Chances of a shutout, where Jalen Hurts ranks, and what else they’re saying about the Eagles in Week 2
The Eagles will face a Titans offensive line that struggled against the Jets. What’s in store for a superior Birds defensive line?
Week 1 of the NFL schedule is in the books, and the first look at each team has generated lots of discussion heading into Week 2.
Despite the Eagles’ 24-22 win last Sunday against the Commanders, many felt the highly anticipated new offense under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion fell flat. With Landon Dickerson on injured reserve for at least four games because of a bone bruise in his knee, the national focus heading into Sunday’s game against the Titans in Nashville (1 p.m., Fox) is still fixed on the offensive line.
Here’s what NFL analysts are saying:
Titanic struggles
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Birds a 69.7% chance of winning at Nissan Stadium. ESPN analyst Ben Solak gave one of the boldest predictions of the week, theorizing a possible scoreless game for the Titans.
“I cannot remember a team that looked less functional on offense in Week 1 than the Titans in Sunday’s loss to the Jets,” Solak said.
» READ MORE: Eagles vs. Titans in Week 2: Here are the numbers that matter
“After watching the way the Titans’ offensive line struggled against the Jets (they made Kingsley Enagbare look like Maxx Crosby), I cannot bear the idea of the Titans’ upcoming game against Philadelphia,” Solak wrote. “The Eagles’ front was as dominant as ever against a poor Commanders line in Week 1. It collected 19 pressures, a single-game best in the Vic Fangio era, despite the fact that starting edge rusher Jonathan Greenard wasn’t even healthy enough to play.”
Replacing Dickerson
Stepping in for Dickerson is a big role to fill, and his replacement is being kept under wraps. But the leading candidates appear to be second-year linemen Drew Kendall and Willie Lampkin. The Athletic’s Zach Berman said a one-for-one swap with Kendall is his favored choice, despite talk of a position swap that could have Kendall at center and Cam Jurgens moving to guard.
“The Eagles will miss the best version of Dickerson,” Berman wrote. “That’s not the version that was on the field against the Washington Commanders in Week 1. It would be too ambitious to expect Kendall (or Lampkin) to play like 2024 Dickerson. It’s not ambitious to expect Kendall (or Lampkin) to be better than Week 1 Dickerson.”
» READ MORE: Eagles odds against the Titans, plus player props for Jalen Hurts and more
Comparing QBs
NFL.com analysts bumped Jalen Hurts up six spots to 12th in their quarterback rankings, calling his performance “a classic Jalen Hurts Week 1 game, connecting on a handful of downfield shots while willing Philadelphia’s offense down the field with well-timed scrambles against Washington. The Eagles still need to be more consistent offensively on a per-play basis, but for one week, Hurts was able to carry them out of the muck to victory.”
The Eagles’ next opposing QB is ranked No. 30. Titans quarterback Cam Ward had a disappointing Week 1, completing 19 of 32 passes for 140 yards.
The overall national consensus isn’t debating an upset for the Titans. Rather, analysts are weighing how lopsided the matchup will be.
The Eagles eked out a season-opening win over the Washington Commanders thanks, in large part, to Jalen Hurts channeling the elements of his game that make him so dangerous. But when it comes to other areas of the offense, concerns from last year still linger. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and David Murphy assess Hurts’ performance, Sean Mannion’s debut as offensive coordinator, and warning signs on the offensive line Listen here.
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