The Tennessee Titans (7-4) are just a little more than 24 hours away from their massive showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles (10-1) in Week 13.
There are plenty of dramatic storylines surrounding this game between two teams that will likely be playing playoff football next month.
Outside of all that, the Titans are trying to prove to their fans and themselves that they’re capable of beating a legitimate contender. Tennessee only has one win on the year over a team with a winning record.
That lone victory also comes with an asterisk, as it was prior to the Washington Commanders’ quarterback change when the team was 1-3.
Regardless of all this, Tennessee has an incredible opportunity in front of itself to change that narrative.
Should the Titans beat a 10-1 Eagles team on Sunday, it will not only be a confidence booster going forward, but it will also be a statement win that validates Tennessee’s legitimacy to the rest of the league.
However, beating the best team in the NFL, on the road, is much easier said than done. With all that said, let’s take a closer look at three key matchups that will undoubtedly play a large role in deciding Sunday’s outcome.
Treylon Burks vs. A.J. Brown
As unfair as it may be for a young receiver to be compared to an established superstar wideout, it’s undoubtedly going to happen, not just on Sunday, but for the foreseeable future.
Whether anyone likes it or not, fans and media members — both locally and nationally — are going to tie Treylon Burks and A.J. Brown to each other for obvious reasons.
Tennessee essentially swapped out Brown and his massive looming contract for the No. 18 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, which was then directly used to select Burks.
On top of all this, these two talented receivers were often compared to one another throughout the pre-draft process.
Even more staggering is the fact that Brown and Burks have gotten off to relatively similar starts to their respective careers, as you’ll see in the table shown below.
Despite all this, make no mistake about it, Brown is obviously the more experienced and polished player as of right now.
The Eagles wideout is on pace to set career-highs in practically every major category, while the Arkansas product has barely started to catch stride since he returned from his turf toe injury.
Approximately 54 percent of Burks’ receiving yards have come over the last two weeks, catching 11 passes for 181 yards over that span.
Needless to say, Titans fans everywhere would love for this type of production out of their first-round wideout to continue on Sunday.
It’s much easier said than done, but if Burks wants a fast pass straight to the hearts of Tennessee’s fanbase, go outplay the guy they once adored en route to helping the Titans beat the best team in the NFL.
Nevertheless, you’re outside your mind if you don’t think Brown is going to be amped up for this one. There’s no telling if his emotions will translate to on-field production, but Titans fans know better than most what a motivated and angry Brown is capable of.
It should go without saying at this point, but Sunday’s contest is going to be the definition of must-watch television for anybody who is emotionally invested in the Titans.
Titans’ run defense vs. Eagles' rushing offense
The Titans and their third-ranked run defense have a massive task at hand as they face the Eagles and their third-ranked rushing offense. Philadelphia’s run game presents plenty of unique problems that ultimately start with quarterback Jalen Hurts.
In order to avoid disaster, the Titans have to ensure they have some type of coordinated plan to spy and contain the electrifying Eagles quarterback.
Tennessee cannot allow the Alabama product to have running lanes where he’s allowed to pick up a bunch of chunk gains and back-breaking first downs.
Hurts has already rushed for 597 yards and eight touchdowns on the year, a result of his taking advantage of undisciplined defenses.
On top of their dual-threat quarterback, the Eagles also have a top-five rusher on their team in running back Miles Sanders, whose 900 yards rank fifth in the NFL. The former Penn State star has already set career highs in carries (177), yards (900), and touchdowns (eight).
This will arguably be the biggest test Tennessee’s elite run defense will face this season. The Titans are only allowing 84.5 yards on the ground per game, and are consistently one of the more efficient groups in the entire league.
According to RBSDM, the Titans own the second-best defense in opposing rush EPA (-0.165), along with the No. 1 unit in opposing rushing success rate (32.1 percent).
Something’s got to give between these two units, but this is a monstrous opportunity for Tennessee’s defense to make a statement against an all-around potent offense.
Derrick Henry vs. Eagles’ run defense
Philadelphia comes into this game as one of, if not the most complete teams in the NFL. Their one glaring weakness at the moment is their inconsistent run defense.
The Eagles are presently in the middle of the pack when it comes to stopping the run, ranking 18th in the league as of right now after allowing over 120 rushing yards per game.
However, when it comes to efficiency, Philadelphia’s run defense is one of the worst in the league. The Eagles rank 31st in rushing success rate (46.5 percent), while also sitting 29th in opposing rush EPA (0.024).
The absence of run-stuffer Jordan Davis, who might return this week, has been a big issue for Philly, and the Eagles eventually recognized this problem as a real concern, doing their best to address the issue with a couple of band-aid solutions in the form of veterans Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph.
Unfortunately for them, they have to deal with a future Hall of Famer at the running back position during their acclimation process.
As always, Derrick Henry is going to be the focal point for this Titans offense. The Alabama legend is the main engine that gets this group going to its fullest potential.
Tennessee’s All-Pro ball carrier is in the running to claim the third rushing crown of his career, which could come over a four-year period.
.@iAM_JoshJacobs' huge Week 12 got him the top spot. pic.twitter.com/JXrOLrK5tw
— NFL (@NFL) December 1, 2022
It’s no secret that when Henry is running hard and making his presence felt, it opens up everything for the Titans. When that happens, play-action often becomes a nearly unstoppable component for this particular offense.
Once Henry’s threat is fully established, opposing Defense’s are then forced to bite on practically every play-fake or risk being out of position when the freight train that wears No. 22 comes through.
That type of commitment by a defense will inevitably open things up in the secondary for the passing attack to take advantage of.
If the Titans are able to accomplish this and create a balanced attack on offense, they should give themselves a puncher’s chance to pull off the massive upset on the road.
