Now, the 2-0 Birds turn their attention toward Week 3 as they prepare to travel to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.
From the Birds’ chances this weekend to updates on year-end awards, here are some of the latest odds at two of the biggest sportsbooks …
Video: Gameday Central: Is it time for the Eagles to start Willie Lampkin?
Eagles-Bears odds
The Eagles are coming off two games in which they barely escaped with wins over the Washington Commanders and Titans.
The Bears (1-1) would be the Birds’ toughest challenge to date. However, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of a 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. He was scheduled to undergo imaging on Monday and his status is uncertain.
The last time the teams met was in November 2025, when the Bears defeated the Eagles, 24-15, at Lincoln Financial Field on Black Friday. As they prepare to compete again in primetime, the Eagles open as early road favorites.
Newly minted Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees was a mixed bag calling the Eagles’ 24-20 win against the Tennessee Titans for Fox Sports on Sunday, and a lot of Birds fans were unimpressed.
Count former Eagles wide receiver Jason Avant among them.
Avant, now part of NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Birds pre- and postgame coverage, blasted Brees after the game as one of Jalen Hurts’ “biggest haters” without going into much detail.
“Drew Brees is on the broadcast talking as much crap as anyone, and it was a negative broadcast,” Avant said on Eagles Postgame Live, adding Hurts’ game-winning drive “shut his mouth.”
Brees is certainly a work in progress at Fox; the network hired the former Saints star and Super Bowl MVP early last season to replace former Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez following Sanchez’s arrest in a downtown Indianapolis fight. Brees hasn’t even called a full season’s worth of NFL games yet — the Birds’ win was just the 11th in his career — but he certainly wasn’t hating on Hurts during the broadcast.
Jalen Hurts led his 8th fourth-quarter comeback since 2023, second-most in the NFL.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
During the first few drives, Brees repeatedly praised Hurts and the plays being called by new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Coming back from halftime, Brees said Hurts’ play was “absolutely outstanding” and highlighted his ability to extend plays with his legs and spread the ball around — as my colleague Jeff McLane noted, Hurts completed passes to nine different receivers for the first time since 2022.
“For the Philly fans out there — if this is what the Sean Mannion offense looks like, you guys are in good hands,” Brees said after the game, calling Hurts’ performance “the next iteration” of his evolution into a “true passer.”
So what ruffled the feathers of Avant and other Eagles fans? A comment Brees made in the second quarter, when Hurts slid during a third-down run to avoid being hit by Titans defenders, something every quarterback is taught to do.
“I was hyping up Jalen Hurts, and now I’m going to get on him,” Brees said. “Lower your shoulder and go get the first down.”
"Lower your shoulder and go get the first down" – Drew Brees did NOT like Jalen Hurts protecting himself with a slide in the second quarter of Week 2 against the Titans pic.twitter.com/q8nePomNdP
Context is important. Would this comment be appropriate in a playoff game or during a game-winning drive? Certainly. But Brees offered his criticism in the first half of a Week 2 game against an opponent that isn’t even in the Eagles’ conference, so his analysis seemed misplaced.
Birds fans also have a long memory. Last year, before Brees entered the booth, he appeared weekly on ESPN’s First Take and omitted Hurts while highlighting other quarterbacks like Jordan Love and Dak Prescott, despite the Birds’ 3-0 start.
“You realize you mentioned these dudes before you mentioned Jalen Hurts, you do know that, right?” asked Stephen A. Smith.
“I do,” Brees said. “I respect Philly. They are winning games … I can’t stand to watch that offense. It’s the most boring offense.”
He was certainly correct about the offense, which cost Kevin Patullo his job in the offseason. But Brees’ comments appear to have been added to the lengthy list of anti-Hurts remarks Eagles fans love to track.
As far as his broadcasting career comes, Brees is fortunate to be paired with Adam Amin, who has a knack for supporting recently retired athletes and isn’t afraid to coach the Hall of Famer on the ins-and-outs of broadcasting.
“I think he’s starting to improve as a presenter,” Amin said of Brees before the game. “He still has to learn some of the timing and rhythm, but a lot of that just comes with doing the job. And the rest of it, the presentation, is going to come with timing and confidence.”
Amin is in his seventh season with Fox after spending nine years at ESPN, and he’s quickly developed into one of the NFL’s best play-by-play voices. He call of Hurts’ game-winning touchdown pass to Darius Cooper hit all the notes, including letting viewers hear the roar of Eagles fans who flooded Nissan Stadium.
Merrill Reese also wasn’t perfect, but had a vintage TD call
Merrill Reese is in his 50th season as the voice of the Eagles. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
While Brees is still learning how to be a broadcaster, even the most experienced announcers can make a mistake now and then.
Over on the radio, Merrill Reese — in his 50th season as the voice of the Eagles — struggled a bit while calling Amani Hooker’s interception of Hurts in the first quarter. Hooker returned the interception 92 yards and ended up being tackled by a hustling Makai Lemon at the Eagles’ 10-yard line, but Reese thought he made it into the end zone.
When the Titans lined up on first down, Reese called it as if the play were a two-point conversion. It wasn’t until the Titans’ Tony Pollard was tackled after a 5-yard run did Reese and broadcast partner Mike Quick finally let listeners know what actually happened.
“They were ruled not in,” a surprised Reese said during the broadcast. “They said [Hooker] was down so that was not for two, that was the play.”
The Hall of Fame broadcaster more than redeemed himself on the Eagles’ game-winning drive, screaming “There’s life!” as the Birds moved down the field in a vintage Merrill Reese performance.
“TOUCHDOWN! DARIUS COOPER!” said Reese, who finished the call after Quick interrupted with some analysis on how the receiver got open. “WHAT A PLAY! HURTS TO DARIUS COOPER! WHAT A DRIVE!”
Reese and Amin weren’t alone in excelling at the end of the game. Spanish radio announcers Rickie Ricardo and Oscar Budejen also offered an A-plus call of the winning touchdown.
During the Cowboys’ win against the Commanders, Jayden Daniels left the game with a dislocated left elbow. The footage was so gruesome it caused Tom Brady to go blue.
Brady wasn’t done. Later in the game, he used language so colorful to describe Dak Prescott’s missile of a pass to receiver CeeDee Lamb we can’t print it in our family newspaper.
Over on CBS, J.J. Watt is in his second week in the No. 1 booth. That means millions and millions more fans are listening to his call, but his broadcast partner Jim Nantz didn’t appear to be among them on a few plays.
‘That’s my guy!’ Jason Kelce reacts to Zach Ertz news
Jason Kelce celebrates with Zach Ertz during Super Bowl LII in 2018. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Former Eagles star Jason Kelce played a little over eight seasons with Zach Ertz in Philly. Naturally, he’s excited his former teammate is returning to the Birds.
“You don’t got to talk me into Zach Ertz. That’s my guy!” Kelce said on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. “He’s entrenched in Philadelphia still… He’s close to some type of receiving record. I wouldn’t mind seeing that broken by No. 86 right there.”
"He's entrenched in Philadelphia still."@JasonKelce reacts to the news of Zach Ertz's return to the Philadelphia Eagles 🏈 pic.twitter.com/W3JQTa3BvG
As for franchise records, Ertz is second all-time in receptions (579) close behind Harold Carmichael (589), fifth in receiving yards (6,267) and seventh in receiving touchdowns (38).
Tight end Zach Ertz is heading back to the Eagles.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
With Dallas Goedert expected to miss multiple weeks after he sustained a sprained MCL in the Eagles’ win over the Titans, the Eagles are planning to sign Zach Ertz to the practice squad, sources said.
Ertz spent nine seasons in Philadelphia and was a key part to the Eagles winning their first Super Bowl in 2018.
The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending ACL tear in December 2025 with the Commanders and did not sign a contract in offseason.
Ertz was cleared for football activity in July — seven months from when he tore his ACL. He passed the pivotal nine-month post operation milestone a few weeks ago.
The Eagles are signing him to the practice squad as he continues his recovery with the expectation that he will eventually be signed to the 53-man roster, per sources.
Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is expected to miss a few weeks.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Eagles will be without Dallas Goedert for the time being.
A league source confirmed an NFL Network/ESPN report that Goedert suffered a sprained MCL in Sunday’s 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans. Goedert is expected to miss a few weeks with the injury.
Goedert appeared to suffer his injury while run blocking in the second quarter. He did not return to the game.
Goedert’s absence leaves the Eagles in an interesting situation at the position, and Howie Roseman may need to make a roster move.
DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass against the Titans on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
A number of reasons factor into DeVonta Smith’s lower frequency of high targets since 2021. Among them was the presence of receiver A.J. Brown from 2022-25, the presence of high-volume running back Saquon Barkley from 2024-26, and the presence of Jalen Hurts, a reluctant and limited passer.
However, the Eagles must feed Smith the way the Bengals feed Ja’Marr Chase, the way the Vikings feed Justin Jefferson, and the way the Cowboys feed CeeDee Lamb.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates as time runs out against the Tennessee on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The last time the Eagles and Bears met was in November 2025, when the Bears defeated the Eagles, 24-15, at Lincoln Financial Field on Black Friday.
The Bears would be the Birds’ toughest challenge as they prepare to compete on Monday Night Football. However, Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury and his status is uncertain.
As of now, the Eagles open as early road favorites on two of the biggest sportsbooks.
Marcus Mariota expected to start for Commanders; Jayden Daniels seeks options
Commanders QB Marcus Mariota is expected to start Sunday vs. Seattle as Washington continues to gather more information about Jayden Daniels’ dislocated left elbow. https://t.co/k6VS278fi2
Sirianni: No news on Saquon Barkley, Dallas Goedert injuries
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley left Sunday’s game with a stinger. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t offer any updates on running back Saquon Barkley or tight end Dallas Goedert, both of whom left Sunday’s game with injuries.
“It’s still early in the day,” Sirianni told reporters Monday. “I’ll get with those guys later today… They were off today, everything got started a little bit later, so we’ll see as the week progresses.”
Barkley suffered a stinger during the Eagles’ first drive and missed the first half. He returned in the second half but ended the game with just four carries for nine yards.
Goedert left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury while run blocking and did not return.
Cam Jurgens’ debut at left guard showed plenty to build on
Cam Jurgens played left guard for the first time in his career Sunday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Eagles decided early in the practice week last week, after placing Landon Dickerson on injured reserve, that getting their best five linemen on the field in their best five spots meant moving Cam Jurgens from center to left guard and inserting Drew Kendall at center.
“Drew is naturally a center,” Nick Sirianni said after Sunday’s victory. “He can do both, but we felt like that’s his best natural position.”
The arrangement meant that Jurgens would play left guard for the first time in his career. He was a high school tight end turned college center who spent his first year as a starter in the NFL at right guard before replacing Jason Kelce at center. The Eagles didn’t practice with him at left guard once in training camp. Left tackle Jordan Mailata recalled one brief walkthrough session during camp with Jurgens to his right.
“Everything is different,” Jurgens said. “Your hands are different. Your feet are different. You’re kicking different. It’s weird.
“I’m going to learn a lot from this game. I’m going to get a lot better.”
The offensive line had an up-and-down Sunday, just like it did a week ago in the opener. But Jurgens’ first 76 snaps at left guard didn’t look all that bad on film. I counted about six, maybe seven, bad reps from that 76-snap workload. That’s a pretty high success rate for a player at a new position. A few of those bad reps came against Jeffery Simmons, one of the top interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
Jalen Hurts was pressured on 17 dropbacks Sunday, and Jurgens was responsible for three of them, according to Pro Football Focus. Mailata also was charged with three, while Kendall and Tyler Steen surrendered two apiece. Lane Johnson was dinged with one pressure allowed.
The offensive line struggled to create enough creases for Eagles running backs, but Jurgens wasn’t a major part of those issues, film review showed.
Mailata after the game said he was looking forward to having continuity up front and growing as a unit. It’s unclear how long Dickerson will be out for, though he will remain ineligible to come off IR until at least Week 5. The new-look front could look this way until at least that point, which means Jurgens, a two-time Pro Bowl center, has a lot to learn and pick up.
“I’m so excited to watch film and get better from this,” he said.
Caleb Williams ‘week-to-week,’ appears likely to miss Eagles-Bears
Caleb Williams is “week-to-week” with a right hamstring injury.Nam Y. Huh
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is “week-to-week” with a right hamstring injury and “will likely miss some time,” head coach Ben Johnson said Monday morning in an interview on ESPN 1000 Chicago.
“I’ve got to still talk with our trainer. We’ll do that here shortly and I’ll have the lowdown from him. But it sounds like it’s week-to-week but will likely miss some time,” Johnson said.
The Eagles travel to Chicago to face the Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 3.
Williams underwent an MRI Monday morning and appears to have avoided seriously injuring his knee or Achilles, which could have cost the young quarterback the season. He suffered a non-contact injury during the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday.
Stepping in for Williams would be Tyson Bagent, who started four games his rookie year in 2023 but has just six pass attempts in two seasons since.
“I think ball-placement wise, it’s the best I’ve seen Jalen throw the ball in two years. That last drive was sensational,” Orlovsky said on First Take Monday. “I’m very confident in the way that the offense, pass game-wise, is looking under Sean Mannion.”
That’s not to say Orlovsky didn’t see issues, pointing out the offensive line might be the worst the Birds have seen in a decade. But he’s confident the Eagles coaching staff, even without offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland, can plug the holes and overcome Landon Dickerson’s injury.
Former Inquirer columnist Stephen A. Smith was surprised by Orlovsky’s confidence, saying on First Take, “I don’t like what I’m seeing with the Eagles’ offense.”
Smith pointed out the Eagles led the league in three-and-outs last season and had two Sunday in the third quarter, which helped the Titans remain in the game. In Week 1, the Eagles had three three-and-outs in the third quarter and punted seven times.
“I’m not sitting here saying they’re going to miss the playoffs. I’m not sitting here saying they’re scrubs,” Smith said. “I’m saying the championship team we saw from a couple years ago, there has been a precipitous drop off” compared to other NFC teams.
The Eagles schedule will also toughen up over the next few weeks, with matchups against the Chicago Bears, the Los Angeles Rams, the Carolina Panthers (who had a surprising 56-point turnaround in Week 2’s win against the Atlanta Falcons), and the hated Dallas Cowboys.
“They can absolutely win every one of those games,” Orlovsky said.
Hall of Famer Michael Irvin agreed with Orlovsky, though he differed on one point.
“Except the Cowboys game, I’m with you on that,” Irvin said.
The Eagles just keep winning under head coach Nick Sirianni. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Nick Sirianni high-stepped his way toward the tunnel after his team’s game-winning touchdown drive Sunday and celebrated with the throngs of Eagles fans who turned Nissan Stadium into an atmosphere that could have passed at times for an Eagles home game.
It wasn’t pretty, again, but the Eagles won, again. And Sirianni seems to just keep on winning.
The sixth-year Eagles coach joined an exclusive club on Sunday when his record climbed to 61-26 to raise his career winning percentage to .701. Sirianni is now the fifth coach in NFL history — with a minimum of 50 games coached — to hold a career winning percentage of .700 or higher, joining Guy Chamberlin (.784, 1922-27), John Madden (.759, 1969-78), Vince Lombardi (.738, 1959-67 and ‘69), and George Allen (.712, 1966-77).
The other four coaches are in the Hall of Fame.
Here are some other notable numbers from Sunday’s victory:
Sirianni isn’t the only one standing with Hall of Famers after Sunday. According to Elias Sports, Jalen Hurts and Hall of Famer Roger Staubach are the only quarterbacks to start their careers with six consecutive wins in road openers. Hurts is now the fifth quarterback to win six consecutive road openers, joining Hall of Famers Dan Fouts, Bart Starr, Fran Tarkenton, and Staubach.
The Eagles held the Titans to fewer than 300 yards (291). According to the Eagles, it’s the first time since 1995 they’ve held their opponents under 300 total yards in each of the first two games.
The offensive line had some issues again on Sunday, but they also allowed Hurts to have an average time to throw of 3.5 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats, the fourth-longest of his NFL career.
Dontayvion Wicks was clutch. He was targeted on five of his 12 routes on third and fourth downs, according to Next Gen, catching all five targets for 74 yards and five first downs. Those late-down plays generated +11.8 expected points added (EPA), according to Next Gen, the fifth-most by any receiver over the last two seasons.
Jake Elliott’s 58-yard kick tied the fourth-longest kick of his career and was his longest since also connecting on a 58-yarder last September in Kansas City.
Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles last-second win against the Titans.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
It may sound like a back-handed compliment, but former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith praised the Eagles and Jalen Hurts for overcoming some bad turnovers and rallying to defeat the Tennessee Titans Sunday in a hot Nissan Stadium.
“You had no Saquon, no Dallas Goedert, Jalen Hurts [threw] two terrible interceptions,” Smith said Monday morning on ESPN’s Get Up. “And then they put this final drive together where they looked unbelievable… To get a W on the road when you shouldn’t have, this goes a long way from an energy standpoint.”
His ESPN colleague Domonique Foxworth wasn’t as convinced, citing the Eagles’ disappointing defense and work-in-progress offense.
“Four weeks from now we’ll look back at this game and say either it’s nice they were able to pull off this win in a game they didn’t deserve to win,” Foxworth said. “Or, we should’ve seen the alarm bells.”
The Eagles need Jalen Hurts 2.0 now more than ever
Saquon Barkley celebrates with Jalen Hurts after his game-winning touchdown pass Sunday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Jalen Hurts tossed two costly interceptions. The first was returned 92 yards and was converted into a touchdown, while the second came late in the fourth quarter and allowed the Titans to take a 20-17 lead.
And yet, Hurts wasn’t asked a single question about the picks afterward. His performance in rallying the Eagles past Tennessee, 24-20, in nearly every other moment, including a masterful two-minute drive, far overshadowed his two throwing errors.
But there was something unique about Hurts carrying the offense at the scorching Nissan Stadium on Sunday. He’s strapped the Eagles on his back before. He’s had better games against better opponents when the stakes were much higher. He’s been clutch on many previous occasions.
No, this was a different Hurts. This was the 2.0 version. This was Hurts evolving as a quarterback in a new scheme that gives him more freedom as a passer. We saw glimpses of it in Week 1 vs. the Commanders. He took another step in Week 2.
If the narrative entering this season was that the 28-year-old faced a make-it-or-break-it tipping point, after another offensive coordinator change and a seemingly unresolved contract situation, Hurts has shown through two weeks that he’s making it.
Eagles injury report: Updates on Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley talks to Tank Bigsby during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Dallas Goedert, tight end: Goedert left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury while run blocking and did not return. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Goedert was scheduled to have an MRI Monday to assess the severity of the injury.
Saquon Barkley, running back: Barkley suffered a stinger during the Eagles’ first drive and missed the first half. He returned in the second half but ended the game with just four carries for nine yards. Barkley declined an interview request after the game, but he said he was “all right” and that the team would know more about his injury later in the week.
Jalen Carter, defensive tackle: Carter scared some fans after he was helped off the field with an apparent leg injury late in the game following a Titans field goal. After the game, he told reporters it was just a cramp in his calf and he was fine.
Tom Brady speaks to Eagles players prior to their Week 1 win against the Commanders.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
During the Cowboys’ win against the Commanders, Jayden Daniels was forced to leave the game after injuring his elbow. The footage was so gruesome it caused Tom Brady to go blue.
Brady wasn’t done. Later in the game, he used colorful language to describe a pass Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw to CeeDee Lamb; it was a clip Fox Sports was happy to share.
“There was no margin of error on that throw,” Brady said.
It’s possible Brady and Kevin Burkhardt could call the Eagles’ Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Either way the Birds will hear the future Hall of Famer on Thanksgiving day calling Eagles-Cowboys.
Eagles face the Bears in Week 3; Caleb Williams status uncertain
Bears QB Caleb Williams was knocked out of Sunday’s loss against the Vikings.Nam Y. Huh
The Eagles will take their 2-0 record north next week to face the Chicago Bears (1-1) under the lights on Monday Night Football.
The Bears could be without quarterback Caleb Williams, who was injured during a fourth-quarter run and was knocked out of the game during a 9-3 loss Sunday to the Minnesota Vikings.
While it was initially feared Williams might have hurt his knee or Achilles, the Bears announced late Sunday he hurt his right hamstring. Not ideal, but likely not a season-ending injury coaches and fans initially feared.
“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee,” Bears coach Ben Johnson told reporters after the game. “That was my first inclination, but yeah, that hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So we’ll see how bad it is, and we’ll go from there.”
Williams is scheduled to have an MRI Monday. If he can’t go, the Bears will turn to Tyson Bagent, who started four games his rookie year in 2023 but has just six pass attempts in two seasons since.
The Bears beat the Eagles 24-15 on Black Friday last season, but the Birds won their previous six games against Chicago. That include the 2018 playoff win where Bears kicker Cody Parkey’s field goal bounced off the upright as time expired.
Jalen Hurts led his 8th fourth-quarter comeback since 2023, second-most in the NFL.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
During his postgame interview with Fox sideline reporter Kristina Pink, Jalen Hurts had some choice words for Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who seemed to take a shot at Hurts earlier this week.
On Wednesday, when asked a question about the Eagles quarterback, Simmons told ESPN, “We just need to make Jalen Hurts be a QB. Stop his runs, make sure Hurts doesn’t get out of the pocket and make plays.”
The internet ran rampant with the quote, but the Eagles locker room did not seem to pay it much attention. After Sunday’s game, Simmons embraced Hurts during his interview with Pink.
“You started that s—; I had to finish it,” Hurts said to Simmons with a smile.
Drew Kendall (left) and the Eagles offensive line had its struggles on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
To some surprise, the Eagles made changes at two spots when they only needed to replace Landon Dickerson. They moved Cam Jurgens to left guard and started Drew Kendall at center. It was often ugly. But it was another shaky outing from new O-line coach Chris Kuper’s entire group. The run blocking just wasn’t sound. The pass protection was only a little better.
There was the matter of containing Jeffery Simmons. The All pro defensive tackle owned Kendall on the Eagles’ opening drive and forced Hurts to burn a throw into the ground. Kendall appeared to miss a block. The second-year O-lineman had a tough assignment, but it was a grind.
Jurgens struggled vs. Simmons and others. He got spun around by the defensive tackle on a run play in which Bigsby was stretched out for no gain. Jurgens also got knocked off balance by Titans D-tackle John Franklin-Myers in the second quarter. He was a turnstile on edge Jacob Martin’s third-down sack of Hurts in the third quarter.
Right guardTyler Steendidn’t hold up either. He got beat by D-tackle Nazir Stackhouse and later by Simmons on late second quarter runs that resulted in losses. He committed a holding penalty to open the second half. Steen got beat again on a third-down rush in the third quarter in which Hurts had to escape.
Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata were decent in pass protection, but they had breakdowns, too. Johnson struggled with his block on the play in which Barkley got hurt. He also lined up illegally early in the second half. Mailata got surprised by an outside twist by Simmons, and landed on his rear on Hurts’ touchdown throw to Smith.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jalen Hurts tossed two costly interceptions. The first was returned 92 yards and converted into a touchdown, while the second came late in the fourth quarter and allowed the Titans to take a 20-17 lead.
And yet, Hurts wasn’t asked a single question about the picks postgame. His performance in rallying the Eagles past Tennessee, 24-20, in nearly every other moment, including a masterful two-minute drive, far overshadowed his two throwing errors.
But there was something unique about Hurts carrying the offense at the scorching Nissan Stadium on Sunday. He’s strapped the Eagles onto his back before. He’s had better games against better opponents when the stakes were much higher. He’s been clutch on many previous occasions.
Video: Jalen Hurts lauds the Eagles’ perseverance after win over Titans
No, this was a different Hurts. This was the 2.0 version. This was Hurts evolving as a quarterback in a new scheme that gives him more freedom as a passer. We saw glimpses of it in Week 1 vs. the Washington Commanders. He took another step in Week 2.
If the narrative entering this season was that the 28-year-old faced a make-it-or-break-it tipping point, after another offensive coordinator change and a seemingly unresolved contract situation, Hurts has shown through two weeks that he’s making it.
He’s been that instrumental in the Eagles’ 2-0 start despite the schematic hiccups and struggles on the offensive line.
“I don’t even think words can describe how much you’ve got to manage as a quarterback in this league from a responsibility standpoint, and the weight that comes with the position and the responsibility,” Hurts said when asked about his calm amid an otherwise stormy offensive day.
“Ultimately, you gotta keep the main thing the main thing throughout that. You gotta keep your poise and keep your focus.”
An early injury to Saquon Barkley was one more thing Jalen Hurts was forced to overcome on Sunday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Third down after third down, Hurts and his receivers bailed out the early-down malaise. The Eagles have long needed an offense that establishes the run game. Hurts’ limitations as a dropback passer have partially made that necessary, but it’s also been a byproduct of coach Nick Sirianni’s conservatism.
The Eagles just might not have the pieces to be a run-based unit this season. There were likely to be some early bumps with the new wide-zone blocking scheme. But for as much as Sean Mannion needs the outside-zone runs to set up play action, he can’t keep calling early-down runs or quasi-runs that are passes that fail.
The Eagles have been wretched on first down. They averaged just 0.9 yards in the first game of the season. They were a little better in the second, but the running backs managed just 2.7 yards on 15 first-down rushes vs. the Titans.
The Eagles shuffled the O-line after Landon Dickerson went to injured reserve last week, moving Cam Jurgens to the vacant left guard spot and inserting Drew Kendall at center. There were going to be miscues with Jurgens having never played guard on that side, especially with Jeffery Simmons lining up over him.
But Mannion kept calling runs even if they often were away from the All-Pro defensive tackle.
“It’s more to do with execution, but then also you know the moving pieces that we had in,” tackle Jordan Mailata said about the run-blocking issues. “This is our first game together as the starting five for us. And I’ve always emphasized the continuity of having the same O-line guys.”
Sirianni wouldn’t divulge whether he’ll stick with the same configuration, but keeping the same core for at least the next three games — or more, depending upon Dickerson’s health — seems likely.
Cam Jurgens (51) and the offensive line has been slow to adjust to the Sean Mannion scheme. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“I’m a soldier,” Jurgens said. “I march to my orders, and whatever I’m asked to do, I’m going to do it to my best abilities.”
There were other missing parts. Running back Saquon Barkley left early with a stinger (although he returned), while tight end Dallas Goedert was sidelined with a knee injury. Sirianni said he wouldn’t grade on a curve because of the new faces and scheme changes.
“We want to be able to run it more efficiently,” Sirianni said. “I haven’t seen any of the numbers, but everything comes off of the run and the play action. And so, the guys battled though. That’s what you’re so proud of there. … But there’s definitely room for improvement, as we all know.
The pass protection wasn’t much better, although when the O-line needed to stand tall on the last drive, Hurts mostly had enough time in the pocket. But getting sacked three times, hit an additional three times, and having to Houdini out of pressure isn’t likely sustainable.
According to the advanced analytics site Sumer Sports, the Eagles have the largest difference in early-down offensive success rate vs. late-down offensive success rate to start a season since 2022, with an early-down success rate of 31.5% in the third percentile, and a late-down rate of 60.6% in the 96th percentile.
Hurts kept facing long third downs and kept hitting receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks downfield. He converted nine third downs of more than 4 yards, three of which were third-and-12.
Jalen Hurts helped facilitate a big day for DeVonta Smith (6) and completed passes to nine different targets on Sunday. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
But both his interceptions also came on third-and-longs. He kept bouncing back.
“Jalen’s able to flush it and lead us down the field in a critical situation,” Sirianni said. “Just proud of the way he played and the way he had his resolve, but that’s who he is, right? That doesn’t surprise me. He’s that on a daily basis.”
Whether it’s by design or not, Sirianni has had to entrust his 28-year-old quarterback with more responsibility, and that may require accepting a few more interceptions than either has become accustomed to.
If the Kyle Shanahan-type parts of Mannion’s under center, play-action scheme haven’t yet taken hold, the implementation of more full progression reads has. Hurts completed passes to nine receivers for only the fourth time in his NFL career, and the first since 2022.
He got late into his reads on several throws, including the game-winning 3-yard touchdown toss to Darius Cooper. Earlier, he found Cooper for a 23-yard gain when the receiver was beyond his first two reads.
“I think it’s just a byproduct of our approach in our offense,” Hurts said. “I’ve really embraced and enjoyed the teaching progression and how things are taught.”
Hurts has heard the noise about his not being able to diagnose defenses, dating back to his second season when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers said as much in an Eagles wild-card playoff loss. Simmons said the Titans wanted to make Hurts “play quarterback” in the lead-up to the game.
“I heard it,” Hurts said.
He let his play do the talking, though.
“I’m happy we won,” Hurts said when asked for a response.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hurts can still do the athletic and mobile things that separate him from many other quarterbacks. He ran twice on designed runs, scrambled two times for 11 yards, and used his lower-body strength to convert on the return of the Tush Push.
But he’s quieted some doubts about how he would adapt to the biggest scheme change of his NFL career, and about how last season ended. In Week 1, he hit Goedert for a touchdown on a four verticals concept similar to the fateful last play in the playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. In Week 2, he bested the opposing defensive coordinator in that game — Titans coach Robert Saleh.
It’s early, of course. If the problems on Chris Kuper’s O-line are going to be waved away with the same reason, then Hurts’ strong start should be taken with a grain of salt. The same could be said about the climate — both teams had to suffer through it — even if Eagles players were melting through cleats.
“Was like a NASCAR pit crew helping me get ready for the second half,” said Jurgens, who said he went through two pairs.
It may be another Eagles victory, with agony and outside voices thrilled to complain about it. But Hurts knows better. The work was done. The task at hand remains.
“We’re still progressing,” Hurts said. “Think there’s a lot for us to continue to improve on, to align toward. But you want to do that and find ways to win.”
He’s done that as much as any quarterback over the last five seasons. But he may have to shoulder more than he ever has before.
The Titans may not have scored a touchdown on their penultimate possession, but they sure had all the momentum after securing a three-point lead with two minutes left on a sweltering Tennessee afternoon.
On the final drive of the game, the star wide receiver posted 38 yards on four receptions, including a pair of clutch toe-tap grabs, to help surge the Eagles to a 24-20 victory. His 19-yard sideline catch with 14 seconds remaining was the biggest catch of the day as it put the Eagles on the 3-yard-line and set up Darius Cooper’s game-winning touchdown.
Smith’s final stat line: 117 yards and one touchdown on 10 receptions.
Video: Gameday Central: Initial reaction to the Eagles’ comeback win vs. Titans
The 27-year-old looked just as composed on the field as he did in the postgame locker room.
“It was fun, man,” Smith said of the intense final drive. “Game on the line, all that. Shouldn’t have been that close, but you know, you live for moments like that.”
This performance comes one week after a modest showing from Smith. Against Washington, he was targeted six times and recorded just 53 yards (with a long of 31 yards). Not terrible, but also not the stat line he wanted in his first game of the post-A.J. Brown era.
DeVonta Smith (left) and Jalen Hurts celebrate Smith’s touchdown catch on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
On Sunday, though, Smith looked like a true No. 1 option — hauling in acrobatic catches and creating separation with ease. Smith was asked what it was like to finally be the “go-to guy” after the win.
“I take a lot of pride in it,” Smith said. “I feel like it was time. It was time for me to go out there, for me to show what I can do, that I can be that guy. I had an opportunity and I went out there and did it.”
According to his teammates, Smith’s performance and leadership — especially during the game’s most turbulent moments — was infectious. The Eagles logged 264 yards through the air on Sunday. Their receivers accounted for both passing touchdowns. Nine players were targeted and the non-Smith receivers tallied 114 total yards.
Cooper — a training-camp success story as a second-year undrafted free agent who carved out a roster spot with a strong summer — scored the final touchdown to secure Jalen Hurts’ 14th career game-winning drive.
Dontayvion Wicks was effective too, totaling 74 yards on five catches, including a clutch 27-yard gain on the final drive. Wicks, who was an afterthought in three seasons with the Green Bay Packers, had 70 or more receiving yards for the second straight game — a feat he only accomplished one time last season.
He credits Smith — the “leader of the pack,” according to Wicks — for helping him stay motivated.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“He was looked at as the second guy, he waited his turn,” Wicks said of Smith’s status before A.J. Brown’s departure. “I mean, just to see his workday, to see how he works, it’s motivating. He’s embracing that world [as a WR1] and it’s making us better.
NASHVILLE — Continuity is king, Jordan Mailata thinks. It is what the Eagles’ left tackle was leaning on most after his team escaped disaster in its last-minute 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans.
The offensive line wasn’t good enough during the team’s win over the Washington Commanders last week. And after losing Landon Dickerson to injured reserve with a hurt knee, the offensive front came to its second game with a new look.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Eagles moved center Cam Jurgens to left guard to fill the hole left by Dickerson. They inserted Drew Kendall at center. It was Jurgens’ first game at left guard and Kendall’s first career start in a game with real stakes. They asked that duo to handle a defensive front that features one of the NFL’s best interior linemen in Jeffery Simmons.
How hard can it be to change from center to guard? Jurgens’ first season as a starter was at right guard before he moved over to center when Jason Kelce retired. Jurgens likened his week to a basketball player making a major change at the rim.
“Everything is different,” Jurgens said postgame. “Your hands are different. Your feet are different. You’re kicking different. It’s weird. It’s like if you’re a basketball player and you always dunk one-footed, then all of sudden you’ve got to be a two-foot dunker and change everything.
“It’s different. But at the same time, we’re all football players, and it’s still football.”
Video: Gameday Central: Initial reaction to the Eagles’ comeback win vs. Titans
The Eagles won Sunday, in a similar fashion to the way they won last week against an opponent that, on paper, is inferior: barely. Nick Sirianni and a few players have spoken about wanting to focus on the joy of winning and not worrying about style points, but the offensive line’s play through eight quarters has made the winning more difficult than it should be.
The Eagles, who are implementing a wide-zone run scheme, can’t run the ball the way they want to. Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger and ran just four times Sunday, but four Eagles — including Barkley and not including Jalen Hurts — combined for 78 yards on 27 carries.
“I don’t know if it’s landmarks,” right tackle Lane Johnson said. “I’ve got to go back and watch the film. It’s really tough to say right after a game. I don’t know if we created any big creases like last week. There’s a lot to clean up.”
Running backs Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby were among Eagles who combined for 78 yards on 26 carries.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Is some of this still growing pains with the new offense?
“Yeah,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot that’s different. There’s aiming points, there’s different names for plays here that we’ve had in for a long time.
“We need to keep getting better and hopefully see this ground game improve.”
It is the key to making the offense go. The Eagles want to use more under-center play action and marry their run and passing games, but they can’t effectively do that unless they can run the ball, and they can’t effectively run the ball unless they block better.
The passing game had issues, too. Simmons had a whopping seven pressures and was credited with hitting Hurts three times, including one that led to Hurts underthrowing DeVonta Smith on a sideline route in the fourth quarter for his second interception of the game. Hurts was pressured often and hit six times, including three sacks.
The offensive line also was flagged three times: Jurgens and right guard Tyler Steen for holding and Lane Johnson for illegal formation.
“I’m going to learn a lot from this game,” Jurgens said. “I’m going to get a lot better. I’m excited to get better from this. Jeffery Simmons is a damn good player.”
It was a lot to ask of Jurgens and Kendall, who said the Eagles “all handled it well” and “have to learn from it.”
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni celebrates as time runs out Sunday vs. the Titans.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
This is the unit the Eagles will be working with moving forward, which gets back to Mailata leaning on the continuity to give him confidence things will be corrected.
The Eagles decided early in the practice week that Kendall would play center and Jurgens would play guard. They practiced all week with that in mind, though Mailata decided to play a joke on reporters by having Fred Johnson line up at left guard for drills in an act of subterfuge during the period open to media.
Video: Jalen Hurts lauds the Eagles’ perseverance after win over Titans
Dickerson, who struggled mightily last week as he dealt with a knee injury, is out for at least the next three games, and it remains to be seen if he’ll be ready to return when he is eligible.
“You’ve got to build continuity, and this is the first time all five of us have been together,” Mailata said. “I am confident in those five. I am confident in us being able to see how we can correct and pass off games.
“I don’t want anyone to panic. The best thing about offensive line play is if you can get continuity. Now we have our starting five moving on. Now we have film on how we’re getting beat, how we’re not getting beat, and things to work on.”
In the end, the offensive line kept Hurts clean enough on the final drive when it mattered. The quarterback did have to make a heady play to get rid of the ball before being sacked, but he was afforded a clean enough pocket on a few key throws.
“That was so damn exciting to go down there, in the two-minute drill, and win the game,” Jurgens said. “We shouldn’t have been in that [situation]. But a win is a win.”
Johnson’s thoughts were similar.
“There’s a lot to clean up,” he said. “But a win is a win, and it’s hard to get in this league.”
On Sunday, the Eagles defeated the Titans, 24-20, in a thriller in Nashville. With his team down by three points and 1 minute, 56 seconds left, Jalen Hurts marched the Eagles downfield to win the game. Wide receiver Darius Cooper, who competed for a roster spot this summer, sealed the victory with a 3-yard touchdown catch.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 2-0.
If you made the trip to the Music City or just couldn’t tune in, here’s what you may have missed from Sunday’s broadcast on Fox:
‘The biggest catch of his life.’
The highlight of the broadcast was play-by-play commentator Adam Amin’s electric call of the Eagles’ game-winning play.
“Hurts, rolling right, floats it, back of the end zone. And it is caught!” Amin’s voice boomed. “Darius Cooper, the biggest catch of his life. Philadelphia’s got the lead.”
Amin let the moment breathe after the call, allowing the at-home audience to hear the Eagles faithful serenade Cooper with cheers. The play came after Hurts hit DeVonta Smith on a toe-tapping 19-yard reception on third-and-6 from the Titans’ 22-yard line.
“When the pressure is at its greatest and the backs are furthest up against the wall, Jalen Hurts often comes through,” Amin said.
Drew Brees, who lent his voice to Sunday’s broadcast as the analyst, looked to praise Hurts following the Eagles final drive.
“No guy better in end of game situations than Jalen Hurts,” Brees said. “And no better execution today or on that drive.”
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
‘I had to finish it’
During his postgame interview with Fox sideline reporter Kristina Pink, Hurts had some choice words for Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who seemed to take a shot at Hurts earlier this week.
On Wednesday, when asked a question about the Eagles quarterback, Simmons told ESPN, “We just need to make Jalen Hurts be a QB. Stop his runs, make sure Hurts doesn’t get out of the pocket and make plays.”
The internet ran rampant with the quote, but the Eagles locker room did not seem to pay it much attention. After Sunday’s game, Simmons embraced Hurts during his interview with Pink.
“You started that s—; I had to finish it,” Hurts said to Simmons with a smile.
Brees’ broadcasting career did not start the way he wanted.
The first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer looked to be the eventual replacement for Cris Collinsworth on Sunday Night Football but was let go by NBC after a lackluster playoff debut in 2021. Brees got a second chance last season, replacing Mark Sanchez after the former Eagles quarterback was arrested for allegedly assaulting a truck driver.
Sunday marked Brees’ 10th game with Fox and his first time calling the Eagles. So what did he have to say about the Birds?
The Super Bowl XLIV MVP was very impressed by the Eagles offense early. Following a designed sweep to new Eagles wideout Hollywood Brown in the second quarter, Brees lauded offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s variety in play-calling.
“I love the variety that Philly has incorporated today,” said Brees, who played 20 NFL seasons for the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. “This is the best looking Philly offense that I’ve seen in a long time. I know it’s just two drives, and I know the first drive unfortunately resulted in the interception in the end zone. But just as far as the steadiness of it and the play-calling and the tempo, they just incorporated so much so far.”
However, Philly fans tuned into Fox seemed to ignore much of Brees’ praise and narrowed in on one curious comment. Later in that drive, on a third-and-long scramble, Hurts slid 3 yards short of a first down. Despite two Titans defenders converging on Hurts, Brees felt the quarterback should have fought for the extra yardage.
“I was hyping up Jalen Hurts, and now I’m going to get on him,” Brees said. “Lower your shoulder and go get the first down. “You slide, they’re going to mark the ball where you started the slide, not where you end the slide. So it’s not a Tush Push situation. It’s not fourth-and-1. It’s fourth-and-3.”
The Eagles ended up converting for a first down, but Birds fans on social media held onto Brees’ words. Many questioned why Hurts would risk an injury by fighting for the first down.
Drew Brees telling Jalen Hurts to “lower your shoulder & get that 1st down” when he slid on 3rd & long is truly one of the more outrageous things I’ve ever heard a commentator say, let alone coming from a Hall of Fame QB who famously NEVER lowered his shoulder to get the 1st down
“It is hot, it is humid, it is a game of attrition,” Amin said with the game tied, 17-17, in the fourth quarter.
If you were one of the many Eagles fans who made the trip to Nashville, you don’t need to be reminded how hot Sunday’s game was. But for everyone else at home, the broadcast made sure to emphasize the on-field conditions.
Before the game kicked off, Pink pointed a thermometer gun at Nissan Stadium’s turf. The thermometer showed that the field was 133 degrees. Later, the broadcast revealed that it had reached 157 degrees on the field.
Fox offered plenty of visuals to show off the Tennessee heat. In the first quarter, the broadcast panned to Simmons pouring water on himself. Then at halftime, Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst Terry Bradshaw marveled at Titans players pouring water on their cleats to cool off.
Brees also gave some insight on how an offense can use the heat to its advantage. Although he played in a dome with the Saints, Brees had his fair share of road games in the heat.
“When you start thinking about the heat conditions, the ability to commit yourself to the 2- and 3-yard gains,” Brees said in the first quarter. “Not only is it going to set you up for third-and-manageable, but as this game goes on, you can wear down a defense that way.”
NASHVILLE — The name on Jalen Hurts’ mind wasn’t the one you might’ve expected.
An hour after the Eagles quarterback uploaded the latest clip to his resumé tape with a 3-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Darius Cooper to lead the Eagles to a 24-20 win over the Titans on Sunday, he settled into a chair in a cramped interview room and spoke like a man who felt like he’d proven something. Hurts had spent the previous several days aware that his quarterbacking abilities had once again become grist for the NFL’s talk show circuit. The genesis of the debate — this time, at least — was a comment by Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who said that the key to beating the Eagles was to “make Jalen Hurts be a quarterback.” Tennessee achieved that objective, limiting Hurts to 16 yards on five mostly inconsequential carries. The quarterbacking they wanted to force proved lethal.
Yet it wasn’t Simmons who was at the forefront of Hurts’ mind. Though he admitted he’d heard the lineman’s comment, and though he strongly implied that he’d been motivated by the ostensible slight, it was Titans head coach Robert Saleh who drew a couple of unprompted mentions from Hurts in the wake of the wild win.
“It felt good to get him,” Hurts said. “He’s posed some great challenges, but I kind of checked that off.”
It was an interesting admission. One of the more undercovered story lines leading up to the game was the track record of success that Saleh’s defenses have had against the Eagles during Hurts’ tenure as QB1. Most notable was Saleh’s architecting of the 49ers’ wild-card win at Lincoln Financial Field last January, when his injury-ravaged unit limited Hurts to 168 yards on 20-of-35 passing. But Saleh was also at the scene of the crime in Week 6 of 2023, when the Jets picked Hurts off three times en route to a 20-14 upset win, a performance that prompted the Packers to enlist him as a consultant the following season as they were preparing to face the Eagles in the playoffs.
“Coach Saleh is always known for having a really good front, and it starts with Jeffery Simmons in the middle, and the disruption he brings,” Hurts said. “He was definitely disruptive and I think for the most part we managed it well. A lot to learn from. A lot to build forward on.”
Here, it seemed, was the actual window into Hurts’ competitive psyche on a Sunday afternoon that saw him overcome two interceptions and will the Eagles down the field on a masterful nine-play, 65-yard scoring drive after the Titans had taken a 20-17 lead with 1 minute, 56 seconds remaining. While everyone else focused on Simmons, and while Hurts happily played his part in that game, he drew a much deeper pregame motivation from the memory of his failures. Sure, Sunday’s game was a chance to stick it to Simmons and by extension to those who share his sentiments. But it was much more substantively an opportunity to deploy the lessons he’d learned in his previous go-rounds against a defensive scheme the Titans now featured under Saleh as their first-year head coach. As Hurts himself might say, there is no motivator as powerful as an opportunity to show growth.
Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Both he and the Eagles showed it on Sunday, albeit in an unconventional manner. They spent most of the first half looking every bit the superior team they were believed to be. Hurts was remarkably calm, poised and accurate with the football while dealing with a patchwork interior offensive line and dysfunctional running game amid a suffocating blanket of heat and humidity amplified by the artificial turf at Nissan Stadium. The Eagles entered halftime having run 40 plays: 15, 11 and 14 on three possessions covering 210 yards. That they led 14-10 rather than 21-3 was a function entirely of Hurts’ lone miscue: an end zone interception that Titans safety Amani Hooker returned 92 yards to set up a touchdown.
It would be easy to focus on the Eagles’ second half struggles, when Hurts was off-target on a number of big throws and thus left the Eagles at the mercy of their ineffective running game and a startlingly vulnerable defense. Except, those things ultimately set the stage for two of the finest minutes of Hurts’ career.
Rarely will you see a quarterback make a more consequential series of throws than the ones Hurts made while marching the Eagles 65 yards down the field. The headline, highlight, and game-ender was a 3-yard toss to Cooper in the back of the end zone with 9 seconds left. It was also a formality by that point. On the previous play, Hurts had hit DeVonta Smith with a 19-yard throw to convert a third-and-6. Two plays before that, he somehow managed to muscle himself outside of the tackle box and throw an incompletion while wrapped up by Titans defensive end Jacob Martin for what would have been a significant loss to push the Eagles back toward the fringe of field-goal territory.
“Huge,” was how left tackle Jordan Mailata described that moment.
Just as huge was Hurts’ 20-yard completion to Dontayvion Wicks on third-and-6 at the beginning of the drive.
Take away any one of these moments, and the Eagles would have been trying to explain the inexplicable instead of shrugging off another flawed victory over a vastly inferior team.
Instead, we can focus on that which is perfectly explicable.
“He didn’t flinch,” Smith said.
Video: Nick Sirianni greets Eagles players outside of locker room after win vs. Titans
The best thing you can say about Hurts, the highest compliment you can give him, is that he has shown us that we should expect everything that we saw in the closing minutes on Sunday. The calm, the rhythm, the blankness of mind. Apart from his self-evident physical gifts, his greatest competitive advantage has always been a near-total self belief that prevails regardless of circumstance. He has shown it time and again at every level of football, from Alabama to Oklahoma to the second round of the NFL draft to the questions that seem to swirl around his future on a weekly basis, with Simmons’ comment as the most recent example.
“It’s a sense of belief,“ Mailata said. ”It’s more like a knowing. I know he’s going to go down and lead us, I know he’s going to make the right reads, I know he’s going to make the right throws.”
More often than not, the talent prevails. The poise prevails. The unflinching self-belief prevails.
You can say a lot of things about Hurts. The list starts with those three truths.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
NASHVILLE — Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance in their 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans:
Quarterback – B+
Jalen Hurts was excellent. Yeah, he tossed two bad interceptions. But good far outweighed the bad and Hurts ultimately drove the Eagles to victory with his two-minute, touchdown scoring drive. He threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns on 26 of 37 passing. Hurts also had some key moments on the ground. He did all of this despite the schematic and execution issues with the offensive line.
Aside from the interception, Hurts was nearly flawless in the first half. He kept bailing the offense out on third-and-longs and converted five first-downs of four yards or more. He also did it with his legs once, running for a first down on third-and-4. Hurts has a 7-yard scramble that set up a fourth-and-2 he would subsequently convert with a throw to Wicks.
Video: Jalen Hurts lauds the Eagles’ perseverance after win over Titans
Hurts looked comfortable in the pocket despite some pressure. He hooked up with Wicks for a 27-yard pass over the middle with a rusher in his face, and later got the ball out to Wicks for a 15-yard gain on third-and-12 — just before Simmons hit him. His 22-yard touchdown pass to Smith before the break came on second-and-19.
There was the costly interception on third-and-goal, of course. The pass to Smith was undercut by safety Amani Hooker, who went 92 yards the other way. The Titans converted the turnover into a touchdown.
Saquon Barkley left on the first play when he suffered a stinger. He returned to the sideline after a brief stay in the locker room, but didn’t play until the second half. Barkley caught an 11-yard swing pass on third-and-5. As a rusher, he finished with just nine yards on four carries.
With Barkley out for most of the first half, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley shouldered the load in the backfield. They ran hard and had some nice moments, but the blocking up front was mostly porous. The duo rushed 17 times for a combined 51 yards (3.0 average) before the break.
Tank Bigsby (8) found the end zone in relief of an injured Saquon Barkley. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Bigsby kept churning on a 9-yard carry down to the 2-yard line early in the second quarter, and went into the end zone on the next play for the Eagles’ first touchdown. He slipped and lost two yards on his first carry of the second half.
Shipley got the nod on the Eagles’ last drive. He helped pick up the blitz on Hurts’ 20-yard throw to Wicks.
Video: Gameday Central: Initial reaction to the Eagles’ comeback win vs. Titans
Receiver / Tight end — A-
Receiver DeVonta Smith did all could do. He made one tough catch after another and led the Eagles with 10 catches for 117 yards. He caught a 22-yard touchdown on a corner route in the second quarter. Smith converted an early third down on an 8-yard slant. He also had a key lead block on Hurts’ third-down conversion on the ground in the second quarter. He made a difficult toe-dragging grab near the sideline and then a 19-yard snag down to the 3-yard line on the final drive.
Dontayvion Wicks was just as reliable when targeted. He caught a 27-yard pass over the middle on third and 12 on the Eagles’ first drive. Wicks converted fourth down with a 5-yard catch in the second quarter. He finished with five receptions for 74 yards, but left late with an injury. Rookie Makai Lemon is still finding his NFL legs.On his first career first down, he pulled in a 14-yard grab on third down late in the first quarter. Another screen pass, though, resulted in Lemon getting dropped for a loss in the second quarter. He had nowhere to go.
Dontayvion Wicks continued to add value for the Eagles passing game. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Darius Cooper made the game-winning touchdown catch when he went up for Hurts’ lob and kept both feet inbounds. Earlier in the fourth quarter, he got open and picked up 23 yards.
Tight end Dallas Goedert got upended while run blocking in the second quarter and didn’t return because of the knee injury. Johnny Mundt had more receiving responsibility with Goedert out. He drew an illegal use of the hands penalty in the second quarter. Mundt seemed to miss his assignment on an outside zone run that netted few yards just before the half. He held on a Hollywood Brown end around in the fourth quarter.
After not playing a snap in the first game, Brown was featured at times on offense. He ran nine yards on a sweep play in the second quarter.
To some surprise, the Eagles made changes at two spots when they only needed to replace Landon Dickerson. They moved Cam Jurgens to left guard and started Drew Kendall at center. It was often ugly. But it was another shaky outing from new O-line coach Chris Kuper’s entire group. The run blocking just wasn’t sound. The pass protection was only a little better.
There was the matter of containing Jeffery Simmons. The All pro defensive tackle owned Kendall on the Eagles’ opening drive and forced Hurts to burn a throw into the ground. Kendall appeared to miss a block. The second-year O-lineman had a tough assignment, but it was a grind.
Drew Kendall (66) and the Eagles offensive line had its struggles on Sunday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Jurgens struggled vs. Simmons and others. He got spun around by the defensive tackle on a run play in which Bigsby was stretched out for no gain. Jurgens also got knocked off balance by Titans D-tackle John Franklin-Myers in the second quarter. He was a turnstile on edge Jacob Martin’s third-down sack of Hurts in the third quarter.
Right guard Tyler Steen didn’t hold up either. He got beat by D-tackle Nazir Stackhouse and later by Simmons on late second quarter runs that resulted in losses. He committed a holding penalty to open the second half. Steen got beat again on a third-down rush in the third quarter in which Hurts had to escape.
Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata were decent in pass protection, but they had breakdowns, too. Johnson struggled with his block on the play in which Barkley got hurt. He also lined up illegally early in the second half. Mailata got surprised by an outside twist by Simmons, and landed on his rear on Hurts’ touchdown throw to Smith.
Defensive line — B-
The front looked gassed at times, and understandably so. It was hot. There were a lot of D-linemen with hands on their hips at the end of the Titans’ 12-play touchdown drive late in the third quarter. The run defense was leaky at times. There wasn’t enough pressure on the few times quarterback Cam Ward dropped on obvious pass downs. They did stand tall and force a field goal at the end.
Jalen Carter, playing with a soft cast on his wrist, was relatively quiet for the first three quarters. He did bust through on a run play in the third quarter and sacked Ward late in the fourth. Jordan Davis didn’t dominate in the run game like he normally does. Moro Ojomo had a big tackle for loss in the fourth quarter.
Nolan Smith Jr. (3) had a sack of Cam Ward on Sunday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Edge Jonathan Greenard (pectoral) was out for a second straight week. Jalyx Hunt got things started with a tackle for loss on Pollard’s first carry. Hunt later squeezed into the backfield to force running back Tyjae Spears into Davis’ arms. As a pass rusher, he drew a face mask when he penetrated on an inside stunt in the second quarter.
In the second half, his edge setting contributed to a Pollard run for no gain. Nolan Smith Jr. got home for a sack with an inside rush late in the second quarter. Smith also had a tackle for loss on a run in the fourth quarter.
Defensive tackles Byron Young and Ty Robinson got some snaps in the heat.
Linebacker — C+
There was just too much leakage against a Titans offense that looked near-pathetic in the first week, and the off-ball linebackers were just as responsible. Zack Baun appeared to over-pursue on Pollard’s 13-yard run on third-and-1 in the second quarter. Baun also missed an open field tackle on a dump pass that sprung Spears for 27 yards just before the half. He did stop Titans running back Nick Singleton for a loss in the third quarter.
Jihaad Campbell didwell to shed a block and stop a screen for no gain on the Titans’ first possession. He was targeted through the air several times. Both linebackers bit on a play fake and Ward hit receiver Calvin Ridley for a 25-yard catch in the third quarter.
Riq Woolen and the Eagles cornerbacks had their share of challenges against a nondescript Titans receiving corps. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Cornerback — B
Ward didn’t drop to throw much downfield, but when he did he was more efficient than he should have been. Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen did keep Titans receivers from winning often on the outside. Receiver Calvin Ridley hauled in a first down on a slant in front of Mitchell. His run defense on Spears’ 27-yard run was not ideal.
Cooper DeJean rebounded from last week’s rough outing. He tackled rookie receiver Carnell Tate short of the sticks on third down in the third quarter. Mitchell and Cooper were victimized by a soft zone on third and 13 when Ward hit receiver Elic Ayomanor for 28 yards on a slant route.
Safety — C-
The tackling at the safety spot just wasn’t good enough. Andrew Mukuba played despite being questionable after suffering a knee injury in practice. He drilled Tate over the middle early on. Mukuba appeared to lose receiver Wan’Dale Robinson on a third-and-5 conversion in the third quarter. It came when DeJean blitzed off the edge.
Mukuba made a strong run stop at the goal line in the third quarter. But he had a weak tackle tackle on a Pollard 18-yard bolt up the middle in the fourth quarter.
Marcus Epps was in the vicinity over the top on Ayomanor’s 28-yard catch in the middle of the Eagles’ Bermuda Triangle. Epps got hurdled over in the fourth quarter. Later in the drive, he totally overran the play on Spears’ 27-run on third-and-22.
Jake Elliott (4) nailed a 58-yarder in the Nashville heat. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Special teams — A
Kicker Jake Elliott nailed a 58-yard field goal in the third quarter. It tied the fourth-longest kick of his career.
Braden Mann averaged 50.5 net yards on two punts. His first punt didn’t come until the third quarter when he booted a 57-yarder that was fair caught. Britain Covey averaged 15.5 yards on two punt returns and had a 23-yarder. He was also back on kickoffs, along with Shipley, given Titans kicker Joey Slye’s ability to hit knuckleballs. Alas, Slye never tried one.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Coaching — B-
Coach Nick Sirianni ended the Eagles’ streak of forgettable trips to the Music City. It looked like they might exit Tennessee with another nasty loss. But Hurts carried his team to victory and a 2-0 record despite the sloppy game against an inferior opponent. Real tests are forthcoming.
We saw the return of the Tush Push for the first time this season. It led to a Titans offsides penalty on the first try and Hurts converted on the second.
Video: Nick Sirianni greets Eagles players outside of locker room after win vs. Titans
Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is still feeling his way in the new job. The new stuff he brought from the Kyle Shanahan scheme just hasn’t clicked enough. Hurts had more success when he was in shotgun on third downs. Mannion’s play-calling had more rhythm than it did in the first week, but the issues on early downs continued. There just wasn’t a good plan nor execution on first- and second-down run plays.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit held the Titans to just 20 points, but it’s not like Ward and Co. were considered a top offense. Fangio had some suspect calls on third down and probably played it too passive on third-and-13 before the half.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Sunday afternoon in the Music City, the Tennessee Titans wound up singing the blues.
After the Titans took a three-point lead on a 32-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles got the ball back with 1 minute, 56 seconds left to play.
Jalen Hurts, who threw two interceptions earlier in the game, orchestrated a nine-play, 65-yard scoring drive, capped by a 3-yard Darius Cooper touchdown catch in the back of the end zone to seal the 24-20 Eagles comeback victory.
Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter on Sunday against the Titans. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
DeVonta Smith also came up clutch. His 19-yard reception on an out-breaking route toward the left sideline, in which he managed to tap his toes inbounds, kept the drive alive on third-and-6 from the Titans’ 22.
Here’s our instant analysis of the Eagles’ narrow victory in Week 2:
Hurts throws two picks, but rebounds
Disaster seemed to strike early for the Eagles when Saquon Barkley went down with a stinger on the first play and was absent for the rest of the first half. Then, after leading a 15-play, 59-yard drive down the field, Hurts tossed an interception in the end zone on a pass intended for Smith and picked off by Amani Hooker.
The Titans safety returned the interception 92 yards, setting up a four-play scoring drive which was capped off by a Cam Ward touchdown on a quarterback sneak. His score put the Titans up, 7-0, late in the first quarter.
But Hurts and the Eagles offense initially responded well to his early blunder. In the first half, the group amassed 210 yards on 40 plays, going 6-for-9 on third down (67%) and 1-for-1 on fourth.
The Eagles’ efficiency on third and fourth down was critical. Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, and Makai Lemon all had third-down snags. Lemon made the biggest play of his young career on the final play of the first quarter with his 14-yard catch over the middle of the field on third-and-8.
Even with Barkley out of commission, the Eagles managed to run the ball. Tank Bigsby shouldered most of the load on the ground in his absence, including a 1-yard rushing touchdown that tied the game, 7-7, early in the second quarter.
Barkley returned to action in the second half. He continued the Eagles’ positive trend on third down, reeling in an 11-yard pass in the flat on third-and-5 halfway through the third quarter. His play kept the drive alive, but the offense sputtered just beyond midfield, leading to a 58-yard field goal from Jake Elliott that put the Eagles up, 17-10.
Hurts stepped up on third-and-12 from the Eagles’ 29 halfway through the fourth quarter, delivering a 13-yard strike to Smith just past the marker to keep the drive alive. A Johnny Mundt holding penalty on the next play put the Eagles behind the sticks, but Cooper compensated for it, going 23 yards on a catch-and-run reception over the middle.
Titans cornerback Marcus Harris intercepts the pass by Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Disaster struck again, though, with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Hurts threw another interception on an underthrown deep pass down the left sideline intended for a wide-open Smith, this time to Titans cornerback Marcus Harris, with the game tied, 17-17.
While the Eagles lost the turnover battle, Hurts still managed to keep the offense in it thanks to his game-winning touchdown drive. Hurts finished the game going 26-for-37 passing for 264 yards and two touchdowns, plus the two interceptions.
“I don’t even think words can describe how much you’ve got to manage as a quarterback in this league from a responsibility standpoint,” Hurts said. “The weight that comes with the position. And the responsibility. Ultimately, you’ve got to keep the main thing the main thing throughout that. You’ve got to keep your poise and keep your focus. Today we were able to do that.”
Video: Breaking down Jalen Hurts’ first game in Sean Mannion’s offense
O-line shuffles
With Landon Dickerson (knee) on injured reserve, the Eagles reconfigured their offensive line, moving Cam Jurgens from center to left guard and slotting Drew Kendall in at center.
Kendall, the Eagles’ 2025 fifth-round pick out of Boston College, previously had just one start at center, which came during his rookie year in the Week 18 game against the Washington Commanders in which the starters rested.
All eyes were on the interior offensive line, with All-Pro Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons lined up on the opposite side.
Simmons gave the offensive line fits all afternoon. Just before the two-minute warning in the first half, Hurts managed to deliver a big-time 27-yard completion to Wicks on third-and-12 at the Eagles’ 26 with Simmons bearing down on him. Simmons pancaked Jordan Mailata on a stunt and hit Hurts, but the 28-year-old quarterback managed to get the ball out in time.
The Eagles didn’t do themselves any favors on their first possession of the second half, as Tyler Steen (holding) and Lane Johnson (illegal formation) both incurred penalties. On third-and-12 that same drive, another stunt involving Simmons resulted in a sack for defensive end Jacob Martin, forcing the Eagles to punt.
Drew Kendall and Cam Jurgens in the second quarter on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
On third-and-8 late in the third quarter, the pocket collapsed again, forcing Hurts to throw incomplete to Mundt. Braden Mann punted for a second time in the third quarter.
Simmons was behind Hurts’ second interception. He hit Hurts on a Titans simulated pressure on third-and-12 from the Tennessee 44. But Simmons’ efforts weren’t enough to help the Titans to victory.
Jurgens said after the game that he learned he would be starting at left guard at the start of the week. He acknowledged that he will learn a lot from his first outing at left guard.
“Jeffery Simmons is a damn good player,” Jurgens said. That’s a good defensive front. Yeah, it was a challenge. I was excited for it. Nervous, anxious. Everything that goes along with playing a football game and playing a really good player.”
The Titans capitalized on Hurts’ interception early in the first half. Still, the Eagles were up 14-7 with just under two minutes to play before halftime. They were the dominant team in terms of time of possession.
But the Titans weren’t dismayed. They broke off a couple of explosive plays inside of the two-minute warning — a 28-yard catch for Titans rookie receiver Elic Ayomanor and a 27-yard catch-and-run for running back Tyjae Spears.
Their efforts brought the Titans into the red zone, where they would settle for a 37-yard field goal. The Eagles led, 14-10, going into halftime.
As the Eagles offense struggled to stay on the field in the second half, the Titans offense got into a rhythm. Halfway through the third quarter, Ward led a 12-play, 69-yard scoring drive. Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley came to life, contributing a 25-yard catch and a 10-yarder.
Again, Ward capped off the drive with a touchdown run, this time on a 1-yard hurry off a fake handoff, tying the game, 17-17.
However, the Eagles’ defense held strong at the start of the fourth quarter. A tackle for a loss from Nolan Smith Jr. on a Tony Pollard carry on first-and-10 from the Titans’ 39 led to third-and-9, in which Ward threw an incomplete pass for rookie receiver Carnell Tate on the run with Moro Ojomo in his face.
Pollard got into a rhythm on the ground following Hurts’ second interception. He rattled off back-to-back 9-yard carries. Then, Ward connected with Ayomanor for 41 yards on an out-breaking route, the rookie tight end hurdling over Marcus Epps on his way to the Eagles’ 24.
After a pair of Titans penalties, Spears kept the momentum going, ripping off a 29-yard run and forcing a missed tackle from Epps. Jalen Carter sacked Ward, who was attempting to roll out on a bootleg, on first-and-goal from the 9-yard line.
“It was a little boot action,” Carter said. “I was studying it through the game … it’s a feel out there where you can just feel it. That’s pretty much it. Coach Vic [Fangio] called a good call, where I was able to beat the guy who contains if it was a boot. That was it.”
Eagles defensive tackles Ty Robinson and Jalen Carter try to block a field goal as time runs out on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Moro Ojomo tackled Spears for a loss of 3 yards with just under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, a glimmer of hope for the Eagles defense.
Latham was called for illegal formation on the following play. The Eagles initially declined the penalty, but they pivoted and decided to enforce it, bringing up second-and-28 from the Eagles’ 42. Carnell Tate had a 5-yard reception, then Spears followed it up with an explosive 27-yard carry on third-and-22, forcing a missed tackle by Marcus Epps.
The Titans went up 20-17 on the 32-yard field goal from Joey Slye. But it wasn’t enough to win, as the Eagles pulled off the late comeback.
Tight end Dallas Goedert left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury and did not return to action.
Barkley declined an interview request after the game, but he said that he was “all right” and that the team would know more about his injury later in the week.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (left) and assistant to the head coach Cole Peterson (right) dance off the field after beating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerEagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after the Eagles beat the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley after throwing the game-winning touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerEagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper catches a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni celebrates after they beat the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerHappy Philadelphia Eagles fans after the Eagles scored a touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens lifts up Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper after Cooper makes the winning touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan holds up a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith jersey with seconds left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the football late in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets help coming off the field in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan is sweating it out with the Eagles trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon gets stopped by Tennessee Titans cornerback Marcus Harris.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches first down pass against Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen defends Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambles out of trouble and throws an incomplete pass with 8 seconds left in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Johnny Mundt is brought down by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni while the Tennessee Titans are driving in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun stop Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley pushed out of bounds by Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray in the third quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith hauls in a pass, but it was incomplete during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott watches his long field goal in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley running with the ball in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) try to block a field goal as time runs out in the first half against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun brings down Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor after Titans’ drive to the end zone late in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley runs along the sideline with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans cheer as the Eagles drive towards the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head of security Big Dom DiSandro stops Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as he is running out of bounds so he doesn’t hurt himself in the second quarter.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the football during the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby celebrate Bigsby’s touchdown in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks gets a first-down catch passed Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton and Tennessee Titans linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerTennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker intercepts the ball from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first quarter and runs it just short of the end zone.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith gets a first down pass with Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor defending in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey returns the first punt of the game, defended by Tennessee Titans safety Erick Hallett, in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans get ready for the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
