The Eagles offense had better button up their chin straps before they go onto the field against the Titans. Tennessee plays hard and despite the rule changes, the Titans are going to pound the Eagles after they make catches.
They’re going to gang-tackle LeSean McCoy and take every shot they can get at Kevin Kolb.
In a way, the Birds will be playing their own defense this weekend. The Titans are on the small side, and you’ll know you’ve been in a game because they play hard.
You can run the ball on this defense, but we must not forget that Andy Reid is running this offense.
If the Eagles can block their Titans front-four, they’re going to air it out because the Tennessee secondary is nothing to write home about. They can be had, but as is the truth every week, you’ve got to get the time.
Tennessee has two defensive players, who are very familiar to the Birds, one is starting left defensive end, Jason Babin and the other is starting outside linebacker Will Witherspoon.
Babin is the leading pass rusher for the Titans. He lines up at left defensive end spot and he’ll be matched up against Winston Justice. Babin gets off the ball at the snap and showed us last year that he’s got a serious motor.
At times you wonder how he’s doing it because he doesn’t have great size or speed, but Babin he’s got good quickness, uses his hands well and makes his presence known when he’s on the football field.
Babin has got six sacks but isn’t a dominant pass rusher. He has success because he works hard and never gives up on a play. Justice will have to finish the play against him and not take it for granted that he is blocked.
I do think the Eagles will trust Justice on Babin by himself, most of the time. They’ll probably give King Dunlap help on the other side with David Ball.
Witherspoon is asked to cover the tight ends and backs quite a bit in their defense. That’s understandable since Witherspoon has great coverage skills. His weakness is as a run stopper. I expect the Birds to send Owen Schmitt to get him.
Witherspoon can track things down when you run away from him, but that’s not the case when you run right at him.
Schmitt has been pounding linebackers, so I expect the Birds to run right at Witherspoon, when they do run the ball.
The speedy linebacker will take turns covering Eagles tight end Brent Celek and running back LeSean McCoy. I don’t think the Birds will go after him there.
Like last week, the Eagles offense needs to come out firing on all cylinders in the first 15 plays.
Eagles 24-17 Kolb is frustrated all day as the Titans take away his first read. But Asante Runs one back for a TD to ice the game.
Should be one of best game’s of the year I believe, as 2 good teams square off each other, I think the outcome will hinge on the Ability for the Eagles to have some type of Running Game. Special Teams will really be critical as teams play for field position and momentum, the Eagles units are playing better of late,but they must have an all-around excellent game today. Minimizing the negative plays and penalties and of course the winning the Turnover battle.. Watch for Akers to have a nice bounce back game and Titans Kicker Bironas has one of the strongest legs in the NFL…
I am going with Eagles 26 – Titans 23 in a barn-burner
Paulman’s NFL Picks for Week 7 (Overall Record 49-41)
Falcons over the Bengals (Bengals one of leagues biggest disappointments so far)
Redksins over the Bears (McNAbb always plays well in his home-town)
TB Bucs over the Rams (could go either way, Rams struggle on the road)
49ers over the Panthers (Panthers go back to M Moore at QB, WR Smith returns??,still not enough)
Chiefs over the Jags (Chiefs pound the rock and win a low-scoring game)
Steelers over Dolphins (Another close game in which Big ben struggles a bit)
Saints over the Browns (Lock of the week, Browns are really get hit w/injuries, Saints win big)
Seahawks over Cardinals (Seahawks are playing well at home and a surprise team in the NFC)
NE Pats over the Chargers (Chargers are imploding, has Coach Turner and GM Smith lost this team..)
Broncos over the Raiders (Watch for Orton to put up big numbers in a high-scoring shoot out)
Vikings over the Packers (Vikings improving little by little on Offfense, Packers have way too many injuries on both sides of the ball, Rodgers is a good QB but can’t win it by himself and has no running game and will probably air it 50 + times..)
Cowboys over Giants ( Cowboys play their best overall game of the Season to give them a glitter of hope while the Giants fall back into their lackadasical play,full of penalties,etc,etc)
Eagles 26 – Titans 23
Enjoy the games
This will be a major test for the Eagles’ run defense and their offensive line. The Eagles have to stop the prolific running attack from Chris Johnson, and protect Kolb from the Tennessee pass rush. Fisher was the defensive coordinator of the famous “Buddy Ryan 46” defense here in Philly and knows how to “bring the house” on neophyte QBs.