3 NFL Storylines to Watch in Week 15
Is Philly Finished Under Nick Foles?
Unfortunately for the Philadelphia Eagles, what was shaping up to be an MVP-caliber season for Carson Wentz in just his second year was put to an abrupt end last week due to a torn ACL. Now the team turns to backup Nick Foles as they look to protect the number one seed in the NFC playoff hunt with three games left to play.
Thankfully for Foles, he draws three teams (the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys) that have been soft when it comes to defending the passing game. In fact, all three currently sit in the bottom 10 of numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics against the pass.
Back in 2013, Foles was a second-year player and burst onto the scene when he took over as the Eagles' quarterback. Fueled by the pro edition of Chip Kelly's pace-and-space spread offense in year one, Foles posted a league-high touchdown rate of 8.5 percent, throwing 27 touchdowns to only 2 interceptions while making a total of 10 starts.
Foles struggled for much of the following season (13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions) only to find himself traded to a dreadful St. Louis Rams team guided by Jeff Fisher. By all accounts, Foles had one of the worst seasons imaginable. Last year, Foles made one spot start for the Kansas City Chiefs prior to rejoining the Eagles in the offseason.
Under Wentz, the Eagles climbed to -- by our numbers -- the third-ranked passing offense in the league. Much of that credit goes to Wentz, but that same supporting cast is now in Foles' corner. These three games against some of the easiest competition in the league give Foles a great opportunity to develop some rapport and build the confidence he'll desperately need to try and salvage what has been a dream season in Philadelphia.