PHILADELPHIA -- Nick Foles officially remained No. 2 on the Philadelphia Eagles' depth chart, even as he talked like a starter.
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Facing a crush of media in front of his locker, Foles sounded every bit like the quarterback who will make his first NFL start Sunday at Washington, not an injured Michael Vick.
"I'm ready," Foles said after running the Eagles' first-team offense Wednesday. "I'm excited to just play again. Like I said before, my prayers are with Mike, I just want Mike to be healthy. But it's my time to go out there and just play and do everything I can for this team and help in any way possible."
Vick's status atop the Eagles' depth chart is a mere formality. He didn't practice or even come to the practice facility again Wednesday as he recovers from a significant concussion suffered in last week's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. His headaches are subsiding, for now, but the veteran still needs to complete the mandated concussion testing this week.
Foles, a third-round draft pick out of Arizona, ran the Eagles' offense in front of A-list actor Bradley Cooper and remained confident he can help the team end its miserable five-game losing streak.
"I'm going to do my job right now until he gets healthy," Foles said.
Foles was 22-of-32 psssing for 219 yards and one touchdown with one interception Sunday in relief of Vick, who suffered a concussion after taking back-to-back punishing hits in the second quarter. Those numbers weren't enough to help the Eagles avoid their fifth consecutive loss, a first in coach Andy Reid's 14 seasons.
"He's going to handle it like he's going," Reid said of Foles. "Whether he does or not, we'll see how that works out."
The Eagles have little to play for this season, so the time could be right anyway for Foles to take over and see if he can start to prove he's the QB of the future. Vick struggled most of this season and no longer is the dynamic playmaker he was for the Atlanta Falcons and early in his Eagles tenure. Foles' performance down the stretch could be a factor in evaluating if Reid deserves to return for a 15th season, though that appears a long shot.
"I have a lot of confidence in him," Reid said of Foles. "That's why I brought him here."
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
