Nicks Foles is a starting quarterback in the NFL again. With the Chicago Bears‘ offense struggling through three games this year, former No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky is no longer the Bears’ starter, and Foles is now QB1. However, this might not be the best time to make Foles the starter. In fact, head coach Matt Nagy and the Bears are potentially choosing the worst possible time to start Foles.

Nick Foles came to the Chicago Bears as a Super Bowl champion

Foles has been a journeyman quarterback, but he has had a lot of success in his career.

After being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012, Foles had an excellent season in Philadelphia in 2013. He ultimately earned a Pro Bowl selection that year, as he threw for 2,891 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only two interceptions in 13 games and 10 starts.

Foles then threw for 2,163 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions for the Eagles in 2014 before playing for the St. Louis Rams in 2015. Foles struggled with the Rams, though, as he threw for 2,052 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He then played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, but only played in three games, and only started in one.

In 2017, though, Foles returned to Philadelphia, and after Carson Wentz went down toward the end of the season, he started in three regular-season games, and went 2-1. He then became a legend in the playoffs. In three playoff games that year, Foles threw for 971 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. He ultimately led the Eagles to a Super Bowl win, and he won Super Bowl MVP.

Foles filled in for Wentz in the playoffs again in 2018, but the Eagles ultimately lost in the Divisional Round. In 2019, Foles signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he only played in four games that year. The Jaguars then traded him to the Chicago Bears this past offseason.

He is starting over Mitchell Trubisky in Week 4

The Chicago Bears are 3-0 so far this NFL season, but their offense is struggling, as it is in the lower half of the league in points per game. Mitchell Trubisky, who the Bears selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, struggled through the first three games. He threw for 560 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. He only completed 59.3% of his passes too.

This led to Foles coming in during the Bears’ Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The Bears trailed the Falcons by 16 points in the third quarter when Foles came in. He then ultimately threw three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, which led to the Bears coming back and winning 30-26.

Foles went 16-of-29 through the air in the game for 188 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

“We got up this morning and went through the tape, and at the end of it we decided that we’re going to start Foles as a starter against Indianapolis,” Bears head coach Matt Nagy said, according to ESPN. “Both quarterbacks are aware of that. For us it’s never easy when you go into these type of situations. I want to credit both of those guys in yesterday’s situation for being really supportive of each other this whole time. Even as hard as that was for Mitch to be told that Nick’s going to go in and play, Mitch was to his credit just an awesome supporter of Nick the rest of that game.”

The Bears are starting Foles at the worst possible time

Foles’ first start with the Bears is coming against the Indianapolis Colts. This is, however, the worst team for Foles to get his first start against.

Colts head coach Frank Reich was the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles when Foles led the Eagles to the Super Bowl win. Reich got the best out of Foles during that playoff run, as Foles might have played the best football of his NFL career. During the 2017 playoffs under Reich, Foles threw for 971 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. In the 2018 playoffs, when Reich was no longer with the Eagles, Foles threw for 467 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions.

Reich clearly knows Foles well. He knew his strengths and weaknesses when they were in Philadelphia, and he used his knowledge to win a Super Bowl. Now, he can use that against him. Reich can give what he knows to the Colts’ defense, who is No. 1 in the NFL so far and has racked up six interceptions through three weeks. That could be scary.

Reich’s knowledge, paired with the Colts’ stout defense, could be a recipe for disaster for Foles and the Chicago Bears in Week 4.

Stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference