Some Bad Things We (And Everyone Else) Said About Nick Foles Before He Won Super Bowl LII

Just about everybody got it wrong when it came to how far Nick Foles could take the Eagles.

When Carson Wentz went down with a torn ACL in Week 14, many thought the Eagles' Super Bowl chances had dissipated.

Philadelphia had been replacing key players across the board all season long, but few believed that backup quarterback Nick Foles had what it takes to get the job done and deliver the city its first Super Bowl.

Foles, who won the NFC East as a starter in his first stint with the Eagles, went on to prove the doubters and naysayers wrong by guiding Philadelphia to three playoff wins as the underdogs to capture the title.

So now, let's take time to look back at some of the things people had to say about Foles before he became Super Bowl LII MVP.

• "But Wentz’s injury was crushing. He was the MVP favorite for a reason. He not only was throwing the ball well from the pocket; he also was making magical plays while improvising. He was, with great regularity, making something out of nothing. And he had the trust of his teammates, who seemed to believe they were headed to a special season with their prized second-year quarterback.That feeling is now gone, it appears. If it’s not, it probably should be." - Mark Maske, Washington Post (12/26/17)

• "I can imagine all the Eagles in the locker room post-game. A win’s a win. And We clinched home-field in the NFC—there’s 15 other teams that wish they could say that. And We’ve got all the confidence in the world in Nick Foles. They’re deluding themselves. ... He was inaccurate, continued to have trouble finding top receiver Alshon Jeffery (two targets, zero catches) and inspired zero hope that when the games matter he’ll be able to flip some switch and respond like a playoff quarterback should." - Peter King, Sports Illustrated (12/26/17)

• "The way things look with Nick Foles under center, I believe the Eagles are a one-and-done team in the postseason. The defense will keep them in the game, but I don't see Foles delivering a victory." - Chris Simms, Bleacher Report (1/1/18)

• "We've seen a guy who looks lost. A guy who looks uncertain when he lets go of the ball. I think that's going to come back to haunt this Philadelphia Eagles team." - Tiki Barber (1/2/18)

• "Eagles fans are not going to enjoy seeing their team plummet further, but even this ranking might be too high. Nick Foles didn't play much Sunday, but when he did, he didn't exactly remind fans of Carson Wentz, or even A.J. Feeley." - Elliot Harrison, NFL.com (1/2/18)

• "Uh ... yikes. The Eagles didn’t have anything to play for, but getting shut out is never a great look. Especially when the quarterback who is supposed to carry the torch now that Carson Wentz is gone finished with a 9.3 passer rating. Nick Foles threw 11 passes before leaving the game, but completed just four of them for 39 yards and threw an interception. Philadelphia’s defense is going to have to lead the way, but the Eagles’ offense has to at least score a few points and that looks like a real problem." - Adam Stites, SB Nation (1/2/18)

• "In my opinion any way, I think it's very hard to project Foles to throw the ball downfield very much." - Peter King, Sports Illustrated (1/16/18)

Then again, Foles's near-flawless performance on Sunday would have been hard to foresee.