How Nick Foles Performs Against Pressure and the Blitz

Pro Football Focus has been running a "QBs in Focus" offseason series that involves some interesting data regarding every NFL quarterback. The latest piece in their series focuses on how quarterbacks handle pressure and blitzing (or a lack of it) from opposing defenses. With the interest of the Eagles in mind, let's take a look at how Nick Foles performed. Numbers in parentheses represent the NFL average.

No Pressure

To no surprise, Foles was pretty good when he had a clean pocket. The percentage of touchdowns Foles threw on plays where he wasn't pressured (10.8%) was higher than any other NFL QB. He more than doubled the NFL average in that category.

Yards/attempt: 9.9 (7.7)

YAC/completion: 7.4 (5.6)

Completion%: 70.9% (67.4%)

Accuracy%: 76.3% (75.9%)

TD%: 10.8% (4.9%)

INT%: 0.8% (2.3%)

QB Rating: 134.6 (96.9)

PFF Grade: 13.2 (14th)

Pressure

Foles handled pressure fairly well. He wasn't exceptionally stellar but he was certainly above average. The fact that Foles didn't throw any interceptions while facing pressure is definitely impressive.

Yards/attempt: 7.2 (5.9)

YAC/completion: 6.0 (5.1)

Completion%: 47.9% (47.0%)

Accuracy%: 68.1% (61.5%)

TD%: 3.2% (3.4%)

INT%: 0.0% (3.9%)

QB Rating: 82.8 (60.7)

PFF Grade: -1.6 (16th)

Blitz

Against the blitz, Foles recorded the best yards/attempt, TD%, and QB rating of any NFL QB. Plus tied for the lowest INT%.

Yards/attempt: 10.2 (7.2)

YAC/completion: 8.2 (6.0)

Completion%: 64.4% (57.4%)

Accuracy%: 74.1% (68.7%)

TD%: 10.0% (4.9%)

INT: 0.0% (2.5%)

QB Rating: 131.8

PFF Grade: 3.7 (15th)

No Blitz

Foles made teams pay if they didn't blitz him. Predictable.

Yards/attempt: 8.7 (7.1)

YAC/completion: 6.6 (5.2)

Completion%: 63.9% (62.9%)

Accuracy%: 74.3% (73.3%)

TD%: 7.9% (4.2%)

INT%: 0.9% (2.9%)

QB Rating: 114.2 (86.1)

PFF Grade: 7.9 (12th)

No Blitz, No Pressure

This is what happens when Foles has all day to throw.

Yards/attempt: 9.1 (7.5)

YAC/completion: 7.0 (5.4)

Completion%: 70.1% (68.1%)

Accuracy%: 75.9% (76.6%)

TD%: 9.1% (4.6%)

INT%: 1.2% (2.5%)

QB Rating: 123.7

PFF Grade: 6.0 (17th)

No Blitz, Pressure

Foles handled pressure well when it didn't come in the form a blitz.

Yards/attempt: 7.7 (5.9)

YAC/completion: 5.2 (4.8)

Completion%: 47.6 (48.6)

Accuracy%: 68.8% (63.2%)

TD%: 4.8% (3.2%)

INT%: 0.0% (4.0%)

QB Rating: 89.6 (60.9)

PFF Grade: 1.9 (7th)

Blitz, No Pressure

This is the area where Foles is the most dangerous. If you're going to send extra rushers and blitz Foles, you better hope it hits home. If it doesn't, he's going to make defenses pay. Foles almost tripled the average TD% in this category. Nick Foles had a near perfect QB Rating (153.5) when defenses sent the blitz but didn't generate pressure. If you blitz at the Foles, you best not miss.

Yards/attempt: 12.3 (8.0)

YAC/completion: 9.7 (6.1)

Completion%: 67.3% (65.4%)

Accuracy%: 78.8% (74.0%)

TD%: 15.3% (5.6%)

INT%: 0.0 (1.8%)

QB Rating: 153.5

PFF Grade: 7.2 (10th)

Blitz, Pressure

This is the area where Foles struggled the most. Not a single one of Foles 27 TDs came when he was pressured by a blitz.

Yards/attempt: 6.4 (5.9)

YAC/completion: 7.8 (5.7)

Completion%: 48.4% (44.2%)

Accuracy%: 66.7% (58.6%)

TD%: 0.0% (3.7%)

INT%: 0.0% (0.0%)

QB Rating: 69.0 (60.4)

PFF Grade: -3.5 (26th)