Nick Foles will start for Eagles vs Falcons

PHILADELPHIA — The Super Bowl MVP gets the first start of the season.

Nick Foles will be under center when the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.

Coach Doug Pederson made the announcement on Monday, one day after a testy exchange with reporters in which he insisted he wanted to wait before ruling out Carson Wentz.

“In the best interest of everything about the football team and this decision, Nick Foles is the starter Week 1,” said Pederson, who wasn’t scheduled to speak to the media and plans to answer questions at his regular news conference on Tuesday.

Ź Coach Sean Payton says the Saints have brought in veteran running back Mike Gillislee to add physicality to New Orleans’ running game.

Payton says he sees Gillislee as D ¿UVW DQG VHFRQG GRZQ UXQQHU who has earned hard yards for his past teams. Payton says he does not envision Gillislee getting much work as a receiver, as some other running backs do in the Saints’ offense.

The Pittsburgh Steelers stressed all summer the need to avoid the kind of off-the-field distractions they couldn’t seem to shake in 2017.

So much for that.

While the two-time defending AFC North champions hit the SUDFWLFH ¿HOG RQ 0RQGD\ WR SUHSDUH for their Week 1 opener in Cleveland, All-Pro running back Le’Veon

Bell was nowhere to be found. Bell still hasn’t signed his one-year franchise tender or given any indication on when he might show up, leaving his teammates to answer for him.

“I’m not annoyed by (being asked about) it,” guard Ramon Foster said, WRQJXH ¿UPO\ LQ FKHHN ³:KR DUH you talking about? I didn’t even notice.”