NFL Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Foles’ Broken Collarbone Means Mark Sanchez Must Step Up

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Despite coming away with a 31-21 road win over the Houston Texans, the Philadelphia Eagles lost one of their key players. Quarterback Nick Foles took a big sack from Whitney Mercilus, and left the field immediately with an apparent shoulder injury.

The injury was later confirmed by Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer to be a broken collarbone, which could cost Foles a huge chunk of the remainder of the 2014 regular season. While the timetable for return from a broken collarbone typically ranges from 4-6 weeks, we must remember that Aaron Rodgers missed eight games for the Green Bay Packers last season with a seemingly similar injury.

With Foles out at least until Week 13, backup quarterback Mark Sanchez must step up and be the man to keep the Eagles in the playoff hunt. At 6-2, Philadelphia is in prime position to secure a spot in the postseason — potentially even as the winner of the NFC East. However, without their starting quarterback, things get exponentially tougher.

As solid as Sanchez was after stepping in for the injured Foles, he’s far from a reliable option. As we saw during his years as the New York Jets‘ starter, the former first-round pick has a tendency to make big mistakes in key situations. Not only does he force unnecessary turnovers, but he has a propensity to just do dumb things (remember the Butt Fumble?).

However, when he isn’t making ill-advised throws or running into the back of his blockers, Sanchez has shown the ability to be a capable starter. The biggest question at this point is figuring out which Sanchez will show up week in and week out. He clearly has the physical tools to be an effective NFL starter, but doesn’t always have the mental toughness to get the job done.

There’s no denying that head coach Chip Kelly will do everything in his power to set Sanchez up for success. However, in the end, it will all depend on whether or not he can overcome his mental lapses, make plays and minimize mistakes. That will be the difference between the Eagles cruising into the playoffs or heading into the final weeks of the season with the weight of the world on their shoulders.

Until Foles returns, it’s all up to Sanchez to keep the Eagles alive. Will he rise to the occasion, or fumble it away like he always did with the Jets?

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