Nick Foles Named Eagles' Starting QB for Week 17 with Carson Wentz Injured

The Philadelphia Eagles' playoff hopes will rest on the shoulders of quarterback Nick Foles.

On Monday, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson told reporters that Foles will start Sunday's contest at Washington with Carson Wentz still out with a stress fracture in his back.

"Those are obviously conversations we've got to have, tough decisions to make," Pederson said when asked which quarterback would play if the Eagles reached the postseason, per Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia. "I've said all along Carson's our guy. When he's cleared and 100 percent and ready to go, we'll address that at that time."

Foles will be staring at a straightforward playoff scenario with the 8-7 Eagles heading into Week 17.

Since the Dallas Cowboys already clinched the NFC East and the Seattle Seahawks secured a playoff spot with their victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Philadelphia's only path to the postseason is through the final wild-card spot. It needs to defeat Washington and cheer for the Chicago Bears to beat the 8-6-1 Minnesota Vikings.

It's a credit to Foles that the Eagles are still alive, as he led them to victories over the Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans over the past two weeks in place of Wentz. In those games, he combined 741 passing yards and four touchdowns.

This isn't the first time Foles has played savior for the Eagles. Last season, he threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game win over the Vikings and 373 yards and three scores in the Super Bowl win over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

As for Wentz, ESPN.com's Tim McManus reported on Dec. 14 that the stress fracture could take three months to heal.

Even though Pederson wouldn't commit to it Monday, that timeline suggests Foles would stay under center should Philadelphia make it to the playoffs.