When the Eagles play New England tonight at Gillette Stadium, rookie and former Arizona Wildcat Nick Foles will be the second-string quarterback behind Michael Vick.
No one will be as interested as Mike Kafka, the previous backup, who is out with a hand injury, and Trent Edwards, the veteran who is getting a chance with the Eagles after failing to land an NFL job in 2011. They know that Foles is going to cost one of them a roster spot unless he falls horribly flat against the Patriots. How well Foles does may also determine which of them is the odd man out.
The reserve quarterback situation is one of the few unsettled areas on the roster. In some ways, Kafka and Edwards are the same guy. They have average arms and would be counted upon to "manage" a game rather than win it themselves.
Foles is the wild card in the bunch. He is a rangy 6-foot-6 and can throw the ball out of the stadium. If Vick were to get hurt - and if Foles were reliable enough to run the offense, a big "if" for a rookie - it would be Foles who could actually keep the Eagles playing the same kind of football. He can't run like Vick, but he can make a defense respect DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.
Extra points
• Andrew Luck shook off a pair of early interceptions to put together three second-quarter scoring drives, giving the Indianapolis Colts a halftime lead before the Pittsburgh Steelers rallied for a 26-24 preseason victory Sunday night. The top overall pick completed 16 of 25 passes for 175 yards and added a 1-yard touchdown run.
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