Everything points to an easy Week 2 win for the Philadelphia Eagles as they take on the Tennessee Titans.
The Eagles are coming off a 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders, proving that they can still win games at a high level. Tennessee had a much rougher opening weekend, though, losing to the New York Jets 23-10.
Few people, if any, have a legitimate reason to believe the Titans will upset the Eagles. As every NFL fan knows, though, any team can win on any given Sunday.
Why Eagles need to be careful with Titans in Week 2
Jeffery Simmons is an handful for Titans on the defensive line
Simmons is a top-five defensive tackle in the NFL and has played like it for a long time. The four-time Pro Bowler can do it all, from stopping the run to rushing the pass, making him a nightmare matchup for any offensive lineman.
Week 2 will be especially tough for the Eagles, with Landon Dickerson on IR and Drew Kendall most likely starting at left guard. That could force Cam Jurgens to help Kendall block Simmons, but it also puts more pressure on the other Eagles linemen to win their one-on-one battles. The Eagles will have a tough time handling Simmons.
Carnell Tate has shown that he doesn't play like a rookie
It's been a small sample size from the preseason, training camp, and Week 1, but Tate is an NFL wide receiver. He's got great hands and can compete with any corner in the league.
Unfortunately for Tate, he may face either Quinyon Mitchell or Riq Woolen, both coming off great Week 1 games. The Eagles still need to press him on the line and force him to beat them with his speed and make contested catches.
Watch out for Anthony Hill Jr. as he can be all over the field
Hill was all over the field in the Titans' last game, racking up 16 tackles and two pass deflections. Making tackles is one thing, but making that kind of impact by breaking up passes shows his versatility.
The Eagles will need to be careful when attacking the middle of the field with Dallas Goedert. Hill has proven that he can be a problem.
Tony Pollard can break off long runs
The Eagles know Pollard well, but he is no slouch of a running back. Despite just 35 yards last week, he averaged five yards per carry in the loss.
Philly's front seven has to make sure they don't let Pollard get into the open field and create explosive plays. That'll fall on the linebackers to key in on him, with some help from Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
Cam Ward is an athletic quarterback who can make plays
No matter how people feel about Ward right now, he is still an athletic quarterback who can use his legs to hurt defenses. His arm strength ranks among the best in the league, and he can make plays while running the football.
Read more: Eagles' key to win over Titans is getting Tank Bigsby involved (for once)
The Eagles' defense will have to respect what Ward can do by putting a QB Spy on him, whether that's Zack Baun or Jihaad Campbell. Philly has to keep Ward in the pocket and force him to beat them with his arm.
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