From the Desk of Eagles Outsider Barry Bowe

One Good, One So-So, & One Bad

Several quarterbacks are drawing the attention of this Eagles Outsider as the 2015 NFL season unfolds. I’ve got my eyes on four Eagles QBs:

1. Sam Bradford
2. Mark Sanchez
3. Thad Smith
4. Stephen Morris

Plus two former Eagles:

1. Nick Foles
2. Matt Barkley

One Chip Kelly heartthrob:

1. Marcus Mariota

And on two QBs who stink – in my opinion:

1. Johnny Manziel
2. Jameis Winston

This week, because it was the Bye Week for the Titans, only three of my QBs played:

1. Sam Bradford
2. Nick Foles
3. Jameis Winston

NICK FOLES

I was so sure that Nicky Football was going to lead the Rams (1-2) to victory over the undefeated Arizona Cardinals (3-0), that I was the only one in our weekly pool at work to pick the Rams to win. Check out: “One Is the Only Number.”

Nicky did exactly that – and I won the pool. Thanks, Nicky.

Nick Foles threw three perfect TD passes as the Rams fierce defense throttled the high-powered Cardinals offense just enough to pull off a 24-22 upset on the road. The Cardinals moved the ball into the Red Zone five times and the Rams D held them to field goals four times.

Eagles fans: Please take note of the winning touchdown on the video below. Watch how the quarterback who Chip Kelly didn’t want pump-fakes a linebacker into giving himself up by jumping in the air to block the pass he thought was coming – but then Foles pulls the ball down and threads a pass into a tight window to Tavon Austin – who makes a diving catch in the end zone.

Foles went 16-for-24 (67%) for 171 yards, those three TDs, and zero INTs. The victory moved the 2-and-2 Rams into second place in the NFC West – one game behind the now once-defeated 3-and-1 Cards.

SAM BRADFORD

Sam Bradford was a pedestrian 5-for-10 in the first half against the Washington Redskins for 75 yards. He did throw a sharp 11-yard TD pass to Zack Ertz near the end of the half – but the score was nullified because Nelson Agholor lined up improperly.

The Eagles trailed 13-0 at the half.

In the second half, Bradford – and the Eagles offense – came alive in three of their first four possessions and scored on three passing plays:

1. 62 yards to Riley Cooper
2. 10 yards to Brent Celek
3. 39 yards to Miles Austin

But, in the end, the 1-and-3 Eagles lost to the 2-and-2 Redskins 23-20 when the ‘Skins drove 90 yards on 15 plays to take the lead – and the game.

Sorry, Eagles fans – of which I am one – but Sam Bradford will not take you to the Promised Land this year – or any other year during the 21st Century.

Bradford finished 15-for-28 (54%) for 270 yards, three TDs, and zero INTs. He was sacked five times.

JAMEIS WINSTON

I didn’t see any of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3) game against the undefeated Carolina Panthers (4-0). But I did see the highlights when Winston threw another pick-six – his second of the season – and Josh Norman returned it 46 yards to pay dirt.

Winston went 26-for-43 (60%) for 287 yards, two TDs, and an outrageous four INTs.

Sorry, Bucs fans, but your GM Jason Licht sold your team down the river when he drafted Jameis Winston with the first pick in this year’s draft – instead of Marcus Mariota. Oh, what a misguided thought-process that was.

Think I’m going to send my résumé to the Bucs for consideration. I would’ve drafted Mariota and the Bucs future would by heading in an upward direction instead of downward.

In addition to being an official Eagles Outsider, Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Birth of the Birds
• Soon-to-be-published novel Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow