FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Philadelphia Eagles have made huge strides since practicing with the New England Patriots a year ago.
From a 4-12 record to 10-6 and their first playoff berth in three years. From learning a different system under new coach Chip Kelly to a year of familiarity with it. From Michael Vick to Nick Foles at quarterback.
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From hosting the Patriots at joint practices last summer to visiting them for three days of workouts this week before Friday night’s preseason game.
“Last year when we practiced against these guys everything was new,” Eagles cornerback Brandon Boykin said. “We were a new defense. So this year we’re more experienced, got a year under our belt. We play faster. We’ve just got confidence.”
The pace was slower than planned Wednesday because of heavy rain throughout practice.
Players saw some good in that after coming off the field in soggy uniforms.
“You never know if you’re going to have a game in this type of weather, so why not practice in it every now and again?” Philadelphia tight end Brent Celek said with a laugh. “Hopefully this is the only one.”
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is used to playing in damp conditions.
“It was kind of a New England-type day. We had a bunch of these last year and really, for the most part the weather has been great all camp,” Brady said. “It’s good to get work in like this. Certainly against a playoff-caliber team, it’s always good.”
Brady is expected to play Friday night after sitting out last Thursday night’s 23-6 loss at Washington. Coach Bill Belichick rarely announces who will play in preseason games.
“I’ll be ready to play for as long as he wants me to,” said Brady, who turned 37 on Aug. 3. “That’s very valuable playing experience for me, too. It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been doing it, you’ve got to get out there and play under game situations, and get your body going at the level it needs to be at.”
Foles started his second NFL season on the bench last year before taking over for Vick and leading the NFL in passer rating. He threw 27 touchdown passes and two interceptions.
“Everything I do I’m a little bit better (than last summer), and I want to come out here each and every day and try to gain a little bit,” Foles said. “You can just imagine playing in all the games I did last year from when we had the practice (with the Patriots). I’m a lot different but still want to get better.”
He can do that after a poor performance last Friday night in a 34-28 loss to Chicago. He completed 6 of 9 passes for 44 yards with two interceptions.
“Will I make mistakes again? Yes, I will make mistakes,” Foles said. “But I want to overcome them and I want to show my teammates it’s not going to rattle me. When you have games that you don’t feel like you play well, you love coming out here on a practice field and working on stuff.”
He worked well Tuesday, throwing three touchdowns and no interceptions.
“It was what we expected out of Nick,” Kelly said. “We’ve grown accustomed to it.”
Brady also values all the work he gets in joint practices where the competitive level is higher than when he faces teammates.
“They’re great,” he said. “In a preseason game I don’t get as many reps, so certainly a lot of situational stuff we did today is so valuable.”
He didn’t interact much with Foles in the first two days of practice, but Foles hoped to learn by watching. Both teams have walkthroughs Thursday.
“Tom’s one of the best to ever play the game, and it’s great to watch him and see how he conducts an offense and where he throws the ball,” Foles said.
Brady focuses on what he needs to do, not what Foles is doing.
“I haven’t seen him much,” Brady said. “It’s hard enough preparing for my own job.”
NEW ENGLAND acquired injured defensive end Jerel Worthy from Green Bay pending a physical. Worthy had been placed on the non-football injury list after spending much of 2013 on injured reserve with a knee injury.
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