Archive: October, 2010
Daily News staff
The Titans scored 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to hand the Eagles a 37-19 loss, thanks to a combination of turnovers, penalties and coverage issues.
“It’s a great lesson to learn from this,” coach Andy Reid said. “If you handle this the right way and look at it - and I told the team this -- we’ll figure this thing out. There are some great things we can learn and we will make sure that we can do that.”
A fumbled exchange between Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy at the 3-yard line gave Tennessee the ball and the Titans scored a field goal to make it 16-10. Reid said the fumble was caused by the Titans getting penetration.
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Update: The Titans capped off a 27-point fourth quarter with a 41-yard interception return by Chad Finnegan to make it 37-19. The Eagles drop to 4-3 and head off to their bye week before a Nov. 7 meeting with Indianapolis.
Earlier: It just keeps happening. The Eagles can't get to Kerry Collins anymore and they can't cover Kenny Britt, who apparently is wearing the cloak of invisibility as he stands alone in the secondary for easy catches over and over again. Britt's 16-yard TD just gave the Titans a 27-19 lead with 5:03 left in a game the Birds were dominating.
Earlier: The Eagles still can't cover Kenny Britt, and now they're losing, thanks to a 42-yard reception by Britt that set up a 38-yard field goal. The Eagles were winning this game easily, but they literally are fumbling and bumbling it away. And I hate it when people use the word "literally."
Earlier: The Eagles seemed about to take complete command of the game, first and goal from the Titans' 3, when DT Jason Jones came right up the middle and hit Kevin Kolb as he was turning to hand the ball off. The ball bounced away from LeSean McCoy, into the center of the line, where Tennessee's Alterraun Verner recovered.
Daily News staff
UPDATE: It looks like Kerry Collins will start at quarterback for the Titans against the Eagles if warmups at LP Field are any indication.
Collins is on the field with Ryan Smith and there is no sign of Vince Young, according to reports. Young suffered a sprained knee Monday against Jacksonville and did not practice this week.
The inactives will not be posted for about another 30 minutes.
Daily News staff
Here are Paul Domowitch's weekly NFL Power Rankings, heading into Week 7 of the NFL season (last week's rankking in parentheses):
1. Steelers 4-1 (2)
2. Colts 4-2 (3)
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Video: The Daily News' Les Bowen and CineSport's Noah Coslov discuss the three keys for the Eagles against the Tennessee Titans this Sunday.
Daily News staff and Les Bowen
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson (concussion), left tackle Jason Peters (knee) and defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley (elbow) will not play Sunday against Tennesee, coach Andy Reid said.
Michael Vick (rib) is listed as questionable, although Reid said Vick will be in uniform. He said he was unsure whether Vick would be second or third quarterback. Reid said Vick is progressing and Reid is "pretty confident" that Vick will be ready in two weeks when the Eagles face the Colts after the bye.
Vick has been listed as a full practice participant the last two days, working here and there with the scout team. He said today he is at "full strength" passing the ball, a little less than three weeks after suffering a rib cartilage tear when he was sandwiched between two Washington Redskins.
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
Here is what we will be watching in Sunday's Eagles-Titans game:
1. Biggest challenge yet for run defense. After a poor start, the Eagles’ run defense has been very good the last 2 weeks. They held the 49ers’ Frank Gore to 2.9 yards per carry and the Falcons’ Michael Turner to 3.0. But neither of those 2 runners are as lethal as the Titans’ lightening-fast Chris Johnson. He’s rushed for at least 110 yards in 4 of 6 games this season. Gap control and sure tackling are going to be essential.
2. Seize the lead. The Eagles jumped on the Falcons early last week and took them out of their run-first mode by forcing them to play catch-up. They need to do the same to the Titans and make Vince Young or Kerry Collins throw the ball more than they would like. The Titans have more than 25 pass attempts in just 2 games this season. Not coincidentally, they’ve lost both of those games.
3. Keeping Kolb safe. Slowly but surely, the Eagles’ offensive line is stabilizing. They’ve allowed just 1 sack in 2 of their last 3 games. But it will get another big challenge this week from the Titans, who already have recorded a league-high 22 sacks in their first 6 games. Defensive ends Dave Ball and ex-Eagle Jason Babin are undersized, but quick and have combined for 10 ½ sacks.
4. Touchdowns not field goals. This game probably will be decided in the red zone. The less you see of David Akers Sunday the better. The Titans own the league’s best red-zone defense, allowing just 6 touchdowns to opponents in 26 red-zone opportunities. The Eagles, meanwhile, are 31st in red-zone defense, giving up 11 TDs in 14 opportunities.
5. Ball security. One of the big reasons for the Eagles’ 4-2 record is their +8 turnover differential. They’ve got just 5 giveaways in 6 games. Fewest they’ve ever had in a season in the Andy Reid era is 22. The Titans have turned the ball over 10 times, but 7 of those giveaways came in a Week 2 loss to the Steelers. They’ve got just 2 giveaways in the last 4 games and zero in the last 2, so it’s going to be hard to make them cough it up.
To read our earlier report from today's practice, click here.
Daily News staff and Les Bowen
With DeSean Jackson sidelined, Jorrick Calvin will return both kickoffs and punts Sunday against Tennessee, special teams coordinator Bobby April said.
Calvin has five punt returns on the season with an average of 19.4 yards per return with a long of 38. He also has five kickoff returns with an average of 15.4 yards per return and a long of 44.
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Les Bowen and Daily News staff
Andy Reid tapdanced when asked today if there was any way Kolb could win back the job permanently with a strong performance this week. He said he was only thinking about the Titans.
"We’re worried about Tennessee right now and we’re not worried about starting jobs," Reid said. "You guys can worry about all that. We’re worried right now about trying to put together a gameplan, learn the gameplan and execute the gameplan. That’s what I think Kevin is focused in on, that’s what we’re focused in on as coaches. I haven’t thought about all that other stuff.”
Kolb said he will "continue to prepare like a starter, and that way I'm ready when my name's called. Whatever he decides, he decides."
Daily News staff
Kevin Kolb will start at quarterback Sunday against Tennessee, coach Andy Reid said today.
Michael Vick, hampered by a rib cartilage injury, will see increased reps in practice and be in a reserve role against the Titans, Reid said. Vick only took reps last Friday with the scout team.
Asked if Kolb can win back the starting job, Reid said he was not thinking about that and that the team is focused on playing Tennessee. He also called "astute" a question about whether, given the team's injury situation, a 5-2 record going into the bye would be about as good as could be hoped.
