Following a lackluster home opener, Tennessee must overcome critical injuries and silencing critics to salvage the Robert Saleh era against a formidable Philadelphia roster this Sunday.
The Tennessee Titans had a less-than-stellar showing in the season opener with the New York Jets.
The Titans had plenty of hype and attention this offseason and fell flat against the Jets 23-10.
It was a massive disappointment in what was supposed to be a celebration of the final home opener at Nissan Stadium. The Titans weren't able to give fans a good memory to start the farewell season.
Unfortunately, in the NFL, there aren't any mulligans. The Titans missed their chance to start 1-0.
Now, a much tougher opponent is coming to town ahead of a two-game road trip against the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants.
The Philadelphia Eagles are up next on the schedule. After losing to the Jets by two scores, this Titans team will need a world of improvement to come close to winning on Sunday.
It's looking like the Titans could be without starting cornerback Cor'Dale Flott for the game. He appeared on the injury report on Friday with a quad issue and didn't practice. He is going to be a game-time decision.
With how little depth the Titans have behind him, they better hope that he is able to play.
Aside from that, linebacker Cedric Gray is trending toward a return. Gray was a full participant at practice this week. James Williams Sr. was questionable with an elbow injury.
There are many reasons why the Titans should want to rebound against the Eagles. For one, it could change the mindset around the team and give hope for the future of the Robert Saleh era.
For players like Amani Hooker, it feels like the team owes the fans a better showing. Hooker spoke to the media in the locker room and mentioned that the fans have motivated the team to play better.
"Definitely," Hooker said. "We definitely wanna change the mood. I mean, whether it's for us or the fans, no matter what we wanna come out here and win. We have the guys to do it. It's just about putting it all together, coming together and the right things to win."
You could feel the vibe shift in Music City as the game went on. Fans definitely left Nissan Stadium early after the Titans played so badly. It seemed like all the excitement about the Saleh era vanished as the game went on.
The best comparison would be the air escaping a balloon.
It's going to take a lot of improvement, but if the Titans can revive fans' hopes on Sunday, it would go a long way.
The belief in the Titans from outside the fanbase has disappeared as well. ESPN's Ben Solak actually predicted the team would score zero points on Sunday.
The Eagles will be a test for this team as they try to bounce back from a brutal loss. Kickoff is set for noon CT on Fox, as the Titans try to win back the fanbase.
