Tennessee’s Week 2 loss to the Eagles looked cleaner on the surface than the mess from opening week, but the final result leaves the same uncomfortable truth: the Titans are still 0-2, and the close finish doesn’t change that.
A 24-20 defeat in Philadelphia is easier on the eyes than a 23-10 loss to the Jets. It’s also easy to see why some fans would want to treat it as progress.
The Titans did battle back. The secondary forced two interceptions.
For stretches, they stayed within striking distance of one of the league’s longtime elite franchises.
But the problems that have been dragging this team down were still there when it mattered most. Tennessee’s offense never found real rhythm, and the defense, despite those turnovers, couldn’t finish the job.
The Eagles had the ball in field goal range with less than a minute left and no timeouts, and instead of settling, they kept moving. Jalen Hurts put together the kind of two-minute drill that wins games, ending with the game-winning touchdown.
Hurts finished with 264 passing yards, while Ward managed just 180 yards on 13-of-20 passing. For the second straight week, Tennessee didn’t get anything done through the air in the scoring column. Carnell Tate was the only Titans receiver with three catches.
DeVonta Smith, meanwhile, caught 10 passes for the Eagles - just three fewer receptions than Tennessee had as a team. That gap tells the story as much as the score does. The Titans got enough timely takeaways to hang around, but the Eagles controlled the bigger picture.
That’s what makes this hard to celebrate. It wasn’t just one bad break or one late mistake. The same issues that showed up in the Week 1 loss to the Jets showed up again: not enough production through the passing game, not enough resistance on explosive plays, and not enough answers when the game was on the line.
So yes, this one looked better than the opener. But until Tennessee starts turning those close calls into wins, there’s no reason to take much comfort in them. The team the Titans need to be is the one that finishes with a lead in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter.
They’re not there yet.
In Other News...
Titans Fans Are Piling On Julius Chestnut For Awful Timing
Julius Chestnut has already become a talking point for the Titans in a way no one in the building probably wanted. The running back showed up in costume for consecutive games, first as Black Panther in Week 1 and then as the Green Goblin in Week 2, and the look landed badly with a fan base already on edge about the teams early struggles.
The reaction online was quick and harsh, with some fans calling the move tone deaf and even saying Chestnut should be cut. It only added another layer to a tense start for Tennessee, especially with head coach Robert Saleh already stressing the need to move forward after the Week 1 loss and focus on the next opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Stayed In It But Two First Half Problems Are Growing
At halftime in Philadelphia, the Titans were hanging around despite a first half that left plenty to clean up. Amani Hooker provided the biggest spark with a 92-yard interception return that set up Tennessees only touchdown, and Malik Ward did enough to keep the offense moving with a short, efficient passing line and a rushing score. Even so, the Eagles were still finding answers on both sides of the ball, and Tennessee had not yet found a way to consistently slow them down.
The bigger concern was the way the Titans were getting beaten at the point of attack and in coverage. Philadelphias run game kept creating problems, and the passing offense found enough space to stay ahead on the scoreboard, while Tennessees defensive line, including John Franklin-Myers, had a difficult opening half. The Titans were in striking distance at 14-10, but the issues that surfaced before the break were the kind that can pile up fast if they do not get corrected. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Loss Exposed One Frustrating Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The Titans came out of their Week 2 loss to the Eagles with a few individual performances worth building on, even if the final result still left plenty to sort through. Tyjae Spears gave the offense a spark, Cam Ward handled his role with poise, and Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker were among the defenders who helped keep Tennessee in the game for long stretches. Marcus Harris also added to the list of bright spots in a matchup that stayed tight deep into the second half.
Still, the bigger takeaway was hard to miss: Tennessees issues on third down on defense continued to surface, and the cornerback depth looked thin enough to be a concern moving forward. The dropped passes from Carnell Tate only added to the frustration on a day when the Titans had enough good individual moments to compete, but not enough clean execution to finish the job against Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]