The missed field goal, the roughing the passer penalty, Nick Foles and the Eagles were moving, and I was sure they were going to score a touchdown. I think everyone watching was pretty sure Foles was going to do it again. It's the same feeling we all had when they went up 14-0 in the first quarter. Except, he didn't do it again.
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As the ball bounced through Alshon Jefferey's hands, the possibility of yet another unlikely win on Foles' resume withered, and if you listened really closely, you could hear a sigh of relief from all of us as Eagles fans. You'd have to make your way through the agony, the shock over how it ended, but it was definitely there.
"Thank goodness that whole thing is over."
Not the season, but the whole Foles vs. Wentz thing.
The relief was because we had finally done it. We had moved the goal posts for Foles just far enough away for him not to reach them. They were just far enough away that we could finally put to rest the internal struggle that we all felt as Foles continued to succeed, knowing that Wentz should be the future.
For context, I want you to think about the biggest Eagles fan you know, besides you of course. I want you to imagine that Eagles fan went to Mars for some reason for the last ten years, and just got home on Friday. Since communication from Earth was limited to the necessities, this Eagles fan had no idea what had gone on with the team for the last decade, so obviously you've got a lot to explain.
You: So we've got a quarterback, he's 29 years old, and he outdueled Tom Brady in the Super Bowl and won Super Bowl MVP.
Mars Person: NO WAY! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!
You: I'm not! It's really unreal. This quarterback, he also tied the record for the most touchdown passes ever thrown in one game. He tied the record for most consecutive completions in one game. He has the Eagles record for the most yards ever thrown for in one game. Of all quarterbacks, he had the highest QB rating in the playoffs. He won the Super Bowl with one coach, and for another one, he threw 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions one season.
Mars Person: Are you serious?! Is that all?
You: Actually, it isn't. In the first round of the playoffs this year, against the best defense in the NFL, on the road, he led the Eagles to a go-ahead touchdown in the final minute.
Mars Person: Unreal. I can't believe it. He sounds amazing.
You: Nah, he's just lucky. It finally ran out.
Pretty crazy, right? He's just lucky? He's magic?
What makes the most sense is that Nick Foles is actually good. He's probably not as good as his best days, but he's also probably not as bad as his worst days. And it's not unreasonable to assume that with maturity and experience that he's a better quarterback now than he was five years ago.
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The fact that we know that, deep down, would have probably had us move those goalposts again if the Eagles had actually scored a touchdown on that final drive. We'd done it for the last six weeks, so for our own sanity, we probably would have done it again.
"Well if he beats the Rams," became, "Well if he beats the Texans," and then, "Well if he wins on the road against the Bears," already. That's not even counting what happened last season.
It's just easier for us to think that Nick Foles is lucky or magic, rather than good. That way the choice becomes easier; so much easier that it doesn't even seem like we have to make a choice anymore.
It's probably all for the best. Carson Wentz is an amazing quarterback with amazing potential, and already one MVP caliber season under his belt. He's younger, more physically talented, and certainly an incredible piece to build around. Truth be told, we'd all rather face Nick Foles for the next eight years than Carson Wentz.
In the end, Nick Foles wasn't magical, he was just good. The magic is that we had such a hard time understanding it.
