Eagles: Forget Vick, Pick Nick

Editor's Note: This column was written before the Philadelphia Eagles played the Cleveland Browns Friday night.

Forget Michael Vick—now we've got Nick.

Sometimes discoveries are made in preseason that amount to ones like finding the Ark of the Covenant, or learning that the world is not flat.

The have made a find of historic proportions: Rookie quarterback Nick Foles is the real deal. As tries to stay in a football game for more than two series, Foles has shone like someone who could be the next Dan Marino or Joe Montana.

When all "Monday Night Football" analyst Jon Gruden (who knows his stuff) does is gush about Foles the entire game, you know there's something special about this big lug from Arizona.

After all, Gruden got to watch Brett Favre grow up in Green Bay.

It's one thing when a rookie impresses in the first preseason game, as Foles did. But the poise he showed coming off the bench to fill in for an injured Vick against the Pariots was something we're used to seeing from Peyton Manning or Steve Young or Roger Staubach.

Foles looked that good, playing with the starters and running the first-team offense like he'd been doing this for years. The man is no Kevin Kolb—and who cares how well Mike Kafka might know the playbook?

Forget Foles as a No. 2. Coach should name Foles the starter for the season immediately.

Yes, this talk may sound crazy. Two preseason games do not make a career. But watch Foles play and tell me otherwise. This guy has talent; he's something special. And it wouldn't be unprecedented: Cleveland, Indianapolis, Washington and Miami are all going with rookie QBs this year.

Maybe the Michael Vick Experiment is really over. Vick has played a full season once in his career. He's already banged a thumb on a helmet and gotten crushed in the ribs. His leading stat in three pre-season games? Two X-rays. Why go through games with Vick starting and then coming out for an injury? It will stall the offense and kill any momentum.

So far, Foles has shown he is something special. He also could be the missing ingredient for a championship.