Eagles rookie QB Nick Foles won't let promotion become a distraction

Eagles QB Nick Foles knows it won't get any easier for him after being named the starter. (US Presswire)

Before, Nick Foles was a starter. Now, he's the Eagles' starter, and there is a difference.

Foles knows he will be the Eagles' No. 1 quarterback for the rest of the season, and he realizes that opposing teams know it, too. And that means they'll be spending extra time preparing to play the rookie who will make his fourth straight start on Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Coach Andy Reid warned that things could get harder before they get easier for Foles, simply because the rookie won't be sneaking up on other teams anymore.

“He's a smart kid,'' Reid said. “He works hard. He spends a lot of time in his job. He's done well up to this point. You've got to keep going. As teams have an opportunity to study you and your strengths and weaknesses and present you with different looks according to what they see, you may be able to answer that. Again, it's a matter of just getting reps under his belt.”

Foles said the news that he's the new No. 1 quarterback of the Eagles didn't change his approach or his attitude, which is hard-working and humble, respectively.

“I honestly just feel the same way and I'm going to keep preparing the way that I've been preparing,'' Foles said. “I've always had the same mindset. My mindset will stay the same and my work ethic will stay the same. I always have to work as hard as I can. I have the opportunity to play this weekend against a great Tampa Bay team, so we have to get ready for it.”

And when pressed about his new job status and whether it makes his more confident or more secure or even more scared, Foles stubbornly repeated himself.

“No, my mindset stays the same -- always prepare like you're the starter,'' he said. “I'm going to keep saying it over and over. That's how I've always approached everything with any sport I've ever played. The mindset stays the same and you need to approach every day and give it your all. That's my mindset.”

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Philadelphia Eagles from blogger Kevin Noonan, follow @CBSEagles.