OAKLAND — Nick Foles said he has thrown seven touchdown passes in a game before, which tied a team and NFL record. But it wasn't on an actual field, in an actual game.
"Only in a video game," Foles said with a laugh.
Foles' performance in the Philadelphia Eagles' shockingly easy 49-20 win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, however, seemed like it could have only happened in a video game as he completed 22-of-28 passes for 406 yards.
BOX SCORE: Eagles 49, Raiders 20
THE Q: Foles is Philly's new franchise QB
The seven touchdown passes tied Adrian Burk for the team record, which Burk set in 1954 against the Washington Redskins. Five other quarterbacks had seven touchdown passes in a game. It was most recently done by the Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
It was quite a contrast from Foles' last start, when he completed 11-of-29 passes for 80 yards against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 20 before leaving after the third quarter with a concussion.
"I slowed everything down," Foles said. "I understood what we were trying to do. I wasn't trying to make too many plays. Obviously there are times when big plays need to be made."
Foles made them, again and again.
FOR THE WIN: Inside the numbers of Nick Foles' TD bonanza
BEST & WORST: Sunday's attention-grabbing performances
He said he had no idea that he had tied an NFL record until Eagles coach Chip Kelly took him out in the fourth quarter, and several teammates told him about i t.
"Whenever I looked at records my whole life, the greatest thing about it is the guys you do them with," Foles said. "We were able to spread the ball around. You have to look at the key components. ... It's a special moment for the organization and a special moment for all our teammates."
Kelly, however, was well aware that Foles had tied the record because there's a sign in his office marking Burk's accomplishment. But he wasn't going to risk Foles' health to break it with the game well in hand as the Eagles improved to 4-5.
"This isn't about records," Kelly said. "It's about going out and getting a win. If I put Nick out there to try to get a record, and he gets hurt, that's being silly. I also think records are meant to be broken when they're supposed to be broken."
Kelly still wouldn't proclaim Foles the starter going forward. Michael Vick sat out for the third time in four games with an injured hamstring. It's not known if he'll be able to retu rn this coming Sunday, when the Eagles play the Green Bay Packers.
"It's got to be based on health," Kelly said. "We'll talk about that stuff later on."
Riley Cooper caught three of the touchdown passes and finished with a career-high 139 yards receiving, breaking the mark of 120 he achieved with Foles at quarterback on Oct. 13. DeSean Jackson had 150 yards receiving and a touchdown.
NFC EAST: Romo's late TD lifts Cowboys over Vikings
LeSean McCoy, Zach Ertz and Brent Celek caught the other touchdown touchdown passes as the Eagles had 542 yards of total offense. They had 479 yards the previous two games combined, when they failed to score an offensive touchdown.
"He seemed so focused," McCoy said. "It seemed like he had something to prove. I think the offense has been (taking) so many shots, from the running game to Nick and this and that. I think everyone relaxed and played football, stopped worrying about the small things and just decid ed to go out and play."
PHOTOS: BEST OF WEEK 9 AROUND THE NFL
Foles' performance made it easy for the defense, which for the most part kept Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor under control. He threw for 288 yards and ran for 94. But Pryor threw two interceptions and was hardly a factor.
Foles went 6-for-7 for 94 yards on the Eagles' first possession, finishing the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Celek with 5:18 left in the first quarter. It was the Eagles' first offensive touchdown in nine quarters.
Foles and Cooper then connected twice in a row, on a 17-yarder and 63-yarder for a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter. It was 28-10 when Foles hit Ertz for his first career touchdown just before halftime. Foles hit McCoy on a short out pattern from the Oakland 25 and McCoy took it into the end zone. Then Foles went deep to Jackson from 46 yards out and it was 42-13 with 11:33 left in the third quarter.
Foles tied the record early in the fourth quarter. His 59-yard pass to Jackson got the Eagles down to the Raiders 9. Then on second-and-goal from the 5, Foles rolled to his right, holding the ball until Cooper broke free in the right corner.
But Foles didn't celebrate. He didn't eve n retrieve the ball that tied the record.
"I didn't grab anything," Foles said. "Honestly, I'm just happy we got a win. We've got to build on it."
Martin Frank writes for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., a Gannett affiliate.
No comments:
Post a Comment