The Philadelphia Eagles entered Week 2 as heavy road favorites, and for the most part, they delivered on that expectation. They didn't cover the spread, and there were certainly moments when the Tennessee Titans made things far more interesting than Philadelphia would have preferred, but the Eagles accomplished the more important objective.
They left Nashville with a 24-20 victory, improved to 2-0 and finally did something they had never done before: beat this franchise on its home turf. The result was important, but the game itself offered several observations that could matter well beyond Sunday afternoon.
Eagles entered Week 2 as the heavy road favorite
There was no need to overcomplicate this one before kickoff. Philadelphia had the more talented roster, the better overall team, and the expectations
that come with being a road favorite. Tennessee certainly had enough players to make things uncomfortable. It did exactly that for stretches, but the Eagles ultimately handled their business.
They didn't cover the spread, but nobody in Philadelphia's locker room is going to lose sleep over that. There was a fourth-quarter scare, a pair of interceptions from Jalen Hurts and a stretch where Tennessee looked capable of stealing the game. Still, Philadelphia found a way to produce a game-winning touchdown with nine seconds remaining.
That matters. A team doesn't get style points for winning on the road, and nobody is handing out extra victories for making things look easy. The Eagles were expected to win, and they did.
Jake Elliott delivers from 58 yards
Maybe confidence really is building for Jake Elliott. The Eagles' kicker delivered a 58-yard field goal in the third quarter, giving Philadelphia a three-point advantage in a game that eventually came down to four points.
It was Elliott's fourth career make from 58 yards. He also has two successful kicks from 61 yards and another from 59 in his career, so there is plenty of evidence that he can still deliver from distance. What makes the latest make more interesting is the context surrounding it after he missed four of eight attempts from beyond 50 yards last season.
One kick isn't enough to erase an entire year's worth of questions, and Elliott would probably be the first to acknowledge that. Still, confidence is often built one successful attempt at a time. A 58-yarder in a close road game certainly qualifies as a good step.
Eagles held to under 100 yards rushing
Philadelphia won the game despite rushing for just 89 yards as a team, with Tank Bigsby leading the Eagles with 33 yards and Will Shipley adding 24. Bigsby also scored Philadelphia's first touchdown of the afternoon on a 3-yard run.
That is important because the Eagles had hoped Tennessee would provide an opportunity to establish the run after the Titans surrendered 152 rushing yards in Week 1. Instead, Philadelphia couldn't consistently create the kind of rushing production it wanted, and the offense had to rely more heavily on Hurts and the passing game.
The Eagles can certainly win games this way, especially when Hurts, DeVonta Smith and the passing attack are clicking. Still, 89 rushing yards isn't going to be the preferred formula against every opponent on the schedule. Philadelphia's ability to create more balance will remain something to monitor.
Worth mentioning: Jalen Carter's mini-scare still doesn't halt a solid effort
Jalen Carter entered the game playing with the cast on his right hand, just as he indicated he might earlier in the week. Then, just when it appeared he had made it through that challenge, he seemed to aggravate his left calf while trying to block a Tennessee field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter.
As it turns out, he was only dealing with cramps. He ended his day with one of the biggest plays of the afternoon, exploding through the line to sack Cam Ward on first-and-goal. That play helped hold Tennessee to three points instead of a potential touchdown and kept the Eagles within striking distance of the lead.
Worth mentioning: Eagles survived the heat and a late Titans rally
Nobody reading this had to line up for a snap in Nashville, thankfully, but the playing conditions sounded brutal. The temperature was measured at roughly 133 degrees Fahrenheit on the field at kickoff and climbed to more than 150 degrees at the start of the second half. That's almost too hot for a barbecue, much less professional football.
Philadelphia had to manage those conditions while also dealing with a Titans team that refused to go away. Tennessee overcame a 14-7 deficit. They battled to a 17-17 tie before eventually taking a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter.
There is also a little history attached to the victory. This was Philadelphia's first road win over the franchise since the 1991 Monday Night Football, the memorable "House of Pain" matchup when the Titans were still known as the Oilers. The Eagles now lead the all-time series 9-5.
That history is a fun footnote, but the bigger takeaway is simpler: Philadelphia went on the road, faced adversity, dealt with extreme conditions and still found a way to leave Nashville undefeated. There is plenty to clean up, but 2-0 looks pretty good from here.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 4 critical observations from Eagles win over Titans in Week 2
