Foles fighting urge to start
PHILADELPHIA » If it is for the weekend, if it is for the year, if it is for the rest of his career that he will be a backup quarterback, Nick Foles will know one thing.
When he had his chance, he made it work.
“I was blessed to have the opportunity to come back here and play, and to play with great people,” Foles was saying Thursday, after practice at the NovaCare Complex. “So no matter what happens, I have no regrets.
“No matter what happens in the rest of my football career, or whatever, when it comes to football, I have no regrets.”
When the Eagles face the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 1 o’clock, Carson Wentz will be the starting quarterback for the first time since Week 14 of last season. To ready for that, Foles has spent the week running the Birds’ scout team and preparing to play only in an emergency.
For a player who helped the Eagles survive the NFC tournament, win the Super Bowl, become Super Bowl MVP, write a hot-selling book and help win the season opener, the depth-chart demotion had a chance to be deflating. Though Foles knew the plan all along was for Wentz to start whenever doctors declared his surgically repaired knee fit for NFL play, it did come with at least a tinge of reflection.
That was a million-fan parade he essentially grand-marshaled. But while all parades end, Foles knows it’s natural that he would still, at some point, want to be a featured quarterback. Eagles quarterbacks Carson Wentz, right, and Nick Foles, here chatting at the conclusion of a practice at Lincoln Financial Field Aug. 5, will return to their normal roles Sunday as Wentz starts against the Colts.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “And I know that. It’s something that I am aware of. So the big thing is, I like to go back and think about my life and the journey that I have been on, the people who have been here, the ups and downs.
“I had that opportunity when we wrote the book, because I had to reflect on every single moment. And it is humbling even to be at this point. So whenever those prideful things seep in, and they do seep in, I’m not going to say there is never that thought that comes to mind. It does. I’m human. But I have to knock it down. I have to remember where I was, why I play the game, what I have to focus on day to day. And that helps me in the moment like this, where a lot of people say, ‘Why don’t you demand this?’ Well, that’s just not who I am. That’s who I don’t want to be. Because at the end of the day, I want my daughter, once she gets older, to be proud of her daddy. So I focus on that with every decision I make.”
Foles made the decision two offseasons ago to return to Philadelphia, where he’d started his career and where he once was the starting quarterback. He knew that the Eagles had made a massive investment of draft choices in Wentz, and were expecting him to be their franchise quarterback for a decade-plus. But he took an $11 million, two-year offer to be ready and to not create a stir.
He was ready in the last postseason.
He is not going to create a stir after his 1-1 start.
“I’m adjusting to a different role,” he said. “But at the same time, it’s about the Eagles and about this team.
“The big thing is you don’t want your mind to wander. You have to remember what’s important to this team. And that’s coming in every single day and working and working to support Carson. We have a great quarterback room here, the same one as last year. So I will just go in there, do the scout team work, help our defense that way, and focus on that. Day-to-day, it’s just different.
“And I’d say getting used to that again is the biggest task right now.”
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Neither Jay Ajayi (back) nor Darren Sproles (hamstring) practiced Thursday. Though one or both could play against Indianapolis, it means other running backs have to be ready.
“It’s just the game, and it’s just what we’ve been through,” said Wendell Smallwood, who was used sparingly in the first two weeks. “It’s nothing new to us that guys would be banged up, that guys would miss practice. I just think guys step in and prepare as if they are going to play. And if we get lucky and another guy can take on that load and be just as good, we have to be ready for that.”
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Fletcher Cox, on a three-year Pro Bowl streak, is off to a strong start, totaling 2.5 sacks in his first two games. In the loss Sunday at Tampa Bay, he had seven tackles, five solo. He credits, among other things, the cross-training he did in the offseason.
“I am one of the best defensive linemen in the league,” he said. “But when it all comes down to it, it’s not about me. Collectively, it comes down to the guys in the room.”
Welp, last week was a disaster. Went 6-10 overall, 1-4 on my bets, with a loss of $76. So through two weeks, I’m 15-16-1 overall, 5-5-1 on the bets, and have a loss of $26. Let’s get back to it … COLTS +6.5 OVER EAGLES » Colts were terrible week 1, great week 2. Who are they? I don’t know. But I’ll take the points. No bet. Eagles 24-20. PANTHERS -3 OVER BENGALS » Panthers starting to figure out what they have and what to do with it. Bengals as well. This game will be tight, but Cam hasn’t exploded yet and why not here. Panthers 31-24. No bets.
JAGUARS - 6.5 OVER TITANS » The Jags are the cream of the AFC and take this one 27-17. Put me down for $10.
SAINTS +3 OVER FALCONS » I’m not a Falcons believer, and it’s really that simple. They’re defensive injuries are going to hurt them here. Saints 28-20. Put me down for $10. BRONCOS +5.5 OVER RAVENS » Broncos barely beat the Raiders last week, would’ve killed them if not for a few dropped balls. Ravens D isn’t up to Ravens D standards. Ravens 2824, and I’ll take over 44 for $10.
TEXANS -6 OVER GIANTS » The Giants are horrible. Texans 4228. Put me down for $10. DOLPHINS -3 OVER RAIDERS » Dolphins 21-17. Move along. PACKERS -3 OVER REDSKINS » This game will have points, but I expect the Packers to score more. How’s that for insight? Packers 34-27. No wagers. VIKINGS -16.5 OVER BILLS » The most lopsided matchup of the season. I’ll never give 16.5 in an NFL game, but … well, I’m giving 16.5 in an NFL game. Vikings 35-0. Put me down for $10.
CHIEFS -6.5 OVER 49ERS » Despite the public’s love for Jimmy G., he’s still not exactly lit it up. And if the Chiefs bust out early, I fail to see how the 49ers come back. Chiefs 38-20. RAMS -7 OVER CHARGERS » The Rams are firing on all cylinders right now. Have a tough time seeing the Chargers keeping pace. Rams 30-20. CARDINALS +6 OVER BEARS »A lot of coachspeak this week about using David Johnson the right way. I’ll err on the side of common sense here and assume that means they use David Johnson the right way. Bears 20-17.
COWBOYS +1.5 OVER SEAHAWKS » Blech. Cowboys 21-19. PATRIOTS -6.5 OVER LIONS » There seems to be no way in the world Patricia beats Belichick, right? Pats 45-21, put me down for $10.
STEELERS -1 OVER BUCS » This feels like it’s going to look more like a pinball machine than a football game. Steelers 35-31.
Good luck!
Jeff Edelstein is a columnist for The Trentonian. He can be reached at jedelstein@ trentonian.com, facebook. com/jeffreyedelstein and @jeffedelstein on Twitter.