Nick Foles Worked His Magic On That Final Drive

 

NFL experts throughout the country are all talking about Eagles quarterback Nick Foles and how he has been able to take his game to another level with the season on the line.   I can’t say enough about the great final series he had at the end of Sunday’s game, when the Eagles marched the football the length of the field to take the lead.

 

“Foles made the winning touchdown throw to Golden Tate with less than a minute to go on the clock.”

 

Foles led this drive against the Chicago Bears defense that was considered by many as one of the best two or three defenses in the National Football League this season.  Fangio is just one in a list of highly respected defensive names that have recently fallen to Foles.

More names are Bill Belichick (head coach of the New England Patriots), Mike Zimmer (head coach of the Minnesota Vikings), Wade Phillips (defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams), and Romeo Crennell (defensive coordinator of the Houston Texans).

Foles should be commended for his great play on that drive, because he made outstanding throws to nearly all of his receivers. He got the ball to Zach Ertz, Nelson Agholor, Dallas Goedert, Alshon Jeffery and Tate.

They were amazing throws because a number of times the Eagles receivers had defenders standing by them at the end of their routes, but Foles decided to start playing “Above The Rim” football on that drive.  Nicky Six started putting his throws above the heads of the defenders where only taller receivers like Jeffery and Ertz could pull them down.

 

“On second and ten, Foles made an excellent decision to get the ball to rookie tight end Dallas Goedert on what was originally supposed to be a screen to running back Wendell Smallwood…”

 

On the very first play of the drive, Nelson Agholor ran an inside seam route to occupy the safety and it cleared the way for Alshon, who was running a 15 yard stop route. This completion was key because it was well executed and it gave the Eagles a first down with the football on the Bears side of the 50 yard line.

On second and ten, Foles made an excellent decision to get the ball to rookie tight end Dallas Goedert on what was originally supposed to be a screen to running back Wendell Smallwood. Goedert, who was supposed to be blocking, looked back and caught a pass which was nearly on the ground when he realized that Smallwood was covered.  Goedert scooped it up, then broke a couple of tackles to get the Eagles a very important first down.

 

“I began at this moment to think “Is it happening again?”

 

On the next play on the Bears 35 yard line, Agholor juked cornerback Deon Bush out of his jock and turned nothing into an eight-yard gain.  I knew right then that something special was happening.

Ertz ran an in route on the very next play, but he was covered with two Bears defenders on him, so Foles threw the ball “Above The Rim,” like he was getting the ball to Ertz in the post, and the record-setting tight end snagged the ball with his outstretched hands.  The Bears had to know they were in trouble, because now the Eagles had a first down and ten on the Bears 13-yard line.

After a one-yard run by Smallwood and an incomplete pass attempt to Agholor, the Eagles ran a beautiful pass play to Jeffery for an 11-yard gain which gave the Eagles the ball on the two-yard line.  Darren Sproles and Agholor were lined up beside Foles in running back positions and Jeffery was lined up behind Foles.

Just before the ball was snapped Jeffery shifted outside on the left side of the formation.  They snapped the ball quickly and Sproles headed to the left flat, which drew the attention of Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan. He then sped toward Sproles, which opened up space in the curl area for Jeffery, who ran a seam route.   Foles got rid of the ball quickly and put it on the money.  This wasn’t an “Above The Rim” throw.  Foles put the ball on Jeffery’s chest, which allowed him to catch the ball and put it away before getting hammered by the safety and corner.

 

 A great throw and a great catch had given the Eagles the lead.

Then we all know what happened with the “doink, doink.”

 

With the ball on the two-yard line, Doug Pederson called two running plays by Sproles, but Hicks got to him on each play.  It seemed like there were two or three Hicks playing against the Birds on Sunday because he made so many tackles against the Eagles running game.

On third down, Pederson gave up on the running game, so the Birds tried to hit Jeffery on an out route.  It was close, but the big guy was unable to pull it in.

On fourth down with the season on the line, Foles and Pederson came back to the out route, this time with Foles rolling out to that side. Tate, who lined up in the slot with Agholor, froze the defender, slot corner Sharick McManis, by going right at him when the ball was snapped.   He then exploded outside to his right on an out route.   Foles had Bears linebacker Leonard Floyd in his face, so he imitated Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a side arm throw and the ball hit Tate in the hands as he ran an out route.  The veteran receiver grabbed the throw with both hands and went in for the score.  A great throw and a great catch had given the Eagles the lead.

Then we all know what happened with the “doink, doink.”