Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) has a 4-4 record as the team's starter with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI |
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Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars will be turning back to quarterback Nick Foles when he returns from his injury next week, head coach Doug Marrone said Tuesday.
Marrone told reporters that Foles would regain his starting job from rookie gunslinger Gardner Minshew beginning with the team's game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 17. Minshew has served as the team's starter for the last eight games while Foles was sidelined with a broken collarbone sustained in the regular-season opener.
"Nick will be our starting quarterback going forward," Marrone said Tuesday. "For me, it was looking back at all the work we put in [designing the offense with Foles in mind]. I just go back to the experience and what he's going to be able to do. I think that's going to give us the ability [and] a better chance of winning right now."
The Jaguars made Foles the team's franchise quarterback by signing him to a four-year, $88 million contract in the off-season. He broke his collarbone on Jacksonville's 11th snap when Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones landed on him following a touchdown pass.
Minshew, the Jaguars' sixth-round draft pick out of Washington State, replaced Foles and completed 22-of-25 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns in his debut. He started the next eight contests and led the team to a 4-4 record.
In nine appearances (eight starts) this season, Minshew has completed 188-of-307 passes for 2,285 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has a 92.8 quarterback rating, but also leads the NFL in fumbles (11) and is second with seven lost fumbles.
"I tried to take [the Houston Texans game] out and put it as a body of work, and that's what I did," Marrone said. "I think that's important. I think emotions can run sometimes differently, so I looked at the body of work. ... He has done a great job. I feel a whole lot different about him now than I did prior to him playing, in a very positive way."
The Jaguars (4-5), who are off this week, will play the Colts next week before taking on the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 24.
