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Hype about Wentz keeps building, thanks (in part) to Pederson, Biden

DOUG PEDERSON talked Monday about how "the No. 1 challenge" now is "to stay humble" at 3-0 going into the bye week.

DOUG PEDERSON talked Monday about how "the No. 1 challenge" now is "to stay humble" at 3-0 going into the bye week.

Pederson said this right after he called rookie quarterback Carson Wentz's preparation "Peyton Manningish," and right before the vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, tweeted: "Heart, guts, and poise from my guy, @cj_wentz. Huge game, strong start for @Eagles. @DrBiden is pumped. It's our year."

Two weeks ago, you might recall, Biden's boss coined the phrase, "The Wentz Wagon."

So, good luck with all that, coach.

At least this is the bye week. Wentz and his teammates won't spend a lot of time in front of cameras, being asked to expound upon their greatness. Wentz said he planned some hunting, which sounded like a "grounded" sort of thing to do, if perhaps slightly dangerous. Couldn't Pederson, who said, "It's my job to shelter him from all the outside noise, from people pulling on his time," just lock Wentz into a South Jersey gas station restroom for safekeeping until it's time to get ready for Detroit?

Pederson, who is off to the best start of any rookie coach in franchise history, did not downplay the notion that Wentz, who is off to the best start of any rookie quarterback in franchise history, has a so-called "photographic memory," something two of his questioners brought up, in the wake of sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson having mentioned it during the CBS broadcast. This also was alluded to in the Daily News-Inquirer season preview piece on Wentz.

"If it's a bad play, he forgets it; if it's a good play, he forgets it and he just kind of moves on, but, at the same time, he can recall things fast and quickly, things that we're seeing even during the course of the game that we can tweak on the sideline," Pederson said.

"He's a different player, that way. He's much like (Pederson's) last quarterback, Alex Smith, in Kansas City, same type of memory. For a young kid to do that is pretty special."

Pederson said his quarterbacks, who gather at 5:30 each morning, "are exhausting the tape."

"He's constantly, I hear him just even in the building, talking to guys about plays and routes and protections," Pederson said. "It's Peyton Manningish. I don't want to put labels on guys, but that's how Peyton prepared. That's how these top quarterbacks prepare each week. He has that knack, as a young quarterback, and that'll just carry him throughout his career.

"The challenge now is the more success, how much gets pulled on him and taken away from him (by defenses scheming to limit Wentz)."

Asked a follow-up question about "photographic memory," Pederson said: "I think he does have that type of memory, that type of recollection. He sees things, he remembers it. We can talk about it after a drive is over. We can obviously see it on the pictures, on the tablets on the sideline, and then when he goes back out there, he can remember that defense. If he sees that front or that coverage, that look again, he knows exactly what's coming defensively, and he can put us in the right play.

"For a young quarterback, after only a few weeks, to have that type of recollection is something special."

Of course, there is controlling the hype, and there is giving credit where credit is due. What Wentz has accomplished since the Eagles traded Sam Bradford to Minnesota on Sept 3 is amazing. On some level, Pederson is just bearing witness.

"He's so aggressive on the field. When I say aggressive, it's not necessarily from a physical standpoint, but from a mental standpoint," Pederson said. "His personality, I mean, he's always constantly smiling. It's infectious. Guys have gravitated to that.

"I think there was maybe, you know, three weeks ago when I named Carson the starter, there were obviously some eyebrows raised (in the locker room). But now these guys have bought in. They have bought in. They've got the leader of the football team. You saw it (Sunday). You watch the tape and you see it on film. These guys, these veteran players, have really embraced it. They will do anything they can for a guy like that."

On the run

Wendell Smallwood gained 79 yards on 17 carries and scored his first NFL touchdown Sunday against a Steelers defense that is always one of the best in the league at stopping the run. The fifth-round rookie out of West Virginia said afterward he thought the coaches would sit him after he was stuffed on first-and-goal from the 1, but they gave him the ball again and he scored standing.

"It just felt good to finally get into a flow, get comfortable with the game and not be out there like . . . a deer out there in the headlights," Smallwood said.

He didn't look like that at all; in fact, as center Jason Kelce noted, Smallwood showed veteran presence of mind when he ran for a first down at the sideline and slid down to stay inbounds and keep the clock running.

Doug Pederson said Ryan Mathews' ankle, which he sprained during the opener, "stiffened up on him" during the first quarter, which was the only quarter Mathews played. Mathews had an earlier problem with the same ankle, entering training camp.

Pederson said Mathews is still the top running back when healthy - which has been Mathews' challenge throughout his NFL career.

Birdseed

Twice on Sunday, Malcolm Jenkins perfectly timed dives in front of Antonio Brown to knock passes away, most memorably on the fourth-and-5 play in the third quarter. Jenkins has played extremely well in the wake of both his national anthem protests. "He's a great leader of this team," Doug Pederson said . . . Pederson reiterated that he expects tight end Zach Ertz (displaced rib) and cornerback Leodis McKelvin (hamstring) to return when practice resumes next week . . . Pederson said he expects rookie guard Isaac Seumalo to "get some work done" then, as well. Seumalo has a strained pec.

@LesBowen

Blog: philly.com/Eaglesblog