A rough preseason had people doubting Nick Foles again.

The Super Bowl MVP is used to criticism and he's ready to lead the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.

Foles was the toast of the town after spectacular performances in the NFC championship game against Minnesota and the Super Bowl victory over New England. But he didn't lead the offense to any points on 14 drives in two preseason games Valtteri Filppula Jersey , threw two interceptions, lost two fumbles and got sacked six times, including a safety.

"I went out there and played," Foles said Tuesday. "I made mistakes. I did good things. I grew as a player. That's important. I wasn't trying to play it safe and with that you are going to make mistakes. Obviously, it isn't fun, but you get to watch film and deal with the emotions of throwing a pick, having a strip-sack, and I dealt with it in the preseason and keep learning from it and move forward."

Foles replaced Carson Wentz after the franchise quarterback tore two knee ligaments in Week 14 last season. He rallied the Eagles to a victory over the Los Angeles Rams to clinch the NFC East and played well in his first five quarters. He struggled in the next five and some critics suggested Foles should be benched for Nate Sudfeld for the division playoff game against Atlanta. Coach Doug Pederson never lost confidence in Foles, and it paid off when he helped the Eagles win their first NFL title since 1960.

Foles had a 115.7 passer rating, completed 72.6 percent of his passes and threw for 971 yards, six TDs and one interception in the playoffs.

Which version of Foles will show up this week?

"I think everyone tries to figure out sports. Sports, you never know Patrice Bergeron Jersey ," Foles said. "You go out there and play, you give everything you have. I think there's plenty of games that are middle ground that I've played.

"Now my middle ground is if I throw one touchdown, no interceptions, it's a bad game. I've set that bar high. I know that because I expect more for myself. What is a middle ground game? We're going to be analyzed as players but I know as a player, you can be hard on yourself, but you have to learn from your mistakes and for me, I know by the week of preparation, but you never really know until you get in the game."

Foles wasn't officially named the starter until Monday, though it was obvious Wentz wasn't going to be ready to play. Wentz still hasn't been medically cleared.

"The more I play, the more I'll get in a rhythm," Foles said.

NOTES: The Eagles signed WR Markus Wheaton and placed TE Richard Rodgers (knee) on injured reserve. Wheaton was released on Saturday but was quickly brought back. LB Joe Walker was signed to the practice squad and LB Asantay Brown was released.

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints have placed tight end Michael Hoomanawanui and veteran running back Shane Vereen on injured reserve Tyler Toffoli Jersey , and cut veteran reserve quarterback Tom Savage while trimming their roster down to the regular-season maximum.

The Saints, who announced the moves Saturday, also traded defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence to Cleveland for “future considerations” and waived four draft choices from the past two years.

The 2018 draft choices waived were: offensive tackle Rick Leonard, a fourth rounder out of Florida State; defensive back Natrell Jamerson, a fifth-rounder out of Wisconsin; and defensive back Kamrin Moore, a sixth-rounder out of Boston College. Defensive end Al-Quaddin Muhammad, a 2017 sixth-rounder out of Miami, also was waived.

Younger players who remain on the 53-player roster for now include second-year tight end Dan Arnold, second-year offensive lineman Cameron Tom, and running back Boston Scott, a 2018 sixth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech.

Arnold, a 6-foot-6 converted receiver out of Wisconsin-Platteville Patric Hornqvist Jersey , is entering his second pro season after spending last year on injured reserve.

The 5-foot-6, 203-pound Scott, who grew up in the New Orleans area, showed promise as a runner and return man during the preseason. He joins the team at a time when it needs running back depth due to Mark Ingram’s four-game suspension to start the season because of the Pro Bowler’s positive test for a banned substance. One of Scott’s chief competitors for a role in the return game was veteran receiver Brandon Tate, who was among the Saints’ final cuts.

Another veteran receiver let go was Michael Floyd, who was brought in near the beginning of training camp as he tries to bounce back from a series of off-the-field setbacks that derailed his once-promising career with Arizona.

New Orleans is back to having just one defensive back named Marcus Williams on the roster after cutting the veteran cornerback by that name only weeks after signing him as a free agent. The former New York Jet and Houston Texan intercepted a pass for a touchdown during the Saints’ preseason victory over the Chargers in Los Angeles, but that wasn’t enough to keep him around.

The younger Marcus Williams, a 2017 second-round draft choice out of Utah, is projected to start at free safety as he seeks to bury bad memories of his missed tackle of Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs on the last play of last season’s playoff loss in Minnesota.

The Saints also parted ways with their 2015 second-round pick, Hau’oli Kikaha, an edge pass rusher who showed promise as a rookie but who missed the 2016 season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament for the third time. He came back from that injury to make the team last season but struggled to work his way into the regular playing rotation and was a healthy scratch several times.

Other players cut by the Saints were: linebackers Jayrone Elliott, KeShun Freeman and Colton Jumper; defensive tackles Jay Bromley Youth Jamie McGinn Jersey , Woodrow Hamilton and Henry Mondeaux; defensive ends Alex Jenkins and George Johnson; defensive backs Sharrod Neasman, Linden Stephens and Robert Nelson; receivers Tanner McAvoy and Keith Kirkwood; offensive linemen Josh LeRibeus, Nate Wozniak, Michael Ola, Andrew Tiller, Landon Turner and Don Barclay; tight ends Garrett Griffin, John Phillips and Deon Yelder; quarterback J.T. Barrett; and running back Jonathan Williams.

Players cut by New Orleans could potentially wind up on the club’s 10-player practice squad.

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