Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Eagles’ QB Foles ‘excited’ for another preseason start
PHILADELPHIA » Nick Foles takes half of the first-team quarterback reps in Eagles’ practices, then takes the other half off.
Play some. Let Carson Wentz play some. Play, rest. And is that any way to prepare a quarterback to start Sept. 6 in the opener?
“I think the big thing is, when you get reps, you are in it and make it as gamelike as possible,” Foles said Tuesday, after practice at the NovaCare Complex. “If Carson is in and he’s getting reps, I am watching him. I am playing the game. I have learned to take the mental reps even when someone else is in so I can sort of build that data base of plays.”
Foles did that well enough last season to take over for Wentz and have a certain postseason success. He expects to have sufficient prep time to be ready for that again, including another start in a preseason game Thursday in Cleveland.
Foles started the Birds’ last exhibition game, a 3720 loss in New England, completing 3 of 9 passes for 44 yards and injuring his shoulder. After Thursday, he won’t likely play again until the regular-season visit from Atlanta, if he starts that one at all.
With the Eagles having restructured the skill section of their offense, both quarterbacks needed some time to adjust. Wentz, who only recently resumed fulltime, 11-on-11 practicing after recovering from knee surgery, will not play at all in the preseason. And Foles is down to his final two quarters.
“I am able to throw with guys on the side, getting on the same page, talking to them,” Foles said. “Talking is important because there are certain ways you want the routes run and what you’re looking for. But it’s not hard to do. It’s not really hard. So that’s what we’re doing right now.”
Doug Pederson has not, nor is he soon planning to, appoint a starter for the regular-season opener. But he does realize the value in continuing to prepare Foles, just in case Wentz suffers a setback.
While he might not expect him to reprise his Super Bowl MVP performance in a meaningless game against the Browns, Pederson acknowledges he needs to see better data than he did from Foles in New England.
“Again, it’s just consistency,” the Birds’ coach said. “You saw a couple throws early in the game that were not Nick Foles-type throws as far as accuracy goes. So just making those routinetype plays and overall execution is important. We would love to see a touchdown drive or two, obviously, or points out of the first unit. But I think, with them playing more this week together, you’ll see a little better execution Thursday night.”
That Foles is ready to start at all is a mini-boost for the Birds, who naturally had some concerns when the veteran backup needed in-game shoulder therapy in New England.
“When it happened, there was definitely soreness for the next couple of days,” Foles said. “But I had this shoulder surgically repaired in 2007. It was a similar hit in 2007, a little more aggressive in my senior year in high school. With that, you feel something and it scares you at first when your arm gets jarred.
“But I went to the sideline and my strength was great. They checked it out, and that’s why I said after the game that I wasn’t too worried. You play this game long enough, you are going to get banged up and have some things going on. So I was very optimistic. I felt great. It has felt great all week. I haven’t missed a day of
practice.”
Or at least half of any practice.
“I’m excited,” Foles said. “I was excited to play in that last game. It was the first time I played since the Super Bowl. Going into this game, settling down, I’ve always said that for me the game is such a feel, just getting back in the huddle, getting reps, getting in the game, feeling the environment, feeling game day.
“Every athlete will tell you what you feel: Your body knows it’s game day. So getting the feel of that again in the preseason just gets you acclimated and ready to go for the season. That’s how I use the preseason, to get ready, going out there and playing with the guys, stepping into the huddle, obviously getting on the same page with new personnel.
“I am just looking forward to getting in the game and playing football.”