The Tennessee Titans face a tall task when they host the Philadelphia Eagles at Nissan Stadium in Week 2. After falling flat against a New York Jets team that no one believes is going anywhere, the Titans need to rebound and find a way to at least make some good things happen against the Eagles.
A win is never out of the question, but this week, it's definitely unlikely. The Titans had no answer for Jets running back Breece Hall, who racked up 102 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 1. The Eagles have one of the top running backs in the league with Saquon Barkley, who set a new record for rushing yards just two seasons ago.
How are the Titans going to fare against Barkley this Sunday? Titans defensive end Jeffery Simmons has an idea of where
to start.
Jeffery Simmons said the most important thing when facing Saquon Barkley is to get him to stop his feet in the backfield. Simmons acknowledged Barkley's able to consistently make something out of nothing. But likes the chances if they can slow Barkley down behind the line. pic.twitter.com/tuYpyA7z2f
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) September 16, 2026
"I think it's one of those things where it's on the front," Simmons said. "It's on the front to be able to disrupt the line of scrimmage. We have to build a wall. We have to set firm edges. We have to make sure that if we could get Saquon to stutter his feet in the backfield, stop his feet, that's a good thing for the defense.
"Can he still make something out of nothing? Yes, but it's how can we get 11 hats to the football? I mean, Saquon is a hell of a player. These guys get paid, and I think, if not the best back in the league, just an all-around back. He's that. So, much respect to him. We just have to make sure we got as many hats as we can get to him. Like I said, the biggest thing is to make him stutter his feet in the backfield, and that starts with the front."
When you compare his 2024 season and his 2025 season, Barkley's regular season production dropped significantly from 2,005 rushing yards to 1,140 rushing yards. Part of that is because it took him 0.2 seconds longer to hit the line of scrimmage and move beyond it.
Whether that was due to play-calling, Barkley's decision-making, the offensive line's blocking, or opposing defenses learning from 2024 is really unknown. But what you can take away from that is that if it takes him longer to reach the line of scrimmage, then he's easier to slow down.
So, Simmons is correct. Stopping, or at least containing Barkley, starts up front. The defensive line can't give him any type of crease to burst through, because that's when he's the most dangerous. Make him hesitate. Make him move laterally. Make him bounce. Make him question where he can go with the ball. All of that slows him down and makes it easier for the defense to stop him before he turns on the wheels.
Barkley is going to get yards; there's no denying that. But the Titans simply cannot afford to let him run wild the way that Hall did. But if the defense can do what Simmons suggested, they'll have a much better shot at keeping the situation manageable.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans' Jeffery Simmons knows how to contain Eagles' Saquon Barkley
