NFL

Eagles' high-powered offense to meet stern Titans test in Week 13

By Sports Desk December 03, 2022

The Philadelphia Eagles have the best scoring offense in the NFL, but their strength in that area will be sternly tested by the Tennessee Titans in Week 13.

Philadelphia can clinch a playoff berth this week, though the 10-1 Eagles would require a lot of help to do so at this stage.

Should they prevail against the 7-4 Titans, the Eagles will punch their ticket to the postseason if the Washington Commanders lose and the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks both either lose or tie, providing San Francisco and Seattle both don't tie.

While that scenario may be unlikely, a win for the Eagles over a gritty Titans team would serve as further demonstration of the Super Bowl credentials they have established throughout a superb campaign.

No team in their conference has scored more points than Philadelphia's 303, while they lead the NFL in red-zone efficiency.

In last week's 40-33 win over the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles scored on four of their five trips inside the opposing 20-yard line.

For the season, the Eagles have scored on 29 of 40 trips (72.5 per cent).

Yet this week they face a dogged Titan defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest points in the NFL (198).

The Titans have permitted the sixth-fewest red-zone drives in the league (31, tied with the Minnesota Vikings) and their defense has allowed a touchdown on only 16 of those, that rate of 51.7 per cent the seventh-best in the NFL.

Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts is an X-factor for the Eagles in the congested area of the field, though.

The dual-threat signal-caller has scored eight rushing touchdowns this season, seven of which have come in the red zone. Running back Miles Sanders has eight rushing scores from inside the 20, with defenses struggling to cope when both he and Hurts are in the backfield as threats to run.

Only the 49ers (3.32) have allowed fewer yards per rush than the Titans (3.86) this season, however, with Tennessee one of the teams best-equipped to slow down Hurts and Co.

Should they do so and spring an upset, it will give hope to the chasing pack that Philadelphia can still be caught in the race for the NFC's number one seed.

Related items

  • Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 Leipzig: Visitors fightback halts unbeaten streak for Alonso's side Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 Leipzig: Visitors fightback halts unbeaten streak for Alonso's side

    Bayer Leverkusen suffered their first defeat in 36 Bundesliga matches, as Leipzig came from behind to stun Xabi Alonso's side 3-2 at BayArena.

    Lois Openda struck twice for Marco Rose's, who recovered from 2-0 down to make it two wins from two and move to the summit of the table.

    It looked like business as usual for the reigning Bundesliga champions when they scored twice in the last seven minutes of the first half through Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo.

    However, Leipzig replied deep into first-half stoppage time with Kevin Kampl reducing the deficit.

    Openda then brought the visitors level in the 57th minute, before a stunning long-range strike completed the turnaround 10 minutes from time, condemning Leverkusen to their first league defeat in 15 months. 

    Data Debrief: Leverkusen's long streak comes to a shuddering halt

    Leipzig became the first side to beat Leverkusen in a Bundesliga match since Bochum achieved the feat a staggering 462 days earlier.  

    The visitors have begun a Bundesliga season with two wins from two for only the second time, also doing so in 2019-20.

    They are also now unbeaten in 13 league matches, their longest such streak since Rose took charge.

    As for Leverkusen, their invincible streak is officially history, as is their 29-game unbeaten run on home soil.

  • 'We really let ourselves down' - Coleman slams Everton after late Bournemouth collapse 'We really let ourselves down' - Coleman slams Everton after late Bournemouth collapse

    Seamus Coleman acknowledged Everton "really let ourselves down" and must "look at ourselves in the mirror" following their spectacular late collapse against Bournemouth.

    Sean Dyche's side, who were seeking their first points of the season, led 2-0 in the 87th minute at Goodison Park through goals from Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

    However, the hosts were undone by three crosses in the latter stages, with Antoine Semenyo pulling a goal back and Lewis Cook levelling, before Luis Sinisterra completed a sensational turnaround in the sixth minute of stoppage time. 

    Boos rung around Goodison Park as the Toffees remained pointless and rooted to the foot of the Premier League table, and Coleman echoed the supporters' frustrations.

    "We really let ourselves down in front of our fans," the skipper said. "We cannot take our foot off the gas at this level. Unfortunately, we did that.

    "We cannot be conceding the goals that we did. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror."

    Meanwhile, Dyche bemoaned the lack of responsibility amongst his players, as they became the first side in Premier League history to lose a game after leading by two or more goals in the 87th minute.

    "We did so much right until they scored their first goal," the Everton head coach said. "The game should have been out of sight. We conceded one and then threw it away. I can't put my finger on it right now.

    "They kept raining it forward and got their reward in the end. They were playing it forward and crossing it into the box, and we didn't deal with it. Simple stuff, but we threw it away. It is the third game we have thrown away this season.

    "Everyone was looking at someone else to deal with things and that is when there is trouble. You could see the body language change. You have to see games through, and we have enough experience to do that, but today we didn't."

    Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola added: "It was the worst game we played this season. Everton deserved to win today, but the players kept pushing.

    "I always have hope because this team has spirit. We have done it before and had some good comebacks. The spark of the first goal made us believe we could do it again."

  • Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves: Bellegarde beauty earns visitors first point Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves: Bellegarde beauty earns visitors first point

    Wolves earned their first point of the Premier League season following a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

    Chris Wood's towering header was cancelled out by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's stunning strike as the spoils were shared at the City Ground.

    The hosts took the lead in the 10th minute as Wood rose to nod home from Elliot Anderson's corner.

    However, the visitors were level just two minutes later in spectacular fashion, with Bellegarde firing a stunning long-range volley into the roof of the net.

    Gary O'Neil's side had Sam Johnstone to thank after the break, with the debutant producing a strong hand to deny Wood his second goal of the game.

    Matheus Cunha curled a shot just wide while the offside flag denied Wood later on, with Forest unable to snatch victory but extending their unbeaten start to the campaign.

    Data Debrief: Wolves end losing streak while Wood matches Collymore

    After opening the season with two defeats and eight goals conceded, Wolves stopped the rot with a welcome point against their Midlands rivals, while ending a five-game Premier League losing streak in the process.

    Meanwhile, Forest remain unbeaten in their opening three games of a top-flight season for the first time since 1995-96.

    Heading his side into the lead, Wood became only the second Forest player to score in both their first two home matches in a Premier League season since Stan Collymore 30 years previously. 

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.