Nick Foles: 'I Can Run This Offense'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It's not a quarterback controversy, it's a quarterback competition.
Nick Foles, Michael Vick, and to a lesser extent Matt Barkley, are all trying to become the Eagles #1 quarterback, and the first starting quarterback in Chip Kelly's career as an NFL head coach.
Many see Vick as the favorite in part because of his experience, but more so because of his physical tools. Vick's mobility, even at his advanced age, is still light years ahead of Foles or Barkley. Kelly's offense, though the head coach claims it can be fit to any quarterback, has excelled with a more mobile quarterback.
Foles, unsurprisingly, sees it a little bit differently.
"I can run this offense. The most important thing with our offense is putting points on the board, and making the guys around you believe that you can put points on the board, and that no matter what play is called you can execute, and that's how I feel," Foles told the 94WIP Morning Show on Monday. "I feel like no matter what play is called I am ready to go at 'em, and go at the defense, and that we can't be stopped. That's my mindset, we can't be stopped. That's how I feel, and that's how I feel in this offense."
Kelly said last week that different quarterbacks call for a different focus to the offense, and that running 20 read-option plays in a game for Foles would be asking to be fired.
"[Being named starting quarterback] would mean that the coaches believe in me, and that the coaches believe that I give our team the best opportunity to win and that's all I care about, is getting our team to win," Foles said. "So whoever that may be, whoever the coaches believe in, that's who I'm all for."
Many of the players on the team grew up watching Vick, and playing with him in video games, which could give Vick an advantage in the locker room. Even Foles admits competing with Vick for a job isn't something he planned on.
"It's crazy how life works. I was talking to my dad about that the other, it's just crazy thinking I'm in the position where were fortunate to play in the NFL, and then I'm going against Mike [Vick]. You go back ten years from and tell me that, I'd be like you're crazy," Foles said. "So it's a great position to be in, I am very fortunate to be here, but Mike and I are pushing each other."
"I definitely liked Mike when I was growing up. I think that just how explosive he was when he was playing, and still is. He's still got a lot---he's still a tremendous athlete. Just watching the things he does, I don't know if there's anyone that could do a lot of stuff he does. He's just a unique player in that sense, and he's really helped me develop. He helped me develop last year and we're pushing each other this year. So we have a good friendship going into this," Foles said.
