NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Nick Sirianni wants his Philadelphia Eagles to remember just how hard winning in the NFL really is and take time to enjoy each victory.
“It’s so important that joy comes after every time,” Sirianni said. “I already know how I’m going to feel if we lose. That is a feeling that’s hard to get over. You better appreciate the things and know how hard it is and appreciate those things after a win.”
The Eagles have won a lot with
Sirianni, reaching the playoffs in each of his first five seasons and going 1-1 in the Super Bowl. They just opened his sixth season with a 24-22 win over Washington that might not garner any style points. Still, the Eagles improved to 6-0 in season openers with Sirianni.
Now Philadelphia visits the struggling Tennessee Titans (0-1) on Sunday to kick off a two-game road swing. Oh yeah, the Eagles also have the NFL's best road winning percentage at .698 (30-13) since 2021, and they're 10-3 in that span against AFC teams.
The Eagles have to figure out who replaces three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson, who went on injured reserve Tuesday with an injured knee. Sirianni likes Philadelphia's options behind the veteran, but not having Dickerson will be different.
“There haven’t been many games that I’ve been the head coach here that he wasn’t playing football for us,” Sirianni said of Dickerson. “Obviously, going to miss him like crazy, but really excited about that room and the depth of that room and where we are there.”
Tennessee opened the 28th and final season at Nissan Stadium with a 23-10 loss to the New York Jets. The Titans were dominated across the board in that game with issues new coach Robert Saleh says are correctable.
Right tackle JC Latham called the loss humbling and a reality check: "We know what our identity is, and that wasn't it."
The loss appeared to be Tennessee finding new ways to lose with new coaches and players after a string of four miserable seasons. The Titans not only hired Saleh as a new coach, they also spent heavily in free agency trying to add talent to a young roster. Saleh said their goal Sunday isn't to prove anyone wrong.
“It’s just prove that we can get better, prove that we can compete and prove that we’re a team that’s capable of stringing together four quarters and win football games,” Saleh said.
Philadelphia (1-0) at Tennessee (0-1)
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox
Latest odds: Eagles by 7.
Against the spread: Eagles 0-1, Titans 0-1.
Last game: Eagles beat Washington 24-22, and the Titans lost 23-10 to the Jets.
Last meeting: Eagles beat the Titans 35-10 on Dec. 4, 2022, in Philadelphia.
Series record: Eagles lead 8-5.
The Titans run defense against Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Tennessee spent heavily adding linemen John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson II and Jacob Martin to the roster. The Titans gave up 152 yards rushing on 39 attempts to the Jets, including 10 straight run plays in a 19-play drive. Barkley and Hurts combined for 129 rushing yards.
— The Eagles are visiting Nashville for only the fourth time since the Titans moved into Nissan Stadium in 1999.
— The Eagles are 14-4 in September since the start of the 2021 season.
— The home team has won five of the past six in this sporadic series.
— The Titans are hosting back-to-back games to open a season for the first time since 2010.
— Eagles QB Jalen Hurts threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns last week.
— Eagles WR Dontayvion Wicks had two catches for 73 yards and a TD in the opener.
— TE Dallas Goedert led the Eagles with 77 yards receiving and two TDs last week.
— Titans LB Anthony Hill tied for the NFL lead with 16 tackles in Week 1, the most by a rookie in his debut since 2000. Hill also defended two passes.
— Titans QB Cam Ward threw for 140 yards and a TD last week.
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