PHILADELPHIA _ So, let's do it again next week. Once more, let's study the percentages and cue up the tension and put the Eagles on the field to save their season for a third straight time with Nick Foles at quarterback.
Haven't we watched this movie before?
In consecutive weeks, the Eagles survived games against the Los Angeles Rams and the Houston Texans. Now, they have to beat the Washington Redskins on the road in the regular-season finale to make the postseason _ and they'll still need some help.
Whatever happens, it would be difficult to top the finish of Sunday's 32-30 win over Houston as Foles came back from a crushing hit that removed him from the game for a play, to lead a last-minute drive to the winning field goal.
The Legend of Nick wiped away what would have been a crushing, season-ending loss for the Eagles after their defense surrendered a 13-point lead in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. They did what they had to do, even if they cut it close once again.
All they could control Sunday, however, was their own game, in what was their last home appearance of the season at Lincoln Financial Field. They trailed by a field goal at the half and opened the second half with a Foles' interception, but the Eagles didn't let up and Foles didn't let them down.
Even though the rest of the news on the scoreboard wasn't good, the Eagles did what they had to do. In that regard, the day started well and ended well, with a few twists and turns in between. The afternoon began with the Eagles taking an early lead and the scoreboard showing that both Minnesota and Dallas were trailing in their games. For most of the first half, however, the scoreboard was easier to watch than what was taking place on the field for the Eagles as they struggled to gain traction against the Texans. The offense fumbled away the ball once, and the defense kept Houston drives going with penalties. Either on the field or on the scoreboard, nothing was certain.
Entering the day, there were a number of different permutations that would affect whether the Eagles could back their way into the postseason, but only one way in which they could be effectively eliminated. If they lost to Houston, then the weight of probability would crush them.
So, while it was interesting to keep track of how the Vikings were doing in Detroit, and how the Cowboys were doing at home against Tampa Bay, the Eagles still had most of fate in their own hands against the Texans.
As they have done often this season, the Eagles waited until late in the day to get going at home. Three of their four previous wins were thanks to fourth-quarter comebacks. It wasn't quite that late this time when they made their move, but there was only a little more than two minutes remaining in the third period when Nick Foles found Nelson Agholor for an 83-yard touchdown reception that broke a 16-16 tie and put the Eagles ahead.
After defensive end Chris Long forced a fumble with a sack on the next series, the Eagles were able to drive down and seemed to secure the win with a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz. But Jake Elliott, who would eventually finish off the heroics missed the extra point and the Eagles led by 13 points. It was plenty until the Texans rallied behind elusive quarterback Deshaun Watson to score two touchdowns in less than a three-minute span and appear to extinguish the Eagles' hopes.
Foles kept that from happening, however. Once more.
There is still the small matter of who will play quarterback for the Eagles in Landover, Md. next Sunday. Carson Wentz is still on the active roster and the team has not ruled him out of further action this season as he deals with a stress fracture in his back. If the medical staff clears him to play if the pain is tolerable and doesn't restrict his motion, what would head coach Doug Pederson do? Wentz is 4-6 in his starts this season. Foles, the hero of the Super Bowl, is 4-1.
Pederson has consistently said that Wentz is the team's first option, and that when he is able to play, he will return as the starter. But in this situation?
It could be a moot point. Various sources have indicated Wentz is done for the year, but the organization doesn't want to announce that yet. Maybe, but as Crash Davis, said, you have to respect the streak. Either way, Nick Foles is on a streak.
Not coincidentally, so are the Eagles. Maybe the streak is only two games, but if they can successfully walk the ledge one more week, there could be much more to come.
