Quarterback Nick Foles is ready.
He's ready to lead the Eagles into Washington to make his first career start this Sunday with Michael Vick unlikely to play due to the concussion he suffered last Sunday against Dallas.
"I'm ready. I'm excited to just play again," Foles said following Wednesday's practice. "Like I said (after the game), all of my prayers are with Mike. I want Mike to be healthy. It's my time to go out there and do everything I can for this team and help in any way possible."
Foles replaced Vick in the second quarter of the Cowboys game. He showed a lot of promise after completing 22-of-32 pass attempts for 219 yards with a touchdown and an interception. After watching the film, Foles said he can't be afraid to make mistakes on the field.
"The key is to play fast, not be afraid to make mistakes. If I do make a mistake, keep firing it," Foles said. "That's the big thing when you play quarterback is you're going to make a mistake. You're going to fire the ball in there, something's going to happen. You've got to keep firing the ball no matter what because those receivers are going to keep running their routes. The linemen are going to keep blocking, running backs, everything. You have to keep playing. You can't let the last play beat you."
Foles impressed his teammates with his poise in the huddle and composure in the pocket. He showcased those same intangibles in his eight-minute session with the media. The rookie third-round pick credited his weekly routine with preparing him for the moment.
"I treat it the same. I've said it before. No matter what situation you're in, you treat it the same," Foles said. "You always prepare yourself like you're the starter. If you're the second, third or fourth string, you always prepare yourself the same because if something does happen you don't want to have to change up your routine too much."
Sunday's game is likely to feature a pair of rookie quarterbacks in Foles and Washington's Robert Griffin III, the No. 2 overall pick. This Sunday would not be Foles' first time dealing with the Redskins. The Redskins' coaching staff worked with Foles at the Senior Bowl. Foles was drafted by the Eagles with the expectation he would watch Vick and then-backup Mike Kafka. However, Vick and Kafka were injured in the preseason and Foles was brilliant on the field. He finished second in the NFL in passing yards, tied for first in touchdown passes and was third in passer rating. The Eagles also went 4-0 in the preseason. Foles won the job as the backup and has spent the year learning a lot from Vick.
"The guy's a tough dude. He's one of the toughest guys I've ever seen. He gets hit. He gets right back up and keeps firing. He's not afraid to launch. He's not afraid to fire," Foles said of Vick.
Foles looks at Sunday as a chance to help this team if he's called upon. He is not looking at it as a potential launch pad into a larger role with the team.
"Mike's the leader of this team. He's the quarterback," he said. "I'm going to do my job right now until he gets healthy."
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