Sportsman of the Week Ending 2/4/2018

It should be little surprise that the Sportsman of the Week comes from the best game of the week.  Maybe the best football game of the season.  Maybe the best Super Bowl of all time.  For a first time Super Bowl Championship team in the Philadelphia Eagles.  The story of Nick Foles is truly mythical.  Was briefly a star (and Sportsman of the Week in 2013).  Lost his touch, almost out of the game.  A bad break for a starting QB led for him to be pulled back in.  And he delivered.  It was as if he was playing with house money.  He never looked nervous in any of the three playoff games.  He just looked like a kid playing in the back yard.  While he delivered throw after throw to beat last year's NFC Champion, this year's second seed, then last year's Super Bowl Champion.  In the 41-33 defeat of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, Foles went an effective 28/43, for 373 yards and 3 TDs throwing and one spectacular TD reception on a 4th down play.  He did have one interception but it literally hit the receiver in the hands before being batted to a defender.  The 373 yards is the 5th most in Super Bowl history, only behind Tom Brady and Kurt Warner (two games each).  Even though he won the moniker two weeks ago, there is no denying Nick Foles his third Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 1/21/2018

The NFL season continues to push towards its climax, and we are now set with the best two teams for Super Bowl LII.  While many, if not most, expected the New England Patriots to be in the game, few before the season, or after the injury to Carson Wentz, expected the Philadelphia Eagles to be there.  But here they are, and they made it look easy in the the NFC Championship Game, thanks to Wentz's replacement Nick Foles.  The sudden star in 2013 (for which he was honored as the SotW) turned journeyman who almost retired is as hot as a quarterback can get.  He shredded the Minnesota Vikings defense, completing 26 of 33 passes for almost an 80% clip.  The passes totaled a Brady-esque 352 yards and 3 TDs, with nary an interception.  His decision-making was strong as well, taking just one sack for six yards.  Foles isn't the first backup QB to lead his team to the Super Bowl, but he certainly looks the part of a starter and is a Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 11/03/2013

As we turn the corner past baseball season, there have been some video game numbers put up in the NFL this year, so for the second week this season, we honor a 7 TD passer.  Nick Foles has been playing musical chairs at QB for the Philadelphia Eagles, but he gave his coach reason to stop the music.  This week he assaulted the Oakland Raiders defense for 408 yards and 7 TD, it's like he was playing against air.  This over only 3 quarters before he was replaced by Matt Barkley. This blog loves unlikely stars, and Foles is a deserving Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!