Foles shrugs off draft snub to win award

As more and more names were read, it became clear to Nick Foles that he and quarterback Alex Smith were going to be the last two players selected in Wednesday’s Pro Bowl draft.

He also had a feeling that the game itself would come down to the two of them.

Foles, the second-year Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, was proven to be right, as his go-ahead touchdown pass to Jordan Cameron late in the fourth quarter was overshadowed by Smith’s TD throw to DeMarco Murray with 41 seconds remaining, setting up Mike Tolbert’s game-winning 2-point conversion to give Team Rice a 22-21 victory over Team Sanders at Aloha Stadium.

Smith got the win, but Foles got the brand new GMC truck as the game’s most outstanding offensive player, completing seven of his 10 passes for 89 yards. He was the only quarterback in the game not to throw an interception.

"There’s so many tremendous players here that I was really surprised to get it," Foles said. "I’m a competitor and I wanted to get the win."

The award caps a magnificent season for Foles, who started the year as a backup to Michael Vick.

He didn’t get the starting nod until Week 6, when Vick went down with an injury, and immediately established himself as a legitimate NFL quarterback, throwing seven touchdown passes in a Week 9 win at Oakland.

He finished the year with 27 touchdown passes to only two interceptions, a better ratio than even Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, and showed that consistency on Sunday, completing 70 percent of his passes while avoiding committing one of the game’s eight turnovers.

"You don’t really have a rapport with all these guys, you’ve never really thrown to them, so you’re going out just trying to feel each other out and make plays," Foles said. "I thought both sides of the ball did a great job about being better."

Foles entered the game on the final play of the third quarter for a quick handoff but was sacked on third down to force a punt.

On his next drive, he completed three straight passes, including a deep ball of 39 yards to Antonio Brown, to set up the go-ahead throw to Cameron with 4:41 remaining.

"Jordan Cameron went up and did a great job making a play and making me look good," Foles said. "Me and (Antonio Brown) were on the same page before that making a check, and he did a great job of selling it and making a play."

Foles was one of four Eagles to play in the game and was teammates with receiver DeSean Jackson, who had three catches for 40 yards and the game’s first touchdown.

Running back LeSean McCoy, who injured his ankle on the first play of the second half, was on the winning team opposite of Foles, but was still happy to see his quarterback get the offensive player award.

"He deserves it, he’s one of the best," McCoy said. "He looked good today."