The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback controversy is booming with another great performance from Nick Foles, who led the Eagles to their second consecutive win over Tampa Bay. Foles was 22 of 31 passing for 296 yards while tossing three touchdowns. He also had one rushing touchdown in the win. Although Tampa Bay was a winless football team, they do have a solid defense that is ranked 10th in the NFL when it comes to allowing their opponent to put up points averaging 20.2 points per game.
Prior to the Tampa Bay game, starting quarterback Michael Vick strained his left hamstring in the second quarter against the New York Giants. Foles took over and was able to finish the game, throwing for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Before Vick went down, he was having a solid season thus far, probably better than the last two seasons. He has thrown for 1185 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also has added 307 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The statistics do not lie. Foles has led the Eagles on 22 total drives this year and the team is averaging 2.64 points per drive. Meanwhile, Vick has led the team on 54 drives with an average of 1.96 points per drive.
In 2011 the NFL has come up with a system called Total Quarterback Rating or QBR to rate quarterbacks on their performances. On a scale of 0 to 100, quarterbacks are rated on their play that gives their team the best chance to win. For example, how crucial a certain play is during a game and based on what happens will factor into that score. Fifty is an average QBR rating for an NFL quarterback. In just his two games, Foles has posted an astonishing 87.2 QBR. That is a better QBR than Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Michael Vick sits at a QBR of 65.4.
In a poll by csnphilly.com that asked if Foles should be the starting QB, out of 566 votes, 75 percent of them voted yes.
Eagles Head Coach Chip Kelly was asked prior to the Cowboys game who would be the starting quarterback. “All of our decisions are made on what’s going to give us the best opportunity to win,” Kelly said. “And we have to put healthy guys on the field and make sure we can get a scheme together that’s going to help us beat the Cowboys.” Chip Kelly named Michael Vick his starting quarterback prior to the start of the season and it looks like his decision will not change unless Vick is not healthy.
Eagles Running back LeSean McCoy made it clear to the media that Vick is the guy going forward if he is healthy. ”Mike is the starter, Coach Kelly made that clear, but if he needs Nick to step in and make some plays then he’ll do that,” McCoy said after the win in Tampa Bay. “Mike’s the guy we go with, he’s the starting quarterback, no matter what the town says or what the outsiders want. It’s Coach Kelly’s call and that’s the call he’s made.”
In response to McCoy’s comments Kelly had this to say “I have no idea what he’s talking about,” he said. “Me and LeSean, we didn’t talk about anything like that after the game so I don’t know where the reference of after the game, I said that, so I don’t know.”
As the season progresses it may be a mystery to Eagles fans who will be under center week after week.
Sean Breen is a fourth-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. He can be reached at SB718728@wcupa.edu.
Fri. Apr 26th, 2024
