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The St. Louis Rams in an attempt to shake things up a bit this offseason traded their starting quarterback Sam Bradford to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange another quarterback in Nick Foles.The former Arizona Wildcat was selected in the third round of the 2012 draft by the Eagles.
Foles got his shot at the starting job midway through his rookie season after Michael Vick suffered a concussion, and he retained the gig for the final seven games of the year, even after Vick recovered from his injury.
The following year Foles, took a huge step forward in his progression as a quarterback under first-year head coach Chip Kelly’s high-tempo offense when he passed for 2,891 yards with 27 touchdowns, two interceptions, and an 119.2 passer rating in 13 games played. His touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2013 is still best in NFL history for a quarterback in a single season.
This included an eye-popping performance against the Oakland Raiders where he threw for 406 yards with seven touchdowns and posted a perfect passer rating of 158.3. He became just the second NFL quarterback to accomplish that feat while throwing for more than 400 yards in a game.
His overall performance that season earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, where he also won the offensive MVP award in that game. Foles clearly flourished in Kelly’s high-tempo offense that typically calls for quick reads and throws that result in faster play-calling to help offset the opposing defense.
That said, there was an overall drop in Foles’ numbers through the first eight games of the 2014 season before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He had 2,163 passing yards with 13 touchdowns, but what was most concerning was the 10 interceptions over that stretch.
Many of Foles’s turnovers were due to poor decision-making, but it’s worth noting that he played behind an injury-riddled offensive line that didn’t provide consistent protection. This factored into the dip in his overall performance, but he still managed to lead his team a 6-2 record before suffering his injury.
With all that behind him, the 26-year-old now has a clean slate with the Rams where he will once again be the focal point of his team’s offense. St. Louis doesn’t possess the same level of individual offensive talent comparable to the Eagles, but Foles has shown up to this point in his career that he has the ability to lead an offense with his arm.
The Rams are hopeful that he can recapture his 2013 Pro Bowl form and help bring the franchise back to the playoffs, which is a place that team hasn’t been since the 2004 season. Foles will have to do this under a head coach in Jeff Fisher, who has historically molded his team’s to have a run-first offensive identity.
Fisher has maintained a power-running offense during this first three seasons in St. Louis. However, things could take a shift in the other direction with Foles under center and a new offensive coordinator in place in Frank Cignetti, who has spent the last three years as the team’s quarterback coach.
What Foles brings to the table for the Rams is a quarterback that has an above-average arm, decent athleticism, and mobility that enables him to move around the in the pocket when it collapses or plays break down. That said, Foles has shown that he has the tendency to struggle when he is under pressure, which often results in bad decisions and at times perceiving pressure that isn’t even there.
Foles may have taken a step back in his overall play last season, but the change of scenery along with joining a team that has made it a priority this offseason to revamp their offensive line could lead to a highly productive season.
It was a bold move for the Rams to acquire Foles given that they already had a capable starting quarterback in Bradford under contract next season, but it shows that they have faith that he can lead them to the playoffs.
This consequently puts more pressure on Foles, who is in the final year of his contract, to prove he can be the Rams’ starting quarterback of the future and also that he is worth offering a lucrative long-term deal.
All in all, there is certainly plenty on Foles’ plate entering his first season with St. Louis, but it’s a prime opportunity to show his new team that he can be their answer at quarterback.
Bob Garcia IV is a sports journalist from Southern California. He is also the Los Angeles Lakers beat writer for Sportsoutwest.com. He was a reporter for the award-winning newspaper, The Daily Sundial, at California State University, Northridge. You can follow him on Twitter, @Bgarcia90.
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The St. Louis Rams in an attempt to shake things up a bit this offseason traded their starting quarterback Sam Bradford to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange another quarterback in Nick Foles.The former Arizona Wildcat was selected in the third round of the 2012 draft by the Eagles.
Foles got his shot at the starting job midway through his rookie season after Michael Vick suffered a concussion, and he retained the gig for the final seven games of the year, even after Vick recovered from his injury.
The following year Foles, took a huge step forward in his progression as a quarterback under first-year head coach Chip Kelly’s high-tempo offense when he passed for 2,891 yards with 27 touchdowns, two interceptions, and an 119.2 passer rating in 13 games played. His touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2013 is still best in NFL history for a quarterback in a single season.
This included an eye-popping performance against the Oakland Raiders where he threw for 406 yards with seven touchdowns and posted a perfect passer rating of 158.3. He became just the second NFL quarterback to accomplish that feat while throwing for more than 400 yards in a game.
His overall performance that season earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, where he also won the offensive MVP award in that game. Foles clearly flourished in Kelly’s high-tempo offense that typically calls for quick reads and throws that result in faster play-calling to help offset the opposing defense.
That said, there was an overall drop in Foles’ numbers through the first eight games of the 2014 season before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He had 2,163 passing yards with 13 touchdowns, but what was most concerning was the 10 interceptions over that stretch.
Many of Foles’s turnovers were due to poor decision-making, but it’s worth noting that he played behind an injury-riddled offensive line that didn’t provide consistent protection. This factored into the dip in his overall performance, but he still managed to lead his team a 6-2 record before suffering his injury.
With all that behind him, the 26-year-old now has a clean slate with the Rams where he will once again be the focal point of his team’s offense. St. Louis doesn’t possess the same level of individual offensive talent comparable to the Eagles, but Foles has shown up to this point in his career that he has the ability to lead an offense with his arm.
The Rams are hopeful that he can recapture his 2013 Pro Bowl form and help bring the franchise back to the playoffs, which is a place that team hasn’t been since the 2004 season. Foles will have to do this under a head coach in Jeff Fisher, who has historically molded his team’s to have a run-first offensive identity.
Fisher has maintained a power-running offense during this first three seasons in St. Louis. However, things could take a shift in the other direction with Foles under center and a new offensive coordinator in place in Frank Cignetti, who has spent the last three years as the team’s quarterback coach.
What Foles brings to the table for the Rams is a quarterback that has an above-average arm, decent athleticism, and mobility that enables him to move around the in the pocket when it collapses or plays break down. That said, Foles has shown that he has the tendency to struggle when he is under pressure, which often results in bad decisions and at times perceiving pressure that isn’t even there.
Foles may have taken a step back in his overall play last season, but the change of scenery along with joining a team that has made it a priority this offseason to revamp their offensive line could lead to a highly productive season.
It was a bold move for the Rams to acquire Foles given that they already had a capable starting quarterback in Bradford under contract next season, but it shows that they have faith that he can lead them to the playoffs.
This consequently puts more pressure on Foles, who is in the final year of his contract, to prove he can be the Rams’ starting quarterback of the future and also that he is worth offering a lucrative long-term deal.
All in all, there is certainly plenty on Foles’ plate entering his first season with St. Louis, but it’s a prime opportunity to show his new team that he can be their answer at quarterback.
Bob Garcia IV is a sports journalist from Southern California. He is also the Los Angeles Lakers beat writer for Sportsoutwest.com. He was a reporter for the award-winning newspaper, The Daily Sundial, at California State University, Northridge. You can follow him on Twitter, @Bgarcia90.
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