FOLES HAS EARNED WINGS

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly says he’s rolling with secondyear quarterback Nick Foles, who has thrown an astonishing 16 touchdown passes without an interception.

That includes 10 total scoring passes in back- to- back road wins for the Eagles ( 5- 5).

So will Michael Vick end his fiveyear run in Philadelphia as a backup now that Foles has led the Eagles to four wins in six games?

“Assuming Nick Foles doesn’t get injured, I have to believe that the numbers don’t lie — guys don’t put up numbers like Foles has and then all of a sudden crash and burn,” former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. “These numbers aren’t just good numbers. They’re spectacular numbers.”

Foles completed 73.9% of his passes over his last two games, road wins vs. the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers. The only quarterback to have a hotter start is fourtime MVP Peyton Manning, who threw for 20 TDs before his first interception of the season with the Denver Broncos.

So Foles, 24, is the present and future for Kelly’s Eagles.

“Chip Kelly can say whatever,” said Esiason, an analyst for CBS and Westwood One Radio. “He would be run out of town if he took Nick Foles off the field right now.

“First thing they have to worry about is how to win a home game. Then they can worry about the quarterback situation, which they don’t have to worry about anymore.”

The Eagles will attempt to end a franchise- record 10- game home losing skid Sunday against the Washington Redskins. The larger question is whether Foles is good enough to lead the Eagles back to the postseason for the first time since 2010.

“Why not? He’s certainly proven he can do it,” Esiason said. “It’s about performance in this league. And it’s about creating explosive plays. He’s got something special going on right now.”

Remember when Foles was deemed a square- peg pocket passer for Kelly’s high- speed offense? The 6- 6, 243- pounder has proved nimble enough to run read- option keepers.

Foles’ speed will never be confused with that of Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, but he carried eight times for 38 yards against the Packers and has been on fire since returning Nov. 3 from a concussion suffered Oct. 20 vs. the Dallas Cowboys.

“The last few weeks, Nick has become really comfortable,” Esiason said. “There is no longer a fidgety patter of his feet. There’s a real sense of calmness about his game, translating to his 63.2 completion percentage, lack of interceptions, understanding of Chip’s offense and reading defenses.”

Kelly declined to commit long term to Foles but doesn’t have to because Vick, 33, is recovering from a hamstring injury. But Foles has led the Eagles to a first- place tie with the Cowboys, while Vick has five TDs and three interceptions.

What does Kelly like about Foles, a 2012 third- round pick by then- coach Andy Reid? “He may not be fleet of foot, but he’s fleet of mind,” Kelly said. “He’s a really, really good decision- maker.”

Kelly has handled a delicate situation as well as Foles has protected the football.

“Chip is handling the quarterback situation brilliantly,” 2002 league MVP quarterback Rich Gannon said. “He’s got a very popular player in the locker room in Mike Vick.

“Why come out now and put pressure on a young quarterback? If Foles stinks it up for a couple of weeks, Chip may have to go back to Vick. Rather than create that firestorm, Chip’s not saying anything.”

Gannon is convinced Foles has what it takes to emerge as Philadelphia’s future — now.

“Why would you take Foles out?” he said.

BENNY SIEU, USA TODAY SPORTS Quarterback Nick Foles has led the Eagles’ rally to a first- place tie in the NFC East with four wins — all on the road — in their last six games.