Tom Brady and Nick Foles sat side-by-side for an Opening Night interview to start Super Bowl week. In terms of experience and playoff pedigree, that was like pitting me against Ryan Gosling in a best-looking contest.
Brady has started 36 career postseason games. Foles has made 42 starts total, regular season and postseason combined.
Brady won his first Super Bowl in 2002. Foles had just turned 13.
Brady owns five Super Bowl rings and holds the (un)official title of Greatest of All Time. Foles has been traded, demoted and released and gave retirement serious consideration after his fourth NFL season.
"It's just different roads, different paths," Foles said.
That's one way of putting it. If he's feeling any anxiety about facing a living legend on the NFL's biggest stage, Foles didn't let on during multiple media sessions last week.
"Obviously Tom Brady is one of the greatest to play the game," he said. "I'm excited to compete against the Patriots."
Smart answer. The marquee might read "Brady vs. Foles," but Foles is trying to conquer the Patriots defense, not Brady's mystique. One reporter went so far as to drop a "David vs. Goliath" angle in a question.