Titans-Eagles preview

Philadelphia, Pa. - Chip Kelly’s Eagles return to South Philly to host the Tennessee Titans Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Philadelphia (7-3) looks to rebound after being discarded 53-20 by the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field a week ago, a game in which the hosts scored in almost every way imaginable.

Julius Peppers returned a Mark Sanchez interception 52 yards and Casey Hayward scooped a Sanchez fumble 49 yards the other way. Micah Hyde returned a punt return 75 yards for the Pack. But Aaron Rodgers did it the old-fashioned way, throwing three touchdowns, and Eddie Lacy ran for another.

Eagles corner Bradley Fletcher allowed two touchdowns and a 64 yard pass to Jordy Nelson on the game’s third play. His pass-interference call against Nelson in the end zone resulted in a 1 yard score from Lacy.

“None of us played where we needed to play against this team,” Kelly said of the defeat.

Sanchez has thrown 6 touchdowns to 4 interceptions in two games’-relief of starter Nick Foles.

“I know for sure this team won’t quit,” Sanchez said, “and that’s going to be important, because down the stretch here we’re going to need to fight to the finish and come back and get a great win.”

But Kelly is 15-2 in his pro career against sub-.500 teams and 6-0 this season. His Eagles are 5-0 at home in 2014, but with the Cowboys, Seahawks, and Cowboys again ahead of them in succession, he will have the threat of the “trap game” in the person of the Titans this week.

Tennessee (2-8) recorded their two victories in Week 1 at the Chiefs at a two-point clipping of the 1-win Jaguars, and come off a 27-24 defeat at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game they were leading 24-13 to begin the fourth quarter.

“I think the one thing everybody in this building comes away with is how hard Tennessee plays,” Kelly said of Sunday's foe. “I think they’re a tough, hard-nosed physical team. They’ve got some very good players on the defensive side of the ball.”

A defense that ranks 9th against the pass, sacking Ben Roethlisberger five times in their Monday night contest and held him to no touchdowns and an interception in the first half.

But it was their 31st-ranked rush defense (143.5 ypg) that was exposed, and would cost them the decision, as Le’Veon Bell rushed for a career-best 204 yards and a score on 33 carries.  

Rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger, the third man under center for the Titans this season, went 15-of-24 Monday on 263 yards passing and two touchdowns. His 80 yard scoring bomb to Nate Washington came with 32 seconds left in the first half and gave the Titans their first lead.

“We feel very close,” Mettenberger said this week. “We’re not doing enough to win football games. That’s the bottom line and the most important thing.”

His passing has nudged the Titans into the league’s 25th-best pass attack at 217 yards per game. Fellow-rookie Bishop Sankey heads their backfield, for an average of 93 yards weekly, good for 26th in football and will feature against Philadelphia’s 20th-ranked rush defense (114.7 ypg).

Tennessee is looking to avoid their first five-game losing streak since 2010, and seeking their quarterback’s first career-victory.

“I’ve got to keep working,” the 6th-round pick from LSU said. “I’ve yet to get a win, and really that’s the most important thing. And it’s kind of eating at me.”

The other thing that may eat at him Sunday is the Eagles defensive front-seven, ranking 2nd-best in the game with 33 sacks and found Cam Newton 9 times in a rout of Carolina two weeks ago. Linebacker Connor Barwin has notched 10-1/2 sacks on the year, 8-1/2 of those in his last three games at home.  

The home-field advantage rests in South Philadelphia and the Eagles get a warm-up before their Cowboys-Seahawks-Cowboys-Redskins-Giants stretch to end the season.

Eagles 37, Titans 20