Foles, not Vick, saves day

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Michael Vick keeps taking his lumps. His Philadelphia Eagles keep winning.

The star quarterback was leveled after throwing a long pass in the first quarter and underwent X-rays for the second straight game – negative again. Then backup Nick Foles led the Eagles to a 27-17 preseason victory over the New England Patriots on Monday night.

Vick had X-rays on his ribs after being knocked down by linebacker Jermaine Cunningham. Eleven days earlier, in a 24-23 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had X-rays on his left thumb after hitting it on the helmet of center Jason Kelce. Vick played only six plays each game.

Foles threw two touchdown passes for the second straight game for the Eagles.

Tom Brady sat out the game for the Patriots. The New England quarterback figures to play Friday night in the team’s third preseason game, at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Eagles (2-0) also have just three days between games. They play Cleveland on Friday.

Foles, a rookie third-round draft pick from Arizona, came in and finished 18 for 28 for 217 yards with TD passes to Clay Harbor of 1 and 3 yards. LeSean McCoy scored on a 1-yard run and Alex Henery kicked a 42-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 24-17 lead with 33 seconds left in the third quarter and a 21-yarder in the fourth that capped the scoring.

For the Patriots (1-1), third-stringer Ryan Mallett threw a 7-yard scoring pass to Alex Silvestro, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals.