Nick Foles Memes Its Happening Again
We all remember the Philadelphia Eagles were underdogs in each playoff game last season. Nosotros typically forget it'southward because nobody believed in Nick Foles. That was justified, considering how bad he was late in the regular season.
We also might temporarily forget that when Foles was cut by the Los Angeles Rams in the summertime of 2016, he signed as the Kansas City Chiefs' backup for a measly $1.75 million. He well-nigh became a pastor the following offseason before the Eagles came calling, and it wouldn't have been a large headline if he retired. He was out of our consciousness by then. It's possible nobody would have noticed for a while.
Peradventure someone has had a stranger career than Nick Foles, but it's difficult to come up with that answer. When Foles is good, he's keen. At times he looks similar i of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL. Other times, it'south no surprise he's a backup.
Lord's day'due south amazing operation against the Houston Texans wasn't the best of Foles' career. That was final season'south Super Bowl, when he won MVP. Or information technology was the entire 2013 season, when he put upwardly the 3rd-all-time passer rating in NFL history, before falling back into obscurity.
But what he did Dominicus was amazing likewise.
Foles threw for an Eagles-tape 471 yards with iv touchdowns and led a game-winning drive in the final minute to knock off the Texans 32-30. Information technology's not like Sunday'southward story needed any more layers, but Foles came dorsum on the last bulldoze after being knocked out for a play when Jadeveon Clowney striking him in the chest, a hit that drew a personal foul. Foles' biggest play on the final bulldoze was a huge tertiary-and-10 completion to Zach Ertz, which got the Eagles into field-goal range.
With a loss, the defending Super Basin champions would take been eliminated from playoff contention. Foles wouldn't let it happen.
The proficient office almost having the nearly hot-and-cold quarterback in NFL history is riding the hot streaks. Information technology happened in the playoffs last flavour. It's happening once again, as well. Foles, who got some other chance to start afterward Carson Wentz was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back, led a large upset over the Rams last week and was incredible in the win over the Texans, who were x-4 coming in. Foles looks like a completely different player than the one who was underwhelming the first 2 games of this season, when Wentz was still working back from an ACL injury.
Whether Foles tin complete the miracle and get the Eagles in the playoffs — they'll need to beat the Redskins adjacent week and become assist — we'll hear a familiar tale in the offseason: What will Philadelphia do with Foles, who will stop this regular season as the NFL's hottest quarterback?
Foles has a common pick on his contract, according to ESPN.com. It would pay him $20 one thousand thousand in 2019. Philadelphia has already stated that Wentz is the starter going frontwards, which makes sense even though the Eagles have generally played better over the last agenda yr with Foles in the lineup. On 1 hand, $20 million is steep for a fill-in. On the other, the Eagles might find a prissy trade marketplace for him. Or they might just value him so much every bit a backup, specially given Wentz'southward injury history, that $xx million isn't that unreasonable.
That sums up Foles' career. He's the backup for the Eagles, but it'south not crazy to remember they might pay him $20 one thousand thousand for that role.
That's a story for another solar day, and before so there are sure to exist more "Wentz or Foles?" opinions over the offseason, though nosotros all know it'south Wentz. For now the Eagles are focused on getting another win and maybe squeezing in the playoffs.
And if the Eagles make the playoffs? How much harm they can do depends on which Foles shows up. Skilful luck figuring that out.
Here are the rest of the winners and losers from Week xvi of the NFL season:
WINNERS
Aaron Rodgers: The truth is Rodgers has not had a great season. Mayhap that'south the knee joint injury he suffered in Calendar week 1, a coaching staff that struggled to create an offense to fit him, or any else. But he hasn't been great.
If you lot were wondering if Rodgers is somehow slipping … probably not.
On Sun, Rodgers had a vintage performance. He threw for 442 yards and 2 touchdowns, had two rushing touchdowns and led the Packers back from a fifteen-signal deficit afterward three quarters to crush the New York Jets 44-38 in overtime. Rodgers' overtime touchdown pass to Davante Adams, afterwards Rodgers' touchdown run was wiped out due to a property penalty, was a cute throw. It wasn't a game that mattered in the playoff race, but it was yet a thrilling performance from one of the league'due south stars.
It likely doesn't make that big of a deviation in what will happen with the Packers' coaching search. A good candidate will still desire to jitney Rodgers, 1 of the all-fourth dimension greats. But Dominicus was a reminder that with the correct hire, Rodgers can nonetheless be as great as always.
Jason McCourty: While nobody neutral roots for the Patriots, sometimes they have a nice feel-skilful story.
McCourty spent his first viii seasons with the Tennessee Titans and his ninth with the Cleveland Browns. He turned 31 years sometime in August and had never fabricated the playoffs. McCourty will finally experience the postseason, after the Patriots won the AFC East on Sunday (though he might need to wait an extra week, because the Patriots caught a huge break when the Texans lost, opening upwards the chance to clinch a outset-round farewell side by side calendar week).
McCourty isn't just forth for the ride. He has been a starting cornerback nearly of the season. He had an interception and a forced fumble in Dominicus's win over the Bills.
"The old man nevertheless can practise a little flake of something," McCourty said, co-ordinate to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
Baker Mayfield: Mayfield needs two more than touchdowns to necktie the NFL tape for touchdown passes by a rookie. Cracking for a guy who Hue Jackson wanted to sit all season.
Mayfield is going to be a lot of fun to watch, and not only for the future possibilities of him staring down Jackson (who wanted to start Tyrod Taylor over Mayfield all flavor …. correct) on the opposing sideline. Mayfield, who would take blown by that rookie record had he started the outset three games of this season, already looks like a star. Finally, Browns fans, you have a quarterback.
Mayfield had a few amazing throws in his 284-yard, 3-touchdown mean solar day in a win over the Bengals. A touchdown pass to Darren Fells was squeezed into the tightest window possible correct on the sideline. He made a third-downwards throw to Jarvis Landry rolling left that didn't get a first downward, but was still pretty stunning. We should get used to that because Mayfield is only going to go amend.
We'll see what the Browns, who are 7-7-1 and could improbably finish with a winning record, exercise about their head-coaching decision. It all the same seems similar a bad thought to hire interim autobus Gregg Williams, but that's becoming more likely by the week. Either mode, the Browns will enter next season as anybody's chichi pick to brand the playoffs, because of their star quarterback.
The Indianapolis Colts' improbable playoff run, and AFC South drama: The Houston Texans' loss didn't but help the New England Patriots. In the bridge of eight days the Texans could become from the favorite to get the No. ii seed to not even winning the division.
The Colts and Titans kept the heat on the Texans. The Titans came dorsum to win on Sat, and the Colts did the same on Lord's day. Indianapolis got a scare, falling behind 14-0 to the Giants in the first quarter. They traded 27-21 late. Only Andrew Luck led a game-winning bulldoze, capped by a touchdown pass to Chester Rogers in final ii minutes.
The Colts and Titans are very much alive in the AFC South and the wild-card race, and they play next Sunday in what could end upwardly beingness a pseudo playoff game.
C.J. Anderson: It had to feel pretty skillful for Anderson to reemerge on Sunday.
Anderson was signed earlier this week, and most players aren't trusted with a role after simply a few days. Simply Anderson was always known as a abrupt mind and a professional in his time with the Denver Broncos. All the same, it was a bit of a daze when he started in place of injured Todd Gurley.
And Anderson, who got barely any playing time this flavor backside Christian McCaffrey in Carolina and was cut, had a huge game for the Rams equally they ran over the Arizona Cardinals. Anderson had 167 yards and a touchdown in a 31-9 win. It'southward non like the Rams had nothing to play for either, as they needed a win to stay ahead of the Bears for a outset-circular bye.
Anderson is just 27, but could have faded abroad afterward a silent season in Carolina. His huge game Sunday will probably aid when he becomes a free agent next offseason.
LOSERS
Adam Gase: He didn't do himself any favors Dominicus.
The Miami Dolphins were practically eliminated from the wild-card race a week ago, just even so had a mathematical possibility of getting in. They were facing a Jaguars team that had mostly quit, playing well one time since the early on weeks of the season. And Miami lost 17-7, at home. Now they're officially eliminated.
Gase came to Miami, hailed every bit a young offensive genius. That hasn't happened. What happened on Lord's day hasn't been unusual for the Dolphins. A plodding criminal offense was again unable to generate many big plays. Brand any excuse for Gase, from the quarterback to the pieces around him, but Gase hasn't delivered what he was supposed to.
If the Dolphins were already considering firing Gase after the season, Dominicus didn't help his cause.
Tampa Bay's 2019 front part (whoever it volition be): The Jameis Winston saga in Tampa Bay still has no clarity.
Winston's final line on Lord's day looked fine, with 336 yards and a touchdown. But if you watched, you knew that he was ineffective as the Cowboys cruised to a 27-twenty win. A lot of Winston's stats came belatedly afterwards the game was wrapped upwardly. The biggest play of the game came when Winston was hitting from backside and his fumble was returned for a touchdown by Jaylon Smith. Most quarterbacks would take fumbled on that bullheaded-side hitting by Randy Gregory, merely information technology was another example of Winston'southward crushing turnovers.
What will the Buccaneers exercise? Perhaps ownership volition overhaul the forepart part, and new decision-makers who didn't invest the first overall pick in Winston might not want to requite him an extension. Winston will be in the concluding year of his rookie contract next season.
The past few weeks haven't been great for Winston, whose off-field incidents will gene in any decision about his future, and he's finishing the flavor with as much dubiety as e'er.
The Lions' defensive endeavour on the Vikings' Hail Mary: The Lions played the Vikings' Hail Mary at the end of the first one-half so poorly, it looked like Kirk Cousins and Kyle Rudolph were playing pitch and catch.
That's nada surprising for the Lions this season. They looked OK for a little bit and so rolled over in a 27-9 loss to the Vikings. The criminal offence looked pathetic again, as Matthew Stafford sinks deeper into his career-worst season. The defense force, supposedly head coach Matt Patricia's specialty, gave up 360 yards including 122 by Rudolph, who has been placidity all flavour.
Many sunny theories will exist pitched virtually Patricia, about how he had to get his arrangement in place and the players to fit information technology. Just, nevertheless once again on Sunday, nothing happened on the field to show he's leading Detroit in the correct management.
That fake punt by the Steelers, and their suddenly dire playoff hopes: Cypher the Steelers needed to happen in Week 16, for their playoff scenarios, came through. That includes beating the New Orleans Saints.
A simulated punt phone call in the 4th quarter volition exist dissected forever. The Steelers didn't become the offset down on a dive up the middle, the Saints took over possession and drove for a game-winning touchdown. The Steelers seemed in control at that point. A fake punt seemed similar an unnecessary gamble. They lost 31-28, with JuJu Smith-Schuster's fumble at the terminate existence the final accident.
The Ravens won on Saturday. And then did the Titans. The Colts won on Lord's day. Because the Colts and Titans play in Week 17, and both teams are 9-6, the eight-6-one Steelers have no shot at a wild-menu spot unless the Colts-Titans game ends in a necktie. Because the Ravens got the upset win against the Chargers on Dominicus, the Ravens enter Week 17 with a half-game lead for get-go identify in the AFC N over the Steelers. The Steelers demand the Browns to beat Baltimore side by side calendar week to have a shot at the division title.
Amazingly, the Steelers confront the possibility of going from a 7-ii-1 start to out of the playoffs. Add on the controversy over the imitation punt and Mike Tomlin isn't going to feel very comfortable one time the flavour ends, unless some things break right for Pittsburgh next Sun.
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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-winners-losers-nick-foles-strangest-career-nfl-history-011900636.html
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