Stranger things have happened than an upset win in the NFL. It feels like the Philadelphia Eagles deliver one every year, but it happens. As long as football is played, upsets will happen, which is partly why we watch. Still, the facts are the facts. At their best, the Eagles are a better team than the Tennessee Titans.
Jalen Hurts is a better quarterback than Cam Ward. Nick Sirianni may not be better at X's and O's than Robert Saleh, but Sirianni is certainly the better head coach. Even with Jeffery Simmons on their roster, the Eagles are better along the defensive line's interior (overall). Philadelphia might have an advantage at every position, except for maybe safety. Time will tell in that regard.
The Eagles are better along the defensive
line's interior (overall). If everything goes according to plan, the Eagles should win this game easily. So here we sit, on the verge of another first in the Jalen Hurts-Sirianni era,winning in Nashville. Here are a handful of keys to ensuring a Week 2 victory
Make sure Cam Ward doesn't respond to a lackluster game with a better effort.
Anyone who watched the Titans' opener knows Cam Ward wasn't Tennessee's only problem. Still, the quarterback touches the football on every offensive snap, which means he will have plenty of opportunities to become Philadelphia's biggest problem if he settles into a rhythm.
The Eagles don't need to make Ward miserable on every play. They need to make him uncomfortable often enough that he never gets into a sustained groove. Tennessee managed only 195 total yards and 10 points against the Jets, and Ward finished with 140 passing yards, one touchdown and three sacks.
Philadelphia needs to keep the pressure on and make sure Sunday's game never becomes Ward's bounceback opportunity.
Eliminate the threat of a balanced attack early.
Philadelphia should expect Tennessee to lean more heavily on the running game than it did in Week 1. The Titans ran the ball only 14 times against New York, something that becomes much harder to justify if they fall behind early.
That is where this key becomes particularly important. If the Eagles put points on the board and force Tennessee to chase the game, the Titans could once again abandon the run and put more responsibility on Ward. But if Philadelphia allows Tennessee to stay comfortable, the Titans can keep mixing in Tony Pollard and the rest of the ground game while shortening the game. The Eagles want Tennessee throwing because it is trying to catch up, not because Philadelphia has failed to establish control.
Bring pressure and finish when given opportunities for sacks
Let's assume Vic Fangio doesn't need to blitz heavily and instead plays coverage. That is a reasonable approach if the Eagles believe their defensive front can win consistently. This could be the matchup to prove they can do so.
Ward has already been sacked 58 times in his NFL career, including 55 times in 2025 and three times in the opener. Philadelphia's pass rush should have opportunities to disrupt him without selling out to create pressure. The important part is finishing. Pressure that forces an incompletion is useful, but a sack can turn an entire possession around and stall the opponent's drive.
Don't give up on Saquon Barkley, the offensive line, or the run.
Whether they admit it or not, many Eagles fans feel like Philadelphia has no problem winning ugly. It also feels like Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman want to see a little more finesse and a beautiful passing game. That's a hunch, but many people around the team probably share it. Regardless of where we sit, Saquon Barkley and the Eagles' offensive line deserve another opportunity before anyone starts concluding.
Barkley didn't have the kind of afternoon Philadelphia envisioned in the opener, but Tennessee allowed the Jets to rush for 152 yards on 39 attempts. That ranked in the bottom fourth of the league in Week 1. This could be the get-right game for the running game, and Philadelphia should stay committed long enough to find out.
Respond as the favorite and take care of business in Nashville
The Eagles didn't deliver the dominant performance many expected in Week 1, but they can change that immediately. This is a game Philadelphia is expected to win, and there is nothing wrong with embracing that expectation instead of trying to explain it away.
The biggest danger for the Eagles is not that Tennessee is secretly unbeatable. It is that Philadelphia allows mistakes, stalled drives, or missed opportunities to keep the Titans around long enough for one strange bounce to matter. The Eagles should be the more talented team, and they need to play like it from the opening kickoff through the final whistle.
Ending the Nashville drought would be a nice historical footnote. Taking care of business against a Titans team still trying to find its footing would matter a lot more.
A 2-0 start is the finish line, and while there should be a few hurdles (there always are), the visitors should reach the finish line tape and run through with time to spare.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles vs. Titans: 5 keys to a Philadelphia victory in Week 2
