Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) looks to pass during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Cardinals 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Nick Foles has been one of the stories of the season, and it’s been incredible watching his meteoric rise. Facing a great Arizona Cardinals defense, Foles made a huge statement by putting up a 21-34 line with 237 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions; Foles made a statement that he’s no fluke. Because before that game, you could say that Foles had yet to tear up a great defense. He absolutely mauled (the numbers truly are mind-boggling) the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, and Green Bay Packers awful pass defenses, but the knock was that Foles simply racked up yardage against bad coverage.
It’s extremely difficult to disprove a monstrous game against the Cardinals defense, and Foles has been historically good ever since taking the reigns of the Eagles starting QB position. Foles has 19 touchdowns and zero interceptions this season, and two more touchdowns and no INTs would break Peyton Manning’s record for most consecutive TDs without a pick to start a season. Wow.
Michael Vick was named the Eagles starter prior to the season, as he beat out both Foles and rookie Matt Barkley, who is as far from being ready for the NFL as anyone, in a training camp competition. The veteran was also viewed as a better scheme fit than Foles, and he played well until a hamstring injury got the best of him. Since then, he’s been Wally Pipp’d in a big way by the second-year, cool-in-the-pocket passer out of Arizona, and Vick has heart-warmingly been all smiles about it despite the fact that Vick will be out of a job in Philly by the end of the season.
Foles earned being named the starter for the rest of the season last week even though Vick was healthy, and that decision by Chip Kelly was obvious and should have even been made sooner. But this latest statement from the Eagles head coach is a strong one, and it speaks volumes to how amazing Foles has been since lighting up the Raiders in Week 9.
According to CSN Philly’s Reuben Frank, Kelly is committed to Nick Foles as the Eagles starting quarterback long-term, “He’s the starting quarterback for the next 1,000 years here.”
He’s earned it.