Jets' Foley Back To No. 1 QB

Glenn Foley's exile is over.

Foley will start Sunday's game for the New York Jets at St. Louis, ending his two-game stint as the third quarterback because of a rib injury. Foley said he was healthy enough to play last weekend against Miami, but coach Bill Parcells thought otherwise and went with Vinny Testaverde.

Parcells said Thursday he was satisfied that Foley had recovered from the separated rib cartilage sustained in Game 2 against Baltimore.

"We have upgraded him to probable," Parcells said. "He has improved appreciably."

"It's the same as it has been all summer, Foley is my starter. I told you when he got better, he'd play."

Foley didn't throw the ball the way Parcells wanted in practices last week, and Parcells suspected the quarterback wasn't completely healed or comfortable with his passing motion. So he turned to Testaverde, who did a decent job in a win over Miami.

In the previous game, which preceded the Jets' bye week, Testaverde threw four TD passes against Indianapolis.

"Quite frankly, I know more about Vinny now," Parcells said. "If the game started and it is not going well, I'd be less hesitant to go to him."

Foley appeared concerned on Wednesday that he wouldn't get back his starting job if Parcells kept finding reasons to be dissatisfied with Foley's condition. When Foley passed Parcells' test in Wednesday's practice, however, he was elevated back to No. 1.

"I don't think relieved is the word," said Foley, a backup for most of his four previous NFL seasons. "We've been down this road before. You have to be patient, play your best football and hope things work out."

"I don't think yo look over your shoulder, but you almost expect the unexpected."

Foley has been injury-prone as a pro. He lost the starting position last year after taking it away from Neil O'Donnell, only to suffer a knee injury late in the schedule that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Foley was 0-2 in his 1998 starts, going 52-for-90 for 662 yards, four TDs and four interceptions. Testaverde, who won both his starts, is 31-for-53 for 338 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.

"I don't think Bill can make a wrong decision," Testaverde said. "I want to be in there playing, but obviously that isn't the case."

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