Titans' Week 2: 3 Keys to Pulling Off a Miraculous Home Upset Over Eagles

If the Tennessee Titans are to pull off a wild win in Week 2, they'll have to check three necessary boxes vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) signals to the team during the third quarter against the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Tennessee Titans need a miracle in every sense of the word. With the Philadelphia Eagles marching into Nashville in Week 2, with a 1-0 record and widely favored, Tennessee is staring down the realistic possibility of their third straight 0-2 start.

Ignoring the numbers, the Titans need a win. Unless folks are satisfied with another 3-14 season that is played entirely from behind, redeeming their miserable opening loss at home with an unexpected victory next Sunday is the antidote to Tennessee's familiar shortcomings.

A lot will have to go right for the Titans to make that happen. Putting aside individual performances and needed improvements for the home team, here are three major keys to Tennessee win that would get this still-new season back on track.

1. Limit Saquon Barkley in the run game

The Titans' kryptonite vs. the Jets in Week 1 was their inability to stop the run. New York posted 152 rushing yards in the contest, with Breece Hall alone accounting for 102 of those yards. Both of the Jets' touchdowns were scored on the ground.

Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) reacts after a play against the Washington Commanders during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Eagles will look to employ Saquon Barkely in a similar role on the same field. By no means can the Titans allow them to succeed if a win is in the picture.

Barkley rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries against the Washington Commanders last Sunday, including one breakout carry for 42 yards. It'll be on Tennessee's defensive front to bounce back from the clobbering they took last week and force Philadelphia's offense out of their element. LB Cedric Gray likely returning from his concussion should go a long way for the Titans' whole effort on defense.

2. Give Cam Ward time to process

On the opposite side of the football, Cam Ward simply needs a little extra time to think under center. Against New York, Ward was pressured 15 times on 39 dropbacks. That led to three sacks and consistently rushed decisions under center.

That meant incompletions, overthrows, and a ton of punts. The Eagles' line is one of the best in the league, boasting star DT Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis among others bound to make Ward's life difficult in Week 2.

If Tennessee's offense wants any chance at all to recover from their one-score outing last week, Ward will need more space and time to operate cleanly. From there, it will be on the QB to deliver.

3. Contain Jalen Hurts in the pocket

Finally, in a similar vein to the first key, Tennessee's defense will have to take away Jalen Hurts' mobility in the pocket. Hurts escaped against Washington on multiple occasions, notching 46 rushing yards of his own on seven attempts.

The Titans saw in Week 1 how a weak line essentially shreds a defense from the inside out. If Hurts is able to get loose, as he often does, we'll revert to the same soft Titans defense that let the Jets put up 23 right out of the gate this season.

Hurts had a solid game passing too, although his 14/25 hit rate suggests a passer who could be pressured into inaccuracy and mistakes if that facet of his game is taken away. Essentially, Week 2 will boil down to the Titans trying to stop the run game in the hopes that the ball spins their way elsewhere.

Ward's still-awaited sophomore breakout is the catalyst on offense. Turn those keys, and the Titans could shock the league with a late arrival in Robert Saleh's first year.