–The Titans have one of the better rushing attacks in the NFL. For the Titans, it’s not just Dion Lewis (143 yards) and Derrick Henry (139), but quarterback Marcus Mariota, too, who can run the read option and gain big yards on the ground. The quarterback has 66 rushing yards.
The Eagles, however, are leading the league in rushing yards allowed per game (61.7) just as they did last year when they won the Super Bowl.
“They are committed to the run,” Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said about Tennessee’s ground attack. “They’ve invested a lot of resources in it, drafted a couple offensive linemen, offensive tackles. I think one was like the eighth pick of the draft and one was like the 11th. They’ve got a veteran offensive line.
“They have a Heisman Trophy running back. They had probably their premier, free-agent pick this year, Dion Lewis, and they have a running quarterback. So obviously it’s what they want to do and they’re committed to it, so it’s our job to combat that.”
Quarterback Carson Wentz, who made his season debut against the Indianapolis Colts last week, is 3-0 with six touchdowns and one interception in his past three games against an AFC opponent. In his last seven road games, he has 1,911 passing yards (273 per game) with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions for a passer rating of 94.
“They (the Titans defense) are good,” Wentz said. “They fly around, a lot of veterans over there, so you can tell they’re pretty smart, instinctual, adjust really well, and they mix it up. They use multiple fronts, coverages, different things, so it will be a challenge for us.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 0 — The number of sacks so far put up by defensive end Brandon Graham who led the Eagles with a career-high 9.5 a season ago. “I understand three games in I don’t have one, but sitting 2-1, I’m happy because I know it’s coming, and when they come they come in bunches,” Graham said.
