He scrambled around the right end for 9 yards later in the quarter, showing mobility rare for a 6-foot-5, 237-pound quarterback.

"I think it's just my athleticism," Wentz said. "I feel comfortable making plays on the run."

But there were also passes that sailed too high - that had been a problem during training camp - and he threw a regrettable interception 11 yards away from the end zone when he stood in the pocket with pressure coming down the middle and floated the ball to the middle of the field.

The Eagles had 188 total yards - 93 rushing, 95 passing - and forced five turnovers.

Kenjon Barner led the running backs with seven carries for 35 yards. Paul Turner led the receivers with six catches for 34 yards.

The first-team offense stayed on the field for only three snaps. That was enough to generate seven points, but not enough to form any meaningful evaluation.

It started with a short field after the Eagles forced a fumble on the opening kickoff to send Sam Bradford out to start at the Buccaneers' 18-yard line. Bradford dropped back once - a 3-yard pass to Brent Celek on the first play - and handed off twice. Ryan Mathews rushed twice for 15 yards, including a 10-yard score behind a formation that included three tight ends. Mathews ran behind a right side with Lane Johnson starting at tackle amid reports of potential suspension and prized free-agent acquisition Brandon Brooks at guard before he exited with a right biceps injury.

The starting defense played longer than the offense, a curious development considering it has outplayed the offense this summer. But the defenders showed why they could be a strength of this team, forcing a three-and-out on Tampa Bay's first drive and then giving the Eagles offense a short field on the second drive when Fletcher Cox and Bennie Logan barreled into quarterback Jameis Winston. Cox, playing in his first game since signing a six-year, $103 million contract, was credited with the sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery.

"I was pleased with the win, pleased with the young guys," Pederson said. "There were a lot of areas we could continue to improve on. To start the game with a special-teams turnover and to score offensively was obviously a positive, and the way our first defense got after them a little bit, too, was really pleasing."

The defense allowed a 79-yard scoring drive on the next possession, but the unit left a positive impression in its first game under coordinator Jim Schwartz.

The same can't be said about backup quarterback Chase Daniel, who received a three-year, $21 million deal to follow Pederson from Kansas City. Daniel went 4 of 10 for 15 yards and was sacked four times. He faced pressure playing against the Bucs' first- and second-team defenses, and the Eagles' backup offensive linemen did not help his case. But considering Daniel is the quarterback blocking Wentz from wearing a uniform during the regular season, it was not an encouraging first impression.

The Eagles play their second preseason game in Pittsburgh in a week, and they don't return to Philadelphia until the preseason finale. Wentz is expected to get most of the work that evening and the chants heard in the first half on Thursday will only grow louder if he continues to show the positive signs of Thursday night.

"I had a lot of fun out there," Wentz said. "Definitely some things to improve on for myself and as a team, but overall it was enjoyable."

zberman@phillynews.com

@ZBerm