Patriots vs. Eagles: Quarterbacks lighting it up everywhere!

New England won a shootout in Philly on Friday, with both teams giving a glimpse into the future.

Aug 10, 2013, 2:13 PM UTC

Elsa

The New England Patriots took care of business on the road, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Chip Kelly's debut, 31-22, on Friday night.

As usual, Tom Brady looked like a first-ballot Hall of Famer, while Michael Vick and Nick Foles battled for the top spot on the Eagles depth chart. Both played well, making the decision that much more difficult for Kelly and his staff.

Vick had the edge, throwing for 94 yards and a touchdown while going 4-of-5. Foles was solid if not spectacular, completing 5-of-6 for 43 yards. As mentioned, Brady was masterful with a line of 7-of-8, a touchdown and 65 yards.

Over at Bleeding Green Nation, Mike Kaye offered up his thoughts on the two signal-callers battling for the hearts of many.

The quarterback battle is still very much on. While Michael Vick was able to score quickly and impressively, Nick Foles led a multiple-play drive that was just as impressive.

However, Kaye was not nearly as impressed with the defensive side of things for Philadelphia:

The Eagles defense is definitely a work-in-progress. The first-team linebackers and secondary were mediocre in coverage and even worse against the run. If you watched the game, you likely weren’t impressed at all and frankly, you shouldn’t be.

The narrative was different on Pats Pulpit. Alec Shane was very pleased with the running backs while on the fence about the defense’s action.

Right from the first play from scrimmage, the Patriots ran the ball extremely well. Stevan Ridley and LeGarrette Blount were the stars of the day, but Shane Vereen had a nice game as both a runner and receiver.

Seeming to pick up right where they left off in 2012, the Patriots defense had an up and down day. There were a few too many big plays for my liking, and on more than one occasion a tackle for a loss turned into positive yards, but there were also some nice plays mixed in there and the starters played well overall.

For more Eagles coverage, be sure to check out Bleeding Green Nation and if you prefer the Patriots, Pats Pulpit is the place to be.