Foles Real or Foles Gold?

From the time Nick Foles took over in place of Mike Vick as the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback in 2013, every Eagles fan is wondering if Foles is actually as good as he looks.

FOLES REAL:

The reason why Nick Foles is putting up hall of fame numbers is because he fits Chip Kelly’s offense. Number 9 for the eagles fits what Chip Kelly is looking for at the quarterback position. Not to over simplify what Kelly is looking for at the quarterback position, but he wants to have a smart decision maker that is able to distribute the ball effectively to his receivers. This is probably his best attribute because his smart decision making causes him to not turn the ball over. Besides fitting the scheme, he also has the attributes that make him for real. Foles maintains his down-field focus no matter how much pressure he has. His throws downfield under pressure are extra effective because of his strong arm. The pressure does not seem to faze him because of his excellent footwork in the pocket, which was developed from his past basketball experience. His height gives him the advantage to see over the attacking defensive front. Last year he also gained experience of playing under pressure when Andy Reid played him behind a dreadful and injury riddled offensive line. During this time his footwork was able to develop even further because of the constant need of evading rushers. Many football pundits believe that timing and anticipation are innate skills that cannot be taught. Foles has these skills which allow him to place the ball where the receiver can catch it. Nick has developed a pump fake and the ability to use his eyes to misguide a defensive back this season.

Foles Gold:

Even though Nick Foles has great attributes, he also has flaw. Probably his most frustrating trait is his tendency of overthrowing the receiver or floating the ball past him on a deep route. The NFL is about consistency. The league has seen Foles playing lights out one week and then poor the next. Forget about going season to season, if he is unable to go game to game with the same caliber of play. Foles has to become more consistent. One does not need Chip to tell you that he is not athletically gifted. His inability to run hurts the eagles with the read option QB runs. When the eagles have come out with an early lead, Foles has had trouble closing out the game. He also needs to work on getting the ball out quicker so he is not under pressure and is forced to take the sack or throw the ball away.

Verdict:

From what the football world has seen thus far, Nick Foles is not an exceptional quarterback, however he has been great. He is not an exceptional quarterback because he does not make the other players around him better. The numbers that he has been putting up this year goes beyond his athletic ability. They are caused by the system that he is in. If the QB is not good then the system does not work but if the QB is good then the system can be. In addition, if the system is not good then the QB is not as well. If the system is good, than the QB can perform well even if he is not a good QB. Chip Kelly’s system had great QBs whether he was at Oregon or New Hampshire. His play calling is not erratic nor does he take risks. Kelly’s play calling allows the offense to maintain control of the ball, especially when he has the lead. You will rarely see Foles having more than 25 pass attempts if the eagles had the lead throughout the  entire game. Even if he does not shock you game after game like the top QBs of the game he distributes the ball effectively to his targets.

Foles’ success is not a mirage; however fans should not be too desperate and impatient. Eagles’ fans know that Foles is not a runner, however, Merrill Reese did not give him the nickname Tricky Nicky for no reason. Nick Foles is a functional runner that will keep the defense honest. The reason why his runs appear to work well are due to him not needing to run when the play is called. His running plays are being decided at the line of scrimmage as a pre-snap QB run read option. No matter how many wrinkles Kelly adds to the Eagles offense, Nick Foles is smart enough to perform them. This alludes to why Vick struggled as weeks progressed. Maybe as Kelly complicated the playbook, it became too much for him. As an Eagles fan, one should always want to see more. A fan should not be satisfied with the QB position with not having a Super bowl. Therefore, the quarterback of the Eagles has to be able to get it for them. If the eagles need a QB who can run to win a Super bowl then the eagles should not stick with not Foles, then who? Only time will tell where the Eagles will go with Nick Foles as the field commander. We have to wait and see if Foles is the long term answer. It is likely that there will not be a viable competitor to push Foles during the off-season; so that must mean the Eagles have a franchise QB. The football nation has seen Nick Foles grow this season, and maybe he can grow into one of the top QBs in the game. 

--Glen