Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: TEN 16, PHI 31 (Line: PHI by 11)

UPDATE: Justin Hunter is listed as questionable with a sore knee but had full practices on Thursday and Friday and is expected to play.

The 2-8 Titans bring their 1-4 road record to face the 7-3 Eagles who are undefeated at home. The Titans are trying to shake a four game losing streak with little luck so far.

The rebuilding of the Titans is in full swing with a rookie quarterback and running back but that learning curve comes at the expense of points. They almost pulled off the trap game against the visiting Steelers last week but otherwise the offense has been held to 17 points or less in all but two games this year. The rushing effort has never been an advantage and the passing game has been one of the worst in the NFL. The final stretch has home games against the Giants and Jets which could be wins and a road trip to Jacksonville as well. But all this is to build towards a better 2014 and it’s been plenty ugly getting there.

QUARTERBACK : After his impressive debut with 299 yards and two scores against the Texans, Zach Mettenberger was quickly brought down to earth tanks to the Ravens and a little bit of game film to study. The rookie was held to 179 pass yards and one score with one interception and five sacks. Not quite half what his debut produced. Now Mettenberger gets to visit a defense that already has 46 sacks on the year.

RUNNING BACK : At least Shonn Greene has been almost entirely written out of the script by now but Bishop Sankey has hardly reminded anyone of Eddie George. The rookie back has just one touchdown on the year and has never gained more than 61 rushing yards in any game. Then again, he has been mostly capped at 16 totes per week. The blocking is not there and the lack of carries is no help. Sankey’s true value won’t be known until next season assuming the offense progresses and the blocking improves.

WIDE RECEIVER : The switch to Mettenberger has done nothing to improve these wideouts. Kendall Wright turned in back-to-back games with 53 yards each and no scores. He’s been stuck right around that level of production the entire season and scored just four times so far. Justin Hunter did score in week eight but had only four receptions for 31 yards and followed that up with a one catch game last week. This is a weak unit but more from the passing since both Hunter and Wright fared much better last season.

TIGHT END : Delanie Walker was held out last week because of his concussion but is expected back this week. He’s been a minimal factor this year with just one score in the last five weeks and rarely more than 40 yards in a game.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Eagles allowed every opponent to throw at least two passing scores until the Giants just last week but that was as much because of the divisional nature of that game. The Eagles head to Dallas after this game so that should allow the Titans to post some points and yards even if only in a losing effort and at the end of the game. Sankey on the road inspires no real confidence and the Eagles have been decent against the position in terms of yards. They rank low because the 11 scores allowed to the position which include six via a pass and Sankey rarely catches the ball and does little with it once he does. Oddly the Eagles are great against tight ends which removes Walker from consideration. Their weakness is mostly against wideouts but by far that has been in road games and against much better passing teams. Mettenberger should throw one score and there is a chance for two but this won’t go off as advantageous as it might suggest. Remember – the Titans are one of the worst offense across all positions.

This week presents a lull – and hopefully not a trap game – after getting waxed in Green Bay and before playing the NFC East rivals in all their stadiums plus hosting the Cowboys and the Seahawks for a tough final schedule. The problem all along has been the defense and whether or not the offense can score enough to keep ahead of what the defense gives away. Usually it can. This week it should. But that nice debut by Mark Sanchez over the Panthers did not last long and the Eagles just have to deal with a bad three game stretch starting immediately after this game.

QUARTERBACK : After his debut of 332 yards and two scores on the Panthers, Mark Sanchez still posted two scores and 346 yards in Green Bay though with two lost fumble, two interceptions and three sacks. And most the yardage and all the touchdowns came in the second half when the Packers already had a 24 point lead. It all spends just as well in fantasy football but Sanchez needs to get the offense going much earlier with the Cowboys and Seahawks about to show up.

RUNNING BACK : LeSean McCoy is still light on scoring with just two touchdowns this year and his role as a receiver has declined to a single catch in each of the last three games. But his rushing yardage has been very good in most recent games and topped 80 yards for five of the last six weeks. It is not the elite version of McCoy from years past but he is consistently good even if never great. Darren Sproles role is so small now that there is sense in projecting the two or three touches per game.

WIDE RECEIVER : The schedule is partially to credit but the switch to Sanchez coincides perfectly with a marked increase in the production of Jordan Matthews. He was stuck at 50 yard efforts each week and had scored in only one game but now is on a three game scoring streak and topped 100 yards in both of the full starts by Sanchez. Jeremy Maclin is still just as productive save for the one down game against the Panthers but he scored once with 93 yards on nine catches in Green Bay and posted 158 yards and two scores in Houston in week nine. Riley Cooper’s stats remain unchanged but Matthews has seen a nice jump.

TIGHT END : No real fantasy value here. Zach Ertz plods along with 40 or so yards in every game and Brent Celek has been much less used other than in week ten when he had a freakish 116 yard game. There is minimal value here and certainly nothing reliable.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Titans biggest weakness has been running back where 12 touchdowns were allowed and four 100 rushing yard games. They are also much worse on the road than at home. That is no lock that McCoy scores but it is likely the best chance he has of the remaining games. Sanchez faces a secondary that has allowed a score in almost every game and their great ranking is more about what bad offenses they have faced. Sanchez should get in his one score with no problem and a good chance for two. I like the defense in this home game as well. Sanchez, McCoy, Matthews and Maclin are all good considerations this week.

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