4 Titans Players Eagles Have To Stop In Week 2 Showdown: This Duo Must Be Contained

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles travel to Nissan Stadium on Sunday looking to start 2-0 against a Tennessee Titans team that opened the season with a disappointing 23-10 home loss to the rebuilding New York Jets.

The Eagles scraped out a 24-22 victory over Washington and now face an impressive Titans defensive line, along with a young quarterback still finding his footing. It's a cozy start Philadelphia must take advantage of before business picks up with Chicago and the LA Rams in Weeks 3 and 4.

Four Titans players stand out as the ones Philadelphia must control.

The matchup begins in the trenches. All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons remains the centerpiece of Tennessee’s front after signing a record three-year, $105.8 million extension this offseason.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection posted a career-high 11 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and 21 quarterback hits in 2025. Simmons has already issued a challenge, saying the Titans must “make Jalen Hurts be a quarterback.”

It’s a familiar trope for dual-threat QBs and simply business as usual as far as an attempt to contain Hurts’ off-schedule brilliance that helped beat the Commanders.

With Eagles left guard Landon Dickerson on injured reserve, Simmons’ ability to collapse the pocket and stuff the run will test Philadelphia’s rebuilt interior, which is expected to rely on either Drew Kendall or Fred Johnson at LG.

The idea of sliding everything Simmons’ way may not be tenable though, because alongside him is John Franklin-Myers, the former Broncos interior lineman who signed a three-year, $63 million deal in free agency and reunited with new Titans coach Robert Saleh from their says together in New York.

Franklin-Myers recorded 7.5 sacks in 2025 and gives Saleh a versatile rusher who can attack from multiple alignments. He’s one of the more underrated D-Lineman in the NFL so Philadelphia can’t just sell out to try to contain Simmons.

After a quiet Week 1, Tennessee needs more disruption from Franklin-Myers to complement Simmons and newly added edge pieces like Jermaine Johnson, another ex-Jets player.

If the pair generates consistent pressure, they can force Hurts into obvious passing situations and disrupt Saquon Barkley’s rhythm in the backfield for the second consecutive week.

Make Him Play QB

On offense, second-year quarterback Cam Ward is the player the Eagles defense must make play quarterback.

The 2025 No. 1 overall pick has terrific arm talent but has been a mistake-prone player early in his career.

Ward completed 19 of 32 passes for just 140 yards and one late touchdown while adding 21 rushing yards against the Jets last week. He was pressured frequently and produced little downfield, as the Titans managed only 195 total yards.

Philadelphia’s talented front will look to replicate that pressure and prevent Ward from settling in or using his legs to extend plays.

Running back Tony Pollard remains Tennessee’s lead back after rushing for 1,082 yards in 2025. He managed just 35 yards on seven carries in Week 1 as the Titans fell behind early and leaned more on pass-catcher Tyjae Spears.

The best friend of any struggling young QB is the running game and Pollard almost has to produce to give Tennessee a chance. His vision and burst still make him a threat to gash a defense if the Titans can stay on schedule.

Conversely, the Eagles must limit Pollard's explosive runs and force Ward into obvious passing situations where the young gunslinger becomes susceptible to making game-changing mistakes.

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