PHILADELPHIA -- With Nick Foles writhing in pain in the end zone, Eagles third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld warmed up on the sideline before entering Week 16′s matchup against the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter.

Sudfeld walked to the huddle, offered words of encouragement to his teammates and called for a passing play.

“I felt like guys believed in me,” Sudfeld said after the game. “I feel like I’ve earned some trust and respect from my teammates, so they were all great with me.”

After breaking the huddle, Sudfeld took a snap on first-and-10 from the Philadelphia 45-yard line with 1:38 remaining in the game. Targeting Jordan Matthews, Sudfeld’s pass went over the wide receiver’s head and out of bounds. It was Sudfeld’s first pass of the season.

“On my first play, I was just trying to keep my mind simple, just catch the snap, key my safeties, go through my reads and just do a safe throw early,” Sudfeld said. “Just kind of feel the ball, feel the game.”

Following the incompletion, Sudfeld heard the crowd erupt. He didn’t realize until moments later that Foles was headed back onto the field to return to the huddle. Sudfeld headed back to the sideline.

“I thought [Foles] was out because he was laying there for a while,” Sudfeld said. “Obviously, as a buddy, I was glad to see him come back and finish what he started. As a competitor, you’re like ‘this is my moment’ but I was not trying to think about that stuff at all.”

Foles led the Eagles on a game-winning drive after returning to the field. The Eagles won, 32-30, following a 35-yard field goal by kicker Jake Elliott.

The win kept the Eagles' playoff hopes alive. The Eagles will now take part in an important Week 17 matchup against the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

If the team is faced with Sudfeld relieving Foles again this week or in the playoffs, Eagles coach Doug Pederson won’t panic. The third-year quarterback has built his behind-the-scenes brand in practice over the last two seasons.

“He’s smart,” Pederson said Wednesday. Sudfeld "throws the ball well. He’s accurate. You see him in practice with obviously going against our defense and some of the throws he makes.”

Pederson noticed Sudfeld’s calm presence during his one snap of action against Houston. The quarterback kept his cool -- despite the vital (and unfavorable) circumstances -- and that impressed his boss.

“I have a lot of confidence in him if he had to play,” Pederson said.

Like Pederson, Sudfeld has confidence that he could handle a similar situation in the future. With starter Carson Wentz nursing a stress fracture in his back, Foles could be the Eagles' top quarterback in the playoffs. That would mean that Sudfeld would continue to be Foles' backup during the most important games of the campaign.

“In all seriousness, I feel like that’s [the most] intense and challenging of a situation you can thrown be into as a young backup quarterback,” Sudfeld said. “I was very calm and prepared [against Houston], I wasn’t trying to be Superman ... and I think that’s the key: keeping your mind simple.”

Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@Mike_E_Kaye. Find NJ.com on Facebook.