Philadelphia’s Week 2 concerns extend beyond Cam Ward, Calvin Ridley, and Tennessee’s trash-talking defensive front.
Titans return specialist Chimere Dike can alter the game before either offense takes the field.
Dike earned first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie and enters his second season as Tennessee’s primary kickoff and punt returner. His vision, acceleration and confidence in space make him one of the most dangerous specialists the Eagles will face. Philadelphia special-teams coordinator Michael Clay identified Dike as a major concern, particularly within a Titans system coordinated by John Fassel. Tennessee’s coverage and return units are aggressive, disciplined, and willing to use multiple schemes.
The Eagles must correct the tackling problems
that surfaced against Washington.
Clay said Philadelphia’s coverage players frequently reached the returner but stopped moving their feet at contact. That allowed Washington to gain an additional four to eight yards instead of being stopped at the initial contact.
Those hidden yards can change an entire possession. An offense starting near the 35-yard line runs a different playbook than one backed up near the 20. Dike can do even more damage if the first defender fails to finish the tackle.
Philadelphia can limit his opportunities through placement, hang time, and directional kicking, but avoiding him completely may not always be practical. The coverage unit must remain disciplined in its lanes and accelerate through contact.
The Eagles survived an uneven special-teams performance in their two-point victory over Washington. Giving Dike short fields or an explosive return could make Sunday’s first road game much harder.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Titans special teams ace Chimere Dike presents a major test for Eagles
