By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Nick Foles has cleats in Canton because he delivered one of eight performances in NFL history where a quarterback has thrown seven touchdowns in a single game. With all due respect to that magical November 2013 game, Foles has a new career-defining performance.
In an NFC Championship Game where many entered expecting Foles to be the reason the Eagles didn't punch a ticket to the Super Bowl, Foles came through with a performance so dominant that Eagles fans were mocking the Vikings "SKOL" chant by clapping their hands together and yelling "Foles" for much of the second half.
Here are my in-game notes on the performance of Nick Foles, who has helped to lead the Eagles to their third Super Bowl appearance in franchise history:
First Quarter
Drive One
- After a Kyle Rudolph touchdown capped off the opening drive of the game for the Vikings, the Eagles began their first drive of the game on their own 25-yard line.
- On first down, Foles faked to Jay Ajayi, then hit Nelson Agholor for a 10-yard gain on a play-action play.
- Just after Troy Aikman suggested that the Eagles should take a shot deep early, Foles did just that. Though the throw could have led Smith a bit more, Smith briefly had the ball pinned to his left shoulder pad. Trae Waynes ultimately pushed the ball out of Smith's grip, leading to an incomplete pass, and a giant miss early on:
Smith dropped this, but it’s a throw that faded on Foles #Eagles. pic.twitter.com/wZ12x29b3m
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) January 21, 2018
- On second-and-10, Foles found an in-motion Agholor for a six-yard gain. Doug Pederson has leaned heavily on Agholor in the postseason.
- On third-and-four, Foles found a wide-open Trey Burton, but Burton wasn't able to get his feet down in bounds. It's unclear why Burton wasn't able to get his feet down in bounds, as he had no one in the same zip code as him. Foles did his part on third-and-short, but Burton displayed poor awareness to end the drive:
Keep your feet down! #Eagles pic.twitter.com/ODGbtRX1M9
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) January 21, 2018
Drive Two
- Following a Patrick Robinson pick-six against Case Keenum, the Eagles forced a three-and-out on the next Vikings possession. Kenjon Barner called for a fair catch on the Eagles 25 after a punt from Ryan Quigley.
- After runs of 13 and seven from Jay Ajayi, Foles connected with Alshon Jeffery for a first-down. The throw was a bit low, but the slant pattern worked well:
This was a very well designed pass play #Eagles pic.twitter.com/UmfVcpAWtm
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) January 22, 2018
- Agholor got the ball on a jet sweep on first down, but was stopped in the backfield. On second down, Foles wasn't able to find Brent Celek, his intended target.
- On third-and-10, Foles stepped up in the pocket and connected with Zach Ertz for the first time on the evening. Ertz fought for an extra yard or two, which netted the Eagles a first down.
- Foles went back to Ertz on the following play, this time connecting with him on a play-action slant for an eight-yard gain. The pass was high, but Ertz hauled it in, nonetheless.
- On first-and-10, Foles fired a strike to Jeffery on a run/pass option slant, which ended the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Drive Two (continued)
- On third-and-one, the Eagles (perhaps curiously) lined up in the shotgun. They executed a well-designed play, though, as Ertz opened up for a first down completion.
- That was Foles' final throw of the drive, as LeGarrette Blount plowed through Andrew Sendejo for an 11-yard touchdown run:
.@LG_Blount making money moves.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/aIeuODZKjt
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 22, 2018
- This turned into a 6:20, 75-yard drive, where the Eagles converted on third down twice. When you are in the NFC Title Game and somewhat limited in what you can do vertically, that's how you win games.
Drive Three
- The Eagles third drive of the game began on their own 30-yard line.
- After a short Blount run on first down, Foles threw behind Agholor on second and eight, leading to an incompletion.
- On third-and-eight, Foles used a Ben Roethlisberger esque pump-fake to create a window for him to throw in the pocket. He then completed a pass to Ertz for a first down.
ANOTHER huge 3rd down pass by Roles #Eagles pic.twitter.com/Ogz4fCTnGQ
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) January 22, 2018
- On second-and-seven, Eric Kendricks hit Foles' elbow, and Foles was only able to push the ball out of his hands. Prior to Kendricks reaching him, Foles looked to be loading up for a deep shot down the field.
- Danielle Hunter sacked Foles on third-and-eight to end the Eagles third drive of the game. Foles did a good job to hold onto the ball as he went to the ground:
Ouch. #Eagles #Skol pic.twitter.com/Y6k0gp3HFP
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) January 22, 2018
Drive Four
- After Derek Barnett stripped Case Keenum of the ball on a sack deep in Philadelphia territory, Chris Long recovered the fumble on the Eagles 24-yard line.
- The Eagles first down play looked like it came from the Josh McDaniels playbook, as there were a lot of misdirections, and a nonchalant Foles in the backfield after faking a handoff. Foles ultimately threw to Ajayi on a screen pass that didn't develop. To his credit, Ajayi was able to turn what looked to be a loss into a two-yard gain.
- On third-and-six, Foles got rid of the ball quickly to Corey Clement. Clement spun off of Anthony Barr and maintained his balance long enough to secure a first down.
- On the following first down, Foles connected with Smith, who burst through a hole for a first down. Had he not been taken down, Smith may have broken free for a touchdown. You see why the Eagles continue to attempt to use him- when he has the ball in his hands, he's electric.
- Foles threw the ball away deep on first down.
- On second-and-10, no one opened up, so Foles wisely threw the ball away.
- Foles did an incredible job of operating in a crowd on third-and-10. He avoided having the ball knocked out of his hands or being taken down long enough for Jeffery to break past Terrance Newman for a touchdown:
Foles to @TheWorldof_AJ. Six points.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/NPIlrQc4pl
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 22, 2018
Drive Five
- Up 14 and set to get the ball to open the second half, there was a case to be made for the Eagles being conservative when they got the ball back with 29 seconds left in the second quarter. But the Vikings gave the Eagles too much room to operate, allowing them to set up a field goal attempt.
- Foles connected with Ajayi for an 11-yard gain on first down.
- On the following play, Foles found Ertz, who had broken WIDE open for a 36-yard gain.
- Finally, Foles dumped the ball off to Ajayi on the second-to-last play of the quarter, and he took it for a 13-yard gain.
- This set up a 38-yard field goal attempt for Jake Elliott, which he nailed. This gave the Eagles a 17-point halftime lead, which was by far the largest lead the team has ever had at halftime in an NFC Championship Game.
Third Quarter
Drive Six
- After deferring in the first half, the Eagles opened up the second half with the ball on their own 25.
- Foles hit Smith, who the Eagles love to go to early in halves, for a four-yard gain.
- Smith made a six-yard reception on the following play for another six-yard gain.
- After an Ajayi run on first down, Foles kept the ball on a run/pass option. He took a big hit from Anthony Barr, but did connect with Jeffery for a first down.
- A Blount carry went for a loss on second-and-four, setting up a third-and-six. The Eagles again went to Smith on third down, hitting him on a screen pass that he stretched out just long enough for a first down.
- That proved to be huge, as Pederson again went to the McDaniels playbook on the following play. Foles handed the ball off to Clement, who tossed it back, and then he hit Smith on a flea-flicker for a 41-yard touchdown. This was one of the nicest throws of Foles' career:
9-30-9-82.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/9pLkmiJ5st
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 22, 2018
Drive Seven
- After the Vikings failed to convert on fourth-and-goal, the Eagles took over on their own eight-yard line.
- On third-and-four, Foles connected with Ertz for a six-yard gain.
- After two short Ajayi runs, Foles rolled out and found Agholor on third-and-four for a 42-yard gain. Foles, who looked awfully like Carson Wentz on this play, did a good job of rolling out and then leading Agholor with his throw:
Nick Foles making a little magic happen.
This pass 🎯🎯🎯 #MINvsPHI #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/9Al1uyuM3o
— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2018
- Two plays later, on second-and-12, Foles connected with Burton over the middle of the field, and he spun off a would-be tackler and pushed forward for a first down.
- The third quarter ended with the Eagles on the one-yard line of Vikings, after a first-down run from Clement was followed up by a five-yard gain by Ajayi on first-and-goal.
Fourth Quarter
Drive Seven (continued)
- After Ajayi lost yards on second-and-goal, Foles, performing at an other-wordly level, found Jeffery on third-and-goal for his second touchdown of the game. Jeffery's incredible hand-strength was on display on this catch:
Why not another Jeffery TD. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/DejPtZLV9U
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) January 22, 2018
Drive Eight
- The Eagles began their eighth drive on their own 40-yard line, after the Vikings turned it over on downs.
- After a holding penalty backed the Eagles up to a second-and-16, Foles ran a Chip Kelly-type fake, ending with a short gain on a screen pass by Ertz.
- On third-and-12, Foles dumped it off to Ertz on a screen pass that went for only six yards, ending the drive.
Drive Nine
- Following a Corey Graham interception, Foles and the Eagles set up their ninth drive on their own seven-yard line.
- Foles ultimately didn't throw a pass on the drive, and excited mid-drive to a standing ovation. Nate Sudfeld kneeled to run out the clock, and send the Eagles to the Super Bowl.
