Titans at Eagles
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia, Pa.
Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000
AT A GLANCE: Many people expected the Titans to be in
first place in the AFC Central at this point of the season. Few people expected the Eagles
to be sitting atop the NFC East entering Week 14.
|
| OVERVIEW: When the NFL schedule was released last
spring, few people circled this Week 14 matchup. The Titans figured to be legitimate Super
Bowl contenders after winning the AFC last season, but the Eagles were coming off a
five-win season and just hoping to show improvement. Early predictions regarding the
Titans have been dead on. They are in first place in the AFC Central with a half-game
cushion over the Ravens. Tennessee is thinking about home-field advantage throughout the
playoffs, so their final four games will be critical. Oakland currently has a one-game
lead over the Titans and Dolphins in the race for the top AFC mark.
In just his second year as head coach, Andy Reid has the Eagles way ahead of schedule.
Philadelphia’s four-game winning streak — which includes last week’s huge
victory at Washington — has the Eagles sitting in first place in the NFC East. But
the Eagles will need every win they can get down the stretch, as the second-place Giants
hold the tiebreaker because of their season sweep.
Both the Titans and Eagles have relatively favorable schedules down the stretch,
enhancing their playoff hopes. The Titans have homes games against the Bengals and Cowboys
and a road game vs. the Browns. The Eagles play at Cleveland before a Week 16 bye. They
wind up the season hosting the Bengals. All of the remaining opponents for both the Titans
and Eagles after this week are well below .500.
WHEN THE TITANS HAVE THE BALL:
The focal point of the offense is Eddie George, who is the complete package when it
comes to running backs. The Titans will pound George at an Eagles defense that has allowed
just 98 rushing yards over the last two weeks. George is also a very dangerous receiver
out of the backfield, as he showed last week when he caught seven passes for 109 yards. |
|
|
| Veterans Stadium |
| Philadelphia, Pa. |
| Date: Sunday, December 3, 2000 |
| 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time |
| Type Of Turf: Artificial |
| Meeting Of The Year: Only |
| Season Record: |
| |
Tennessee |
9-3-0 |
| |
Philadelphia |
9-4-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Tennessee |
4-7-1 |
| |
Philadelphia |
8-3-2 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Tennessee (R) |
4-2-0 |
| |
Philadelphia (H) |
4-2-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Tennessee (R) |
2-3-1 |
| |
Philadelphia (H) |
2-2-2 |
| Record On Artificial Turf: |
| |
Tennessee |
1-1-0 |
| |
Philadelphia |
7-2-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
Tennessee |
0-2-0 |
| |
Philadelphia |
5-2-2 |
|
|
| QB Steve McNair can do damage through the air with his strong arm or on the ground
with his outstanding mobility. When he tucks the ball and starts to run, he can be very
hard to bring down because of his size and balance. While the Eagles have an outstanding
overall defense, the team has had some trouble finishing tackles at times this season. Tennessee’s
passing game is not where it’s supposed to be at this point, in large part because of
injuries at wide receiver. Derrick Mason has been outstanding, and Chris Sanders has done
well, but the Titans are hoping to get more out of big-play threats Yancey Thigpen and
Carl Pickens. Pickens is expected to play this week after missing the last three games
with a hamstring injury. The Titans’ receivers will be facing a very talented
secondary that features CBs Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent and FS Brian Dawkins.
The Titans’ offensive line has done a good job of protecting McNair. But OLT Brad
Hopkins will face a big test this week against DRE Hugh Douglas (13 sacks). The Titans
also have to be aware of the Eagles’ frequent blitzes, which can come at any time and
from anywhere.
WHEN THE EAGLES HAVE THE BALL:
QB Donovan McNabb is maturing very nicely. In just his second NFL season, McNabb is
showing poise in pressure situations. He is very comfortable with the Eagles’
short-passing game and is always a threat to run when his receivers are covered. Last week
McNabb led the team in rushing with 125 yards, including a clutch 54-yard scramble that
set up the winning field goal.
Because of McNabb’s mobility, the Titans may opt to employ a spy. A good candidate
to shadow McNabb is MLB Randall Godfrey because of his speed.
While RB Darnell Autry starts, the Eagles also use Stanley Pritchett, Brian Mitchell
and Cecil Martin to carry the ball. Each of those backs is also very important in the
passing game.
McNabb’s top receiving target is TE Chad Lewis, who leads the team in catches. The
Titans will want to focus on defending the backs and tight ends, as McNabb rarely connects
with his wideouts. In the past two games, wide receivers have accounted for just eight of
44 receptions.
Don’t look for WRs Charles Johnson and Torrance Small to get untracked this week,
as Titans CBs Samari Rolle and Denard Walker have been outstanding in tight coverage this
season.
ORT Jon Runyan defected from Tennessee as a free agent in the offseason. He will battle
Titans DLE Jevon Kearse. This should be an outstanding matchup to watch because these two
battled in practice on a daily basis last season.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Nov. 26, 2000 |
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
85 MASON, 86 Pickens, 84 Jackson |
| OLT |
72 HOPKINS, 73 Sanderson |
| OLG |
74 MATTHEWS, 69 Piller |
| C |
60 LONG, 74 Matthews |
| ORG |
75 OLSON, 66 Dinapoli |
| ORT |
71 MILLER, 76 Mathews |
| TE |
89 WYCHECK, 88 Kinney*, 83 Leach* |
| WR |
81 SANDERS, 82 Thigpen, 17 Coleman* |
| QB |
9 McNAIR, 14 O'Donnell, 12 Volek* |
| RB |
27 GEORGE, 22 Thomas, 20 Green* |
| FB |
41 NEAL |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
90 KEARSE, 96 Embray*, 93 Frisch* |
| DLT |
78 THORNTON, 98 Smith* |
| DRT |
97 FISK, 95 Salave'a |
| DRE |
99 HOLMES, 92 Ford |
| LLB |
51 FAVORS, 53 Bulluck*, 50 Killens |
| MLB |
56 GODFREY, 57 Chamberlin* |
| RLB |
55 ROBINSON, 59 Sirmon* |
| LCB |
25 WALKER, 37 Sidney |
| RCB |
21 ROLLE, 38 McCullough, 33 Booker |
| SS |
23 BISHOP, 35 Phenix, 28 Morris* |
| FS |
31 ROBERTSON, 32 Myers* |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
15 HENTRICH |
| PK |
3 DEL GRECO |
| H |
15 HENTRICH |
| PR |
85 MASON, 31 Robertson |
| KR |
85 MASON, 22 Thomas |
| KC |
74 MATTHEWS, 60 Long |
* Rookie |
|
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
80 SMALL, 87 Pinkston*, 86 Van Dyke |
| OLT |
72 T. THOMAS, 76 Welbourn, 67 Schau |
| OLG |
76 WELBOURN, 74 Brzezinski, 63 Fraley* |
| C |
65 MILLER, 67 Schau |
| ORG |
71 MAYBERRY, 66 B. Williams* |
| ORT |
69 RUNYAN, 76 Welbourn |
| TE |
89 LEWIS, 83 Thomason, 84 Broughton |
| WR |
81 C. JOHNSON, 85 Brown, 82 Douglas |
| QB |
5 McNABB, 10 Detmer, 11 Powlus |
| RB |
24 AUTRY, 36 Pritchett, 30 Mitchell, 33 Hamner* |
| FB |
38 MARTIN, 36 Pritchett |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
98 WHITING, 59 Mamula, 91 Hamiter |
| DLT |
78 H. THOMAS, 96 Grasmanis |
| DRT |
90 SIMON*, 98 Whiting, 97 Walker* |
| DRE |
53 DOUGLAS, 98 Whiting |
| SLB |
51 EMMONS, 56 Caldwell |
| MLB |
54 TROTTER, 57 Darling, 52 Gardner |
| WLB |
52 GARDNER, 56 Caldwell, 58 Reese |
| LCB |
23 VINCENT, 32 Bostic |
| RCB |
21 TAYLOR, 31 Harris |
| SS |
43 MOORE, 42 Cook |
| FS |
20 DAWKINS, 45 Hauck, 25 Cherry |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
7 LANDETA |
| PK |
2 AKERS |
| H |
10 DETMER |
| PR |
30 MITCHELL, 85 Brown, 16 Scott* |
| KR |
30 MITCHELL, 82 Douglas |
| LS |
88 BARTRUM, 89 Lewis |
* Rookie |
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