Not Having to Rely on the Run Game

For most quarterbacks, establishing a ground game early is essential to ensuring a signal-caller can effectively operate off play action.

But Nick Foles and the Eagles appeared to be the antithesis of this last year.

According to Pro Football Focus, Foles actually performed worse on play-action passes than on standard drop-backs — a 51.1 passer rating on play action compared to 94.6 without.

Part of the explanation could be how Foles relies primarily on short-yardage passing, which is often seen as a mere extension of the running game. Quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots relied on this approach for years, using a dink-and-dunk method to march down the field with relative ease.

That’s what Foles was able to do to great effect against the Falcons in the divisional round last year. On top of that, Philadelphia averaged just 3.3 yards per carry during the game, meaning Foles had to be a primary source for moving the ball.

This doesn’t mean Foles and the Eagles have to be one-dimensional, however. Atlanta averaged 4.1 yards per carry on the ground in 2017, which was 19th in the league, and this year doesn’t figure to be much better.

All the stats and analysis don’t guarantee Foles a win. But there is more than enough evidence to suggest the quarterback can overcome some of the preseason woes and shortcomings, therefore helping Philadelphia pull off a win in its first game back from being crowned Super Bowl champs.