3 Takeaways from Eagles' Week 13 Win vs. Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a solid team. They have some talented players on both sides of the ball, and they've been the front-runner in the AFC South all season. They're likely going to win the division title and head to the playoffs.
They were also no match for the Philadelphia Eagles. Of course, most teams haven't been in 2022.
The Eagles orchestrated a strong all-around performance on Sunday, notching a 35-10 win over the Titans at Lincoln Financial Field. Philadelphia scored the final 21 points of the game, holding Tennessee scoreless for the final 33 minutes and 28 seconds.
Here are three takeaways from the Eagles' Week 13 win.
Hurts Continuing to Strengthen His MVP Case
Jalen Hurts is the starting quarterback for the team with the best record in the league. That isn't an automatic case to be in the running for NFL MVP. But the 24-year-old QB is among the front-runners for the award because of his play while leading the Eagles to an 11-1 start.
On Sunday, Hurts had yet another impressive performance. He passed for 380 yards and three touchdowns and also scored a rushing TD, his ninth of the season.
“We’ll leave all the MVP stuff to who votes for all that,” Philadelphia wide receiver A.J. Brown said, per Dan Gelston of the Associated Press. “But he’s doing a great job leading this team. He’s a great leader. He’s still climbing. He wants the team to be great.”
Hurts' play has been better than great. His next rushing touchdown will tie the Eagles' franchise record for rushing scores in a season by a QB (which Hurts set last season). He's also thrown for 2,940 yards, 20 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
That sounds like a player deserving of being named NFL MVP, at least through 13 weeks.
Brown Provided Titans Big Reminder of What They Lost
Brown put up some impressive numbers over his first three NFL seasons, which were spent in Tennessee. But the Titans traded the talented wide receiver to the Eagles in April in exchange for a first-round pick and a third-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
On Sunday, Brown reminded his former team what it decided to get rid of. The 25-year-old wide receiver had eight catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns to help lead Philadelphia to victory. His first TD reception (a 40-yarder early in the second quarter) put the Eagles ahead for good.
"This one meant a lot to me," Brown said, per ESPN's Tim McManus. "Early on I had mixed emotions about the trade and everything. I'd be lying to you to say I didn't circle this game."
It was clear from Brown's play that that was the case. However, the Ole Miss product has been impressive for much of his first season in Philadelphia, as he's helped take the team's offense to another level.
The Defense Made a Statement with Its Performance
Philadelphia's defense is having a stellar season, and it's faring well even when it faces tough competition. That was the case again on Sunday, when the Eagles had a dominant performance against the Titans.
Tennessee compiled only 209 yards of total offense and scored only three points after Ryan Tannehill's 25-yard touchdown pass to Treylon Burks with 2:47 to go in the first quarter. Derrick Henry, the Titans' star running back, had only 30 yards on 11 carries.
The Eagles recorded six sacks, including two from linebacker Josh Sweat. They didn't force any turnovers, but the Titans had to punt seven times and had a turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter.
"I think we showed a little bit of what we can be all about when we're clicking," Sweat said, per Dave Spadaro of the team's official site. "But we have a long way to go. We have a lot of improvement to do."
If that's the case, then that's a scary thing for offenses around the league, because Philadelphia's defense has already been an impressive unit.