Foles returns to site of 1st win
PHILADELPHIA » You never forget your first win.
Which is why preparing to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium this weekend is stirring up a lot of memories in Nick Foles.
For Foles, the first victory was a lot like the last one in Super Bowl LII in terms of jubilation, and his own personal play call.
The Eagles were in trouble long before Foles took the field for the fourth start of his rookie season in 2012.
Andy Reid was the head coach and management decided to move on from Michael Vick. Reid’s oldest son, Garrett, died of a drug overdose at training camp. A coaching change was in the works.
“That wasn’t the easiest year being Andy’s last year and everything that went on,” Foles said. “To get that win at that time was huge. You look back on film and see everyone celebrating like we won the Super Bowl.
“It was really special. At that point I didn’t know how it was going to for me in the NFL. I hadn’t won. I had lost several and I was like man, when am I going to get a win in this league?”
It didn’t look like Foles was going to break into the win column on that 69-degree December afternoon in Tampa, either. The Bucs, coached by Greg Schiano, were leading 2110 with 7:21 left.
Foles threw a touchdown pass to Clay Harbor with 3:55 to go, and after a stop by the defense, hooked up with Jeremy Maclin from one yard out as time expired. Maclin’s grab was confirmed by the replay official.
Foles’ 22-yard pass to Jason Avant on fourth-and-five, followed by a spike, set up the winner, which he suggested.
“I just remember there was a timeout called, we had one play left and something hit my brain, my gut,” Foles said. “And I ran over to Andy Reid and said hey, can we do the sprint out? He said, ‘go do it.’ And I remember Maclin making an amazing catch, barely getting his knees or feet in and just waiting (for the review) to see if it really happened, if we really got that victory.”
That would be Reid’s last victory with the Eagles, as he was fired after the 4-12 season. Foles had an epic year under Chip Kelly in 2013, throwing 27 touchdown passes against just two interceptions. But his next season ended prematurely due to injury, and then he was shipped to the St. Louis Rams for Sam Bradford.
Foles had almost no success with the Rams and wound up with Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs, making one start. He seriously considered retirement until the Eagles and the Buccaneers, coached by Dirk Koetter pursued him before the 2017 season. Koetter recruited Foles to Arizona State, but was fired before the prospect ever got there.
“I loved Nick as a high school player,” Koetter said on a conference call. “His athleticism, not only as a football player but as a basketball player. I’ve followed his career closely ever since. We tried to get him to come down here but that’s worked out well for him and we did great by getting (Ryan Fitzpatrick).”
Foles stepped in when Carson Wentz was hurt late in the season, led the Eagles to a Super Bowl title and was MVP of the game. There’s a statue of him and Doug Pederson collaborating on PhillyPhilly, the iconic Philly Special play in which he caught a scoring pass from tight end Trey Burton in the victory over the New England Patriots. The sculpture stands outside Lincoln Financial Field in Headhouse Plaza.
“I think it’s a representation of our team and everything that went with it,” Foles said. “In that moment I think you just see the boldness of our team throughout the course of the year. It’s not just that moment and calling the Philly Special. The statue is a representation of something greater. It’s not just me and Doug up there.”
Foles and the Eagles defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 18-12, in the opener last week. The offense sputtered. It typically does until Foles gets into a rhythm. With Foles, not Carson Wentz, starting again this week, Pederson has some tricks up his sleeve to expedite the process.
“We can hurry, up-tempo,” Pederson said. “I think that’s a good way to get the quarterback in the rhythm. And then early in games, find plays that are completiontype plays. You know, that are kind of the no-brainer, you don’t have to think a lot. You’re not necessarily into the heat of the battle yet. You always have those types of plays in your game plan where the ball’s out, whether it’s a quick throw or quick play action, or something of that nature that becomes a quick little completion play for the quarterback and helps him settle in and get into the game.”
Foles likely will be without leading receiver Alshon Jeffery, who’s rehabbing a rotator cuff injury. But the Eagles think they know how to get tight end Zach Ertz engaged after he faced more coverages in the opener than at any time in his career.
At the end of the day, Foles has won six of his last seven starts with the Eagles, including the playoffs.
Right now, returning to scene of his first win is feeling cathartic.