Week 1 Remains the Goal for Carson Wentz

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - It's been over four months since Carson Wentz tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee and the Eagles star quarterback is about halfway in his rehab even though timetables are strictly forbidden at the NovaCare Complex.

Wentz's goal remains the same -- the Week 1 Thursday night kickoff spectacular on Sept. 6, likely against the Minnesota Vikings in a rematch of the NFC Championship Game.

While eschewing the T-word, Wentz did admit his personal goal remains the regular-season opener and said he wouldn't need any preseason work to meet it.

“I’m feeling good with where I’m at and just trying to stay the course,” Wentz told reporters in South Philadelphia on Tuesday. “Like I said late last season, it’s such a fluid process, it’s so hard to put a time-frame and a timetable on these things. I wish I knew as well. Things are going well and I’m happy with where I’m at.”

The nine-week offseason program began Monday for the Eagles and Tuesday marked the first time Wentz spoke publicly since Super Bowl week in Minneapolis back in February.

"I just try to take it one day at a time," Wentz said. "Some days that’s easier said than done. You look at the big picture at times, but right now I’m not going to rush it, I’m going to be smart, I’m going to do everything I can to get back out there.”

The progress has been there for the most part and the Wentz that showed up on Tuesday had improved leaps and bounds to the one who was once on crutches and then a cane.

“It’s part of it. It’s part of the process,” Wentz said of the incremental improvement. “If something feels really good, I’m like ‘let’s do it.’ But you’ve just got to stay the course. You’ve seen the horror stories of people coming back too soon and those things. I can assure you that I’ll be smart about it.”

Being smart about his health has been a consistent theme since Wentz arrived in Philadelphia with Doug Pederson, former offensive coordinator Frank Reich and former quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo imploring the now third-year quarterback to tweak his sometimes reckless style.

"I'm not going to change," Wentz insisted. "I mean you're always going to learn, but as far as changing my style of play, that won't happen."

The knee brace Wentz will be forced to wear for the foreseeable future moving forward may force some adjustments, however.

“I guess we’ll see when the time comes,” Wentz said. “I think I’ll be fine."

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen