No one expected Nick Foles to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl 52, but would him leading his team to victory be all that shocking?
If you would’ve asked an NFL fan near the end of the regular season which team would represent the NFC in Super Bowl LII, there’s a good chance that many would’ve answered “the Philadelphia Eagles.” However, if you would’ve told those same fans that it would be Nick Foles starting at quarterback instead of Carson Wentz, they might not have been as receptive to the notion of a Super Bowl berth.
Nonetheless, the Eagles made it to this point. On Sunday, they face the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium for the right to hoist the Lombardi Trophy as champions of the league. And Nick Foles will be the starting quarterback in that game.
Especially when compared to Tom Brady on the opposite sideline, you might underestimate Foles. In fact, you honestly wouldn’t expect Foles to do much of anything in a Super Bowl matchup with the Pats. Yet, would it really be all that surprising if Foles led the way to a win in the game?
When you think about it, Foles has gotten the rap as a mediocre-at-best quarterback. However, the reason for that is that he is wildly inconsistent. While he holds the record for most touchdown passes in a single game (7), he can also lay an egg just as easily. But at his best, it’s a fool’s errand to deny Foles’ ability. If you do choose to ignore it, though, just watch how well he played and look at what he did to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game.
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So, while it might be surprising to see Foles win the Super Bowl, it shouldn’t be because of his ability — it should simply be because it’s unexpected against the likes of Brady and Bill Belichick. When it comes to what Foles is capable of, however, he’s shown he can be elite, just not in any predictable sort or with any kind of regularity.