Eagles all business in win over Titans

DID THEY even know where they'll be on Thanksgiving?

Did they even know they were in Wisconsin last week?

The Eagles were not hung over. They did not looking ahead.

They executed with alarming precision and vigor and overwhelmed the Titans yesterday, 43-24.

They showed no effects from their humiliation in Green Bay.

"You can't let the Green Bay Packers beat you twice," said Eagles coach Chip Kelly, whose team moved to 8-3.

They gave no hint that they would visit NFC East rival Dallas just 4 days hence; a game cornerback Cary Williams said would be "like a playoff game."

"This was all that mattered," said tight end Brent Celek; who, as a true workman, had a hard time with the concept of doing anything but the job at hand.

Like the rest of his teammates, Celek looked forward no farther than the next play; then, the next.

They didn't fall in the trap a two-win team can present.

"The culture here, and the guys on this team and in this organization, along with the coaching staff, are good at resetting and focusing on the task at hand," left guard Evan Mathis said.

He returned from a knee injury two games ago, but yesterday he and left tackle Jason Peters regained the form that made them the best left side in football in 2013.

No one had better . . . focus?

"We had to block out everything else that could get in the way of us having that focus," Mathis said. "And just keep our focus on what it's supposed to be focused on."

So; focused.

In fact, for the entire game the Eagles played about as well as they could in every facet. There was a missed field goal, a couple of interceptions and some yards and points surrendered; but no team plays perfectly, and every team has its shortcomings.

"Our attention was totally on Tennessee," Kelly said. "The guys have done a good job of staying in the moment."

Indeed, 7 days removed from emasculation and 4 days from the biggest game of the season, the Eagles operated at maximum capacity, and did so from the opening kickoff.

Josh Huff returned it 107 yards for a touchdown. He was sprung by Zach Ertz's block. Huff stiff-armed kicker Ryan Succop, then, more impressive, absolutely punked Brandon Ghee with a stiff-arm. Ghee had taken a smart angle and had run Huff down.

Ghee ran a long way to get embarrassed.

Brandon Graham then destroyed Leon Washington on kickoff coverage.

The tone was set on the game's first two plays.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins, in single coverage on Delanie Walker, broke up a lovely pass-and-catch on the sideline. Jenkins had problems in coverage at Green Bay but he also ended the Titans' second possession with a nice breakup in the left flat intended for Justin Hunter. He even got a hand on the Titans' first touchdown, a pass that deflected into Hunter's hands.

The Eagles blew up a screen on the second play of the Titans' first drive, which set up a passing down. Vinny Curry came around the right edge and forced Zach Mettenberger to step forward . . . into Connor Barwin's crushing tackle. It gave Barwin 11 1/2 sacks, which tied a career high. He later added another.

Peters and Mathis paved the way for LeSean McCoy's 130 yards on 21 carries.

Mark Sanchez also quickly returned to top form, with 307 yards and a touchdown.

However, even at his best, Sanchez has a knack for keeping both teams in the game.

He threw two interceptions. He now has eight turnovers in 15 quarters since replacing injured starter Nick Foles.

Ghee anticipated Riley Cooper's lazy route near the end of the first quarter and jumped it. He never took his eyes off Sanchez. The interception set up the Titans' first touchdown. Sanchez threw another, in the third quarter, high and wide.

To that point, the defense had played with inspired efficiency . . . but it is what it is, with its inside-linebacker and safety issues.

Barwin and defensive end Fletcher Cox are the most important players on defense. Each was dominant.

Cox recorded his second sack of the season, which framed a later fumble that ended the Titans' first possession of the second half. Trent Cole had two, on the same series, which effectively squelched the Titans' second possession of the half. The third drive of the half ended when tackle Bennie Logan forced a second consecutive Titans fumble.

The defense allowed 24 points, yes, but it forced three turnovers - Brandon Boykin sealed things with a fourth-quarter pick - and it never took a play off.

That happened a few times the week before, in Green Bay.

"It was important that didn't happen again. If we'd had the mindset that, after a game like the Green Bay game, that we were just going to come here the next Sunday and not take the Titans seriously - that would have been a terrible idea," cornerback Bradley Fletcher said. "We knew coming into this game we had to play with energy. We had to play four quarters. We had to make some plays.

"We were able to take care of what we needed to do tonight, and now, it's on to Dallas."

It doesn't matter, said Peters, if it's 4 days or 40 days between games:

"We built ourselves to be able to handle that."

I't certainly seems like it.