Chip Shots: If Foles throws 27 TDs in Tampa Bay, he can win job

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Nick Foles may get the start in Tampa Bay, but Michael Vick is still the Birds’ quarterback. At least that’s the way Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is looking at the situation the day after Foles replaced an injured Vick and led Philadelphia to a 36-21 win over the New York Giants on Sunday.

Actually, it’s not even written in stone that Foles will be under center in Week 6. Kelly said reports that Vick has already been ruled out are premature, so there’s a chance this controversy will be over before it ever gains any traction.

Should the second-year quarterback get the call however, Chip didn’t entirely rule out the possibility that Foles could win the job. Sure, the benchmarks might be unreasonable—okay, they’re completely impossible—but what he’s saying is there’s a chance.

I would have to imagine there is a level of efficiency that exists somewhere between 16-for-25 with two touchdowns—Foles’ numbers in relief of Vick on Sunday—and 100-for-100 with 27 touchdowns that would make Chip think twice about the decision to stay with Vick.

Vick was 6-for-14 for 105 yards before exiting late in the second quarter in New York. Over his last three games, the four-time Pro Bowler has completed just 33 of 71 pass attempts for a 46.5 completion percentage with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Regardless, Kelly is standing behind Vick for now, which from a coaching standpoint is probably the right move. When you also take into account his seven runs for 79 yards, Vick had nearly the same production as Foles against the Giants, minus the touchdowns.

Of course, scoring touchdowns just happens to be an area where the Eagles have struggled in recent weeks, so maybe that’s why Foles’ performance felt like a breath of fresh air for some people. It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens next.

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