Since taking over for an injured Michael Vick in early October, Nick Foles has been on a historic passing rampage. He stands 1^st in NFL QB Rating (125.2), 1^st in PFF QB Rating (100.07), 1^st in yards per attempt (9.1), and the feat to top all feats, 19 touchdowns against ZERO interceptions.

An Eagles offense that was expected to be run-dominant under Chip Kelly has transformed into a potent, balanced attack. Their run/pass distribution is nearly 50/50, with 371 rushing plays and 386 pass attempts on the ledger. With that said, Foles is not exactly dropping back and slinging the ball all over the field – in his six starts he’s averaging a shade under 28 pass attempts per game – he’s just been otherworldly efficient. When he throws underneath his accurate arm gives receivers a chance to catch in stride and rack up YAC (52% of yards in air). And when he goes vertical – shall we say… too good?

Despite being dwarfed in drop-backs by 12-start quarterbacks, Foles ranks 15^th in deep passing yardage and first in 20+ touchdowns (12). He’s connected on 16 deep throws at a clip of 34 yards per completion – and zero drops. He throws an exceedingly catchable ball, as buttressed by his 4.1 drop percentage (5^th).

Foles and his production/efficiency off the play-action is a fascinating study. The optimal balance Philadelphia has achieved is a product of its dynamic running game. The presence of LeSean McCoy in the backfield opens up the field for everyone else – a respected PA fake can turn a mediocre receiver into a playmaking force, e.g. Riley Cooper. And thus, 29.6% of the Eagles pass attempts come off some adaptation of the PA.

As opposed to his 67.6 completion% on straight drop-backs, Foles is completing only 53.3% off the play-action. Why? Because he’s taking shots (+3.4 Y/A) and looking to milk one-on-one matchups in space. 689 of his 1791 passing yards have come off the PA, at a clip of 22 per completion… and TEN touchdowns. His 134.0 NFL QB Rating in these situations ranks 2^nd only to Philip Rivers. As you can see, supposed accuracy takes a backseat when you’re lighting up the scoreboard with regularity.

To further complicate matters for opposing defenses, his ability to scan the field and divvy up targets is a work of art. Check out these pass distribution figures from the past four weeks (by # of targets):

Week 9 @ Oakland – 6/6/6/4/4/1/1

Week 10 @ Green Bay – 5/5/4/2/1/1

Week 11 vs. Washington – 7/4/4/3/3/2/1

Week 13 vs. Arizona – 6/6/6/6/6/4

Indeed, October 20^th versus Dallas must feel like moons ago to Foles owners: 11/29, 80 yards and 2.8 yards per attempt. He’s been a top-4 QB – without debate – since returning from his concussion. His composure under pressure will be tested against a lethal Detroit defensive front. For all his strengths as a pure passer, Foles is not a mobile cat.

*Premium Stats provided by ProFootballFocus.com*

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