The Tennessee Titans enter Sunday’s matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles in better shape than they were a week ago, and the biggest late-week development came on defense. Linebacker Cedric Gray cleared concussion protocol on Saturday and was removed from the injury report, giving Tennessee a needed boost after his sideline-to-sideline range was missed in the opener against the New York Jets.
That leaves just two names on the Titans’ injury report: linebacker James Williams and cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. Both are listed as questionable, but the two situations do not look the same. Flott’s issue was described by head coach Robert Saleh on Friday as a precaution after morning stiffness, and nothing he said suggested a major concern.
Williams is the more uncertain case. He was limited throughout the week with an elbow injury and wore the yellow non-contact jersey, which makes his status far less clear heading into Sunday.
If Williams is active, the Titans should have a hard time keeping him off the field in some capacity. Tennessee did not elevate another linebacker from the practice squad for this game, and that points toward Williams being available. The one complication is that practice squad linebacker Mohammoud Diabate broke his wrist against the Jets and has already been ruled out, which trims the depth options even further.
Williams has plenty of value beyond just linebacker depth. He turned in a strong preseason and training camp, and he gives Saleh’s defense a useful rotational piece.
He may also fit better than Cody Barton on the outside. On top of that, Williams has special teams experience in John Fassel’s units, and with Tennessee looking for help in every phase, that matters.
His Week 1 usage showed how the Titans can deploy him. Williams played 28 defensive snaps, which was 42 percent of the defense, and added 23 special teams snaps, accounting for 93 percent of those reps. With Gray back in the starting lineup, Williams’ defensive role would likely be shared with Barton if both are available, so the bigger question is whether he can contribute on special teams if his elbow keeps him from a larger defensive workload.
If Williams cannot go, the replacement picture is not especially clean. On special teams, Tennessee claimed former Arizona Cardinals special teamer Owen Pappoe, though he was inactive in Week 1. That leaves the Titans with some moving parts if Williams is unavailable.
Flott’s outlook is much simpler. Barring something unexpected that has not been made public since Friday, he appears likely to play against the Eagles. Saleh’s comments on his status were cautious, but not ominous.
Tennessee also used a standard elevation on Erick Hallett for a second straight week. In the opener, all 23 of his snaps came on special teams, and with Williams still in question, that could be his path again on Sunday.
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 🡒]