Nick Foles' Injury Won't Doom Philadelphia Eagles Offense

As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for a playoff push perched atop the NFC East standings, they will do so without starting quarterback Nick Foles.

A broken collarbone suffered in Week 9's win over Houston will keep Foles out for the foreseeable future, per The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane:

That leaves Mark Sanchez tasked with taking over the Eagles' exotic, uptempo offense masterminded by Chip Kelly. Although Sanchez didn't stick as the New York Jets' franchise quarterback, he is fully capable of guiding Philadelphia to plenty of points.

Look little further than this testimony from Kelly himself, via the team's official Twitter account:

The upcoming schedule also helps Sanchez's cause to be a serviceable stopgap starter.

As it is, Philly's offense is built around LeSean McCoy and the rushing attack. The next three games have the Eagles playing host to the Carolins Panthers, followed by a trip to Green Bay before a home game against the Tennessee Titans. Those are three of the bottom-seven run defenses in all of football.

And as much of a boost Foles gave Philadelphia after taking over starting duties for Michael Vick in 2013, throwing 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions, he hasn't exactly been lighting it up this year.

Pro Football Focus notes Foles' relative inconsistency, where his pick total has tripled on deep passes alone:

"

Now injured Nick Foles leads the league on deep ball attempt % (18.9%), deep ball TDs (9) & deep ball interceptions (6)

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) November 3, 2014"

Foles 10 interceptions this season are behind only the 13 picks thrown by Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Blake Bortles, so it stands to reason that Sanchez could have even more success if he takes better care of the football.

Even with all those giveaways, the Eagles are fourth in points per game and fourth in total offense, with balance between running and throwing the football. Although Sanchez threw two picks of his own versus the Houston Texans, he also made some exceptional throws.

As for the Eagles' outlook beyond the upcoming stretch of winnable contests, ESPN's Mike Greenberg reminds observers of the highs Sanchez had during his time in the Big Apple:

This may be the golden opportunity and second chance Sanchez needs to prove he can live up to the gaudy hype that he never met as a Jet. Armed with a supporting cast far better than what any Sanchez enjoyed in New York, he has a shot to produce better than he ever has.

McCoy and Darren Sproles are two of the more explosive backs in the league, and both are fully capable of catching short passes and making something happen in the open field. It should makes Sanchez's transition even easier.

Jeremy Maclin is also coming into his own as a No. 1 option in his first year in Kelly's offense, per ESPN's Adam Caplan:

Another interesting dynamic to this situation is that Sanchez got a lot of preseason work with rookie wideout Jordan Matthews. That innate chemistry revealed itself when the two combined for an 11-yard TD on Sanchez's first Week 9 possession.

Operating a more simplistic, QB-friendly offense in Philadelphia is a welcome change for Sanchez, who has a lot to gain from a favorable situation in the coming weeks. Armed with plenty of weapons and a fresh atmosphere, don't be surprised to see the Eagles still soaring high on offense no matter how long Foles is out.