The 10 best QB performances in Eagles history

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Yesterday, we counted down the 10 worst quarterback performances in Eagles history.

If you found it depressing reading about Pat Ryan, Brad Goebel and Bobby Hoying, maybe this will help:

It’s the 10 BEST performances in Eagles history by a quarterback. 

We have a rule of only one performance per quarterback, but in this case we had no choice but to break that rule. I'm sure you can figure out who we're talking about.

Oh, and three quarterbacks made BOTH lists. Can you guess who they were?

Eagles 49, Redskins 21
Oct. 17, 1954, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Adrian Burk: 19-for-27, 232 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT, 120.7 passer rating

Burke led the NFL with 23 TD passes in 1954, and 30 percent of them came in one game against the Redskins. Burk was the first NFL QB to throw 7 TDs in a game, and only six others have since. He was the only NFL QB to throw 7 TDs AND complete 70 percent of his passes … until Nick Foles did it in Oakland 59 years later!

Redskins 31, Eagles 30
Oct. 1, 1955, Connie Mack Stadium

Bobby Thomason: 25-for-37, 349 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, 133.7 passer rating 

Although the Eagles lost, Thomason became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete 67 percent of his passes and throw for 300 yards and at least four TDs without an interception, and he was the only QB to do that in the first 30 years of the NFL’s existence. Thomason only threw 10 TDs the entire season, but seven were against the Redskins. 

Eagles 41, Steelers 27
Sept. 28, 1969, Franklin Field

Norm Snead: 22-for-30, 335 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT, 135.4 passer rating

In a big win over the Steelers, Snead became only the second QB in NFL history with 5 TDs, 330 or more passing yards and 73 percent accuracy in a game, and he was the only Eagles QB to do that until Randall Cunningham in Washington 20 years later almost to the day.

Cowboys 41, Eagles 22
Oct. 11, 1987, Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Scott Tinsley: 24-for-34, 338 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 131.7 passer rating

OK, I know what you’re thinking. Who the HELL is Scott Tinsley? This was during the 1987 NFL player strike, when the NFL owners used replacement players – training camp cuts, retired players, local semi-pro players – for three games until the strike was settled. The games were horrible, but the stats counted. You can make an argument against Tinsley and I get it, but the dude to this day is one of only five QBs in Eagles history to complete 70 percent of his passes and throw for 330 yards with at least 3 TDs and no INTs. The others are Donovan McNabb four times, Nick Foles twice and Randall Cunningham and Michael Vick once each. Pretty good company for a guy who played in three NFL games in his life.

Eagles 42, Redskins 37
Sept. 17, 1989, RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Randall Cunningham: 34-for-46, 447 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT, 131.3 passer rating

An unforgettable day for Cunningham, who signed a contract extension in the morning at the team hotel in Arlington, Va., and then rallied the Eagles back from a 30-14 third-quarter deficit. Randall was 21-for-27 for 267 yards and 4 TDs with no INTs in the second half, including the game-winner to Keith Jackson with 52 second left.

Eagles 58, Lions 37
Dec. 30, 1995, Veterans Stadium

Rodney Peete: 17-for-25, 270 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 143.3

Nick Foles doesn’t hold the Eagles’ record for highest passer rating in a playoff game. Rodney Peete does. Rod had the best game of his career in the 1995 wild-card game against the Lions, a few days after Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown guaranteed a win. Only 10 QBs in NFL history have ever had a higher passer rating in a playoff game.

Eagles 47, Packers 17
Dec. 5, 2004, Lincoln Financial Field

Donovan McNabb: 32-for-43, 464 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs, 147.8 passer rating

With his performance against the Packers, Donovan became the first QB ever to throw for 450 yards, complete 70 percent of his passes and toss 5 TDs and no INTs in a game. Since then, it’s only happened two more times. 

Eagles 59, Redskins 28
Nov. 15, 2010, FedEx Field, Landover, Md.

Michael Vick: 20-for-28, 333 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, 150.7 passer rating, 8-80 rushing

The only time in NFL history a QB threw for 300 yards with four TDs, completed 70 percent of his passes and rushed for 80 or more yards. The Eagles were up 35-0 a minute into the second quarter in their win over Donovan McNabb and the Redskins. Vick’s 150.7 passer rating is 8th-highest in Eagles history.

Eagles 49, Raiders 20
Nov. 3, 2013, O.co Coliseum, Oakland

Nick Foles: 22-for-28, 406 yards, 7 TDs, 0 INTs, 158.3 passer rating

Foles tied the NFL record for TD passes in a game, joined Y.A. Tittle and Peyton Manning as only the third QB with 7 TDs and 0 INTs in a game and fashioned one of two perfect 158.3 passer ratings in Eagles history. 

Eagles 41, Patriots 33
Feb. 4, 2018, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

Nick Foles: 28-for-43, 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 106.1 passer rating

His stats may have been slightly better in the NFC Championship Game, but the most unforgettable QB performance in Eagles history belongs to Foles, who outdueled the greatest quarterback of all-time on the world’s greatest stage. 

Eagles 34, Redskins 24
Oct. 23, 2017, Lincoln Financial Field

Carson Wentz: 17-for-25, 268 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, 126.3 passer rating

You can take your pick of a bunch of games down the stretch before he got hurt in 2017 — he had 29 TDs and 5 INTs in his last 11 games – but Wentz was never better than that Sunday night against the Redskins when he threw touchdowns to Zach Ertz, Corey Clement, Nelson Agholor and Mack Hollins (really) at the Linc.

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