Backup QB Foles Is MVP

A quarterback who considered leaving football last spring but decided to hang around as the Philadelphia Eagles backup led the team to its first Super Bowl championship on Sunday and was named MVP in the process.

Nick Foles, filling in for the injured Carson Wentz since December, threw three touchdown passes and also caught one on a gadget play as the Eagles downed the New England Patriots 41-33 in Minneapolis in Super Bowl LII. The Patriots were seeking to repeat as champions; the Eagles won their first title since 1960.

Foles threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Zach Ertz with 2:21 left. Anyone who has ever seen the Patriots play knows that giving Tom Brady 2:21 and the ball generally leads to a desperation scoring drive. But the Eagles forced a fumble by Brady and the Patriots’ quest for a sixth Super Bowl win was over.

Foles completed 28 of 43 pass attempts for 373 yards became the third quarterback to start and win the Super Bowl after starting three or fewer games in the regular season, joining Doug Williams (Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXII) and Jeff Hostetler (New York Giants, Super Bowl XXV). Foles has another year left on his contract and it is conceivable the Super Bowl MVP will again be a backup.

Brady passed for a Super Bowl-record 505 yards and also threw three touchdown passes.

Can you guess which team is the early favorite in Las Vegas to win Super Bowl LIII? Yup. The Patriots.

GOLF: Gary Woodland, winless on the PGA Tour for five years, parred the first playoff hole to take the Waste Management Phoenix Open to defeat Chez Reavie. Reavie made birdies on the 17th and 18th holes to force the playoff. Woodland has had a great start to the season, with a tie for seventh at the Sony Open and a tie for 12th at the Farmers Insurance Open.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Ranked teams had another rough weekend. No. 4 Duke, No. 7 Kansas, No. 9 Arizona, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 21 Kentucky and No. 23 Florida all lost. The Associated Press poll will be released on Monday.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman