Leave it to the NFL schedule makers to throw cold water on the serious case of Wentz Mania that is gripping the Philly region.
The Eagles are not going to win and extend their brilliant start to 4-0 this weekend.
But it's not because they are going to lose, either.
They don't play. It's their bye week.
No doubt this will prove just as popular as playing four preseason games.
The timing of the bye is always debatable, and almost always hated by fans.
That will be even more so as the break pulls the plug on the magic that head coach Doug Pederson, Wentz and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz are accomplishing.
In the meantime, there is another story line that should interest Eagles fans, and a date they should circle on their calendars.
Oct. 23.
That's when the Minnesota Vikings come to town. They're also sporting a perfect, 3-0 mark, despite losing their starting quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, to a season-ending knee injury, then watching their All-Pro running back, Adrian Peterson, go down with an ankle sprain.
Oh, and you might recognize the guy now leading the Vikings. That would be none other than Sam Bradford. Yes, the same Bradford who was expected to be leading the Eagles this year, right up until the time Bridgewater's knee exploded.
In an unprecedented move, Eagles GM Howie Roseman traded his starting QB a week before the season opener. Then he and Pederson doubled down by announcing they would go with Wentz as their starter, despite the fact that he had played only a quarter of a preseason game, before being shunted off to the sidelines with cracked ribs.
It is almost impossible to realize now that the initial plan was not even going to play this year. Bradford was penciled in as the starter, with veteran Chase Daniel as the backup. Wentz would watch and learn. He must be a quick learner.
Now the entire league is talking about Wentz after three straight dazzling weeks, including Sunday's eye-popping domination of the vaunted Steelers.
Beat writer Bob Grotz offers a few thoughts on our old pal Bradford.
How cool would it be if both teams went into that Oct. 23 clash undefeated.
I always liked Bradford. The guy can make all the throws. He just had a lot of horrible luck with his knees. I said after the trade I thought there was a chance Bradford could lead a very good Vikings team to the Super Bowl.
But, once the trade was made, I also said I had no interest in watching Daniel play. Wentz had to play. The Eagles concurred.
The rest is history.
In the meantime, Carson Mania will have to cool its jets for a week.
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