Helter Skelter » Nick Foles plays with a strong sense of inner peace

Win or lose Khari Willis Jersey , he’s the same guy.“My identity is rooted in Christ, not in my accomplishments,” Foles said a few days before he leads the Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) against the Washington Redskins (7-8) in another big game.The Eagles would earn the NFC’s final wild-card berth if they win Sunday and the Vikings (8-6-1) lose at home against the Bears (11-4).Foles has performed well at quarterback in high-pressure situations the past two seasons while filling in for Carson Wentz. He’s 5-0 in must-win games and earned Super Bowl MVP honors in a win over New England last February.“Playing in the Super Bowl is really a big stage but I remember staying in the moment, not worrying about the clock, not worrying about the score,” Foles said. “It was peaceful, which it shouldn’t be, but it was.”He said he hasn’t mastered his “stay-in-the-moment” philosophy but he’s working on it daily.“I still have to remind myself,” Foles said. “There are times you get overwhelmed, you get excited thinking about all the things you want to accomplish. … I’m still learning. I don’t have it conquered.”The Eagles were on the verge of playoff elimination when a back injury forced Wentz out of the lineup earlier this month, but Foles came to the rescue again.He helped the 13 ½-point underdog Eagles beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-23 on the road, and set a franchise-record with 471 yards passing in a 32-30 comeback win over Houston last week.Teammates have raved about Foles’ leadership skills and confidence.“He’s extremely calm. He’s always exuding positivity,” tight end Zach Ertz said. “He’s playing at an extremely high level. We love playing for him.”Foles doesn’t get flustered when things go wrong. He doesn’t call out guys on the sideline or argue with coaches.“There will be mistakes. I might throw a pick. I might fumble,” he said. “But what are we gonna do? That’s where we need to react and be confident and be positive.”Staying consistent on and off the field is important to Foles.“When I step in the huddle, I’m not going to change, when we’re at a restaurant or out in public (I’m not going to change),” he said. “I want to be who I am. I want to be genuine Josh Allen Jersey , and I think that’s a powerful thing. “Foles is 22-7 as a starter for the Eagles over two stints since his rookie season in 2012. He has experienced plenty of highs and lows — he was traded by the Eagles in 2015 and released by the Rams in 2016 — during his seven seasons in the NFL and now faces an uncertain future.The Eagles are committed to Wentz as their franchise quarterback so they’re expected to decline an option to pay Foles $20 million in 2019, allowing him to become a free agent. Foles became emotional talking about the possibility he has played his last game in Philadelphia.“This city means a lot to me, this team means a lot to me, wearing that jersey means a lot to me,” he said. “I’m very grateful for every opportunity to play here, to play in front of our fans, to wear that jersey no matter what. No one can ever take that away from me.”Wherever Foles goes, fans in Philadelphia will always consider him a hero for winning the franchise’s first Vince Lombardi Trophy. Deshaun Watson‘s performance in just a few games as a rookie last year has everyone looking forward to what the Houston Texans quarterback can do in a full season.Perhaps no one is more excited about Watson’s potential than DeAndre Hopkins, Houston’s top receiver who has suffered through a revolving door at the position since he was drafted in 2013.“The possibilities, what we can do is limitless,” Hopkins said.Watson threw for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns and ran for 269 yards and two more scores in seven games, with six starts, before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in right knee in practice last season. He’s healthy now and determined to help the Texans bounce back from last year’s injury-plagued 4-12 season, their first losing record since 2013.“I’m very excited for the new season and the potential that we have,” Watson said. “Now we’ve just got to go out there and perform and do it on the field.”After he was injured last season Watson remained a fixture at the facility. He spent countless hours studying film, picking the brains of coaches and teammates and doing everything he could to continue his development while his knee healed. Coach Bill O’Brien loves that work ethic and believes the time Watson put in to improve mentally will pay dividends when he’s back on the field this year.“I really can’t say enough about the guy. He’s a great guy http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jawaan-taylor-jersey ,” O’Brien said. “He’s worked very hard to understand the system going into his second year. He’s the type of guy that’s always going to show up to work. He loves football. He’s got great questions. He’s been great since the day he walked in the door here.”Some things to know about the 2018 Texans.WATT’S RETURN: While Watson returns on offense, the Texans should also get a boost from the return of J.J. Watt to lead the defense. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is healthy heading into the 2018 season after playing just eight games over the last two years because of a back injury in 2016 and a broken leg last season.He made his preseason debut in Houston’s third game against the Rams and has said he’ll be ready to go for Houston’s opener against the Patriots on Sept. 9.The defensive end said he’s feeling great, and was asked if he thinks he’ll be the same player he was before the injuries, when he piled up 38 sacks and 116 tackles combined in 2014-15.“Any way I answer that question, I’m screwed,” he said. “You want me to say: ‘Yeah, it’s going to be incredible,’ then you’re setting insane expectations. I say: ‘No, I think I’m going to suck,’ that doesn’t bode too well for myself either. There’s really no good way to answer that question so I’m literally focused (on) what I can control.”“Through all my injuries, that’s probably the biggest thing I’ve learned, is control what you can control,” he said. “All I can control is today; workouts, practice, meetings, and then tomorrow I’ll be able to control that.”HONEY BADGER IN HOUSTON: Houston’s biggest offseason acquisition was free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu, the Honey Badger.Mathieu joined the Texans after spending his first five seasons in Arizona Josh Oliver Jersey , where he played 66 games with 57 starts. The Texans hope, Mathieu, who has 11 career interceptions, will improve a secondary that allowed 215 yards passing a game last season. Though he’s new to the team, Mathieu has tried to step in and help mentor some of his younger teammates.“I just want to bring some energy,” he said. “I want to make as many plays as possible … I just want to be the ultimate leader for those guys and just show those guys that I’m going to show up every day.”Hopkins is a big fan of Mathieu and has enjoyed sparring with him in training camp this year.“He’s the quietest and (most chill) guy outside of the football field, but once he’s on the field he’s the Honey Badger,” Hopkins said.CLOWNEY’S ENCORE: The Texans are hoping for another big performance from Jadeveon Clowney after the top overall pick in the 2014 draft had the best season of his career last year.Clowney sat out most of training camp after offseason arthroscopic knee surgery, but returned last week and played against the Rams.The defensive end anchored Houston’s defense last season with Watt out, finishing second in the NFL with a career-high 21 tackles for losses and his 9 1/2 sacks, 21 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles were also career bests.He thinks Houston’s defense will be tough to deal with now that Watt is back and he’s playing at such a high level.“If we stay healthy, I don’t see much bad going wrong with this defensive line and this secondary we put together,” he said. “I’m excited about this team and this defense.”16<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:WATCH: Texas Football Days Presented By Jack In The Box | The Features