The Eagles’ trip to Nashville opened with a familiar script - Philadelphia fans making themselves heard - but the start on the field was anything but smooth.
With the heat index projected to climb over 105 degrees, the conditions were already a storyline before kickoff. Then the Eagles added another layer of uncertainty by rolling out a new starting offensive line setup because of Landon Dickerson’s injury. Cam Jurgens was making his first start at left guard, with Drew Kendall taking over at center.
Philadelphia still entered the matchup expected to be sharper on offense than it was in Week 1, and Vic Fangio’s defense had a favorable-looking draw against a Titans group that struggled badly last Sunday. But the first quarter showed how quickly things can get messy.
The Titans got the ball first after the Eagles won the coin toss and deferred, as usual. Jalyx Hunt immediately made an impact with a tackle for loss on Tony Pollard, and on third-and-11 Cam Ward fired a pass to Carnell Tate that slipped through the receiver’s hands with Andrew Mukuba in position to deliver a hit.
Mukuba briefly put his hands up, worried about a possible flag for hitting a defenseless receiver, but there was no penalty. Tennessee went three-and-out.
Philadelphia’s first possession started at its own 28 after Britain Covey ripped off a 23-yard punt return. The Eagles then handed the ball to Saquon Barkley behind Jurgens, and Barkley was tackled for a loss and appeared banged up on the play. That drive never found a clean rhythm early, but Jalen Hurts eventually settled it down with a series of key throws.
After a swing pass to Tank Bigsby went nowhere on third-and-12, Dontayvion Wicks found space in the middle and Hurts hit him for a first down. Later, on fourth-and-1 after a Will Shipley run left Philadelphia short, the Eagles lined up for a tush push and appeared to get enough anyway before a Titans offside flag handed them the first down. Hurts then connected with DeVonta Smith over the middle on third-and-5, and after two more Shipley runs, he found Wicks again on third-and-4.
The drive stalled at the goal line, though. After a Hurts designed run was stuffed and Jeffery Simmons got pressure up the middle, Hurts threw the ball away.
On third-and-goal from the 8, he was picked in the end zone, and the Titans nearly turned it into a pick six before Makai Lemon chased the returner down from behind to keep it from becoming a touchdown. The interception return covered 92 yards and wiped out a 15-play, 64-yard Eagles drive that produced nothing.
Updates to come …
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