Nick Foles, Eagles Offense Good Enough to Carry Defense All Season Long

After two games, it looked as though the Nick Foles of 2013—and to a lesser extent, the Philadelphia Eagles offense of 2013—was a mirage.

Head coach Chip Kelly's turbocharged offense needed more than two quarters to spool up against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars, and it took even longer to get revving against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football in Week 2.

With most everyone looking to see how Cousins would fare as a starter, he had a banner day against the Eagles defense. He led the Washington offense to two straight touchdowns, shredding the Eagles on drives of 11 and 12 plays, each draining the clock of over six minutes.

Foles and the offense got the ball for the first time down 14-7, thanks to Chris Polk's 102-yard kickoff return.

In another iteration of what could be a season-long pattern, Foles and the offense had to win a four-quarter drag race against Cousins and Washington. For the third time in three games, though, they crossed the finish line first.

Another Slow Start

The Eagles entered the game having scored just six first-half points. When tailback Darren Sproles ended the first possession with a fumble, it looked like it was going to be more of the same—but Foles wouldn't have it.

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Beginning their second offensive series down 17-7, Jeremy Maclin's drive-opening 80-yard touchdown catch was called back by an illegal blocking penalty, and a false start pulled the Eagles even further back. Foles, per NFL.com, then went 4-of-4 for 44 yards and threw score an 11-yard TD pass to Jordan Matthews. 

With 2014's first first-half touchdown in the books, Kelly, Foles and the Eagles kept the throttle wide open. Cousins and company were, too, ending every first-half drive with points (besides the kneel at the end of the first half).

On the Eagles' next drive, running the two-minute drill, Foles went 6-of-7 for 59 yards and initiated another Matthews score. The Eagles took their first lead, 21-20, with just five seconds left in the first half.

A Fast, Furious Finish

The Eagles defense stiffened after halftime, getting two much-needed stops, while the Philadelphia offense scored on two straight Cody Parkey field goals. On the following Eagles possession, though, Foles and the offense finally sputtered—and every Eagles fan's worst nightmare ensued.

Former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, ignominiously released over the summer for still-unclear reasons, broke free for a spectacular 81-yard touchdown. He gleefully rubbed it in:

It was locked at 27 points for the rest of the third quarter and much of the fourth, until...well, let's just call it the unpleasantness:

After Foles took a cheap shot during the return of an apparent interception, an all-out brawl ensued. Left tackle Jason Peters, always charged with protecting the quarterback, took his job a little too seriously and got ejected.

Nevertheless, Foles turned his game up another notch, driving the Eagles down the field. The go-ahead 27-yard touchdown strike to Maclin was placed perfectly down the seam.

On the next drive, Parkey's third field goal seemed to put the game out of reach—but then, the Eagles let rotational back Roy Helu burn them for 55 yards. Helu finished off the touchdown drive with a one-yard plunge, and it looked like it would be a ballgame after all.

Fortunately for the Eagles, neither team scored again before the clock ran out.

Back to the Future

Foles wound back the clock a season in this game, playing the aggressive brand of football we all remember. Despite a ferocious Washington pass rush that racked up an incredible 10 sacks against Jacksonville the previous week, Foles got back to making the big plays that led the Eagles to the postseason last year.

Foles' confidence and aggression came back in front of a raucous home crowd. Despite being rattled all day by bone-crushing hits, he never shied away from attacking the Washington secondary:

His zip and placement were much improved over the first two games, and his pocket management was outstanding. Incredibly, he took no sacks on the day.

The Eagles didn't get any sacks, either. Coming into the game, they were ranked 23rd in sacks, per Pro-Football-Reference.com, with just three; their pass rush will surely be one of the least productive in the NFL when this weeks games hit the books.

Worse, free-agent safety Malcolm Jenkins seems like the only member of the constantly turned-over secondary who can force a turnover. He capitalized on Cousins' miscommunication with tight end Niles Paul for his second interception (the only two Eagles interceptions this season). Cousins, Jackson and Pierre Garcon flayed the Eagles secondary to the tune of 427 passing yards.

Foles didn't get any help from the running backs who are supposed to drive the offense, either. With just 42 yards on 21 attempts, LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles averaged a miserable two yards per carry. Unlike on Monday Night Football, Sproles didn't make up for it with a massive day catching the ball; he had just three catches for 30 yards. Mike Clay of Pro Football Focus shared Foles' stats:

All told, Foles finished with a 65.9 percent completion rate, averaging a robust 7.93 yards gained with his 41 attempts. He threw three touchdowns and no interceptions, and the Eagles' 37 points scored should be good enough for a victory on almost any day.

In a wacky NFC East where Cousins and Washington look as tough to beat as anybody in the race for the playoffs, Foles and the undefeated Eagles hold pole position.