It’s an article of faith that football teams see their biggest improvement from the first game to the second.
The Tennessee Titans and their fans sure hope that’s true.
Coming off a dispiriting 23-10 home loss to the New York Jets in its season opener last week, Tennessee aims for its first win Sunday when it welcomes the Philadelphia Eagles to Nashville.
There wasn’t much for the Titans to hang their hats on in coach Robert Saleh’s team debut. They were outgained 367-195, picked up just 11 first downs and didn’t score a touchdown until they were well behind.
Cam Ward completed 19 of 32 passes for only 140 yards and a touchdown, working against steady pressure throughout. Fans started booing the Titans in the middle of the third quarter, not the way a team wants to begin its season.
“We have to have guns blazing,” offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. said. “There has to be a sense of urgency to go out there and get this W. I felt like we got dominated a little bit last week, and we need to have a nasty taste in our mouth about changing that.”
Ward’s performance raised new questions from Tennessee fans about his development. While he could have played better, there’s no doubt his teammates didn’t pull their share of the load.
For his part, Ward remains confident in his ability to become a successful NFL quarterback.
“I think I do a lot of things different that a lot of quarterbacks can’t do,” he said. “And there’s also stuff that I have to get better at, some things that I lack and that’s a process you take on each and every day.”
While the Titans try to make progress, Philadelphia is also aiming for improvement. The difference is that the Eagles won their opener, nipping Washington 24-22 when they stopped a two-point conversion with 1:05 remaining.
Jalen Hurts threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns to highlight an uneven offensive effort. The Eagles outgained the Commanders 318-295 but managed only 10 first downs and allowed three sacks.
Still, new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion saw enough bright spots to express optimism moving forward.
“There’s always going to be a little bit of an unscouted look in Week 1, particularly with a new coordinator,” Mannion said. “All in all, I felt like our coaches, our players, we put together something we felt good about on Sunday.”
One issue for Philadelphia is that left guard Landon Dickerson was placed on injured reserve, meaning that second-year player Drew Kendall will likely start in his place. Kendall will probably have to oppose Tennessee’s top player, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
At his best, Simmons is capable of destroying an offense’s game plan with his ability to get into the opposing backfield. How the Eagles in general and Kendall in particular account for Simmons could be a key factor in the matchup.
Philadelphia could also be a bit short-handed in the defensive backfield as Cooper DeJean (calf/abdomen) didn’t practice Wednesday. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter (wrist), who could be crucial against Ward’s mobility, also missed the week’s first full practice. Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who missed Week 1 with a pectoral injury, returned to practice as a limited participant.
Tennessee linebacker Cedric Gray (concussion) returned to practice Wednesday and could be ready to play Sunday after missing the season opener. Linebacker James Williams Sr. (elbow) was limited.
The Eagles own an 8-5 lead in the all-time series.