Week 11 Game Recap: Tennessee Titans 31, Philadelphia Eagles 13

What you need to know

Tennessee Titans

RB Travis Henry led the offense for the Titans in Week 11, rushing for over 100 yards for the fourth time this season. His highlight against Philadelphia came on his first carry of the third quarter, as he burst through the line and ran 70 yards for his longest career touchdown. Adding that long score to his 17 other carries and Henry racked up 143 rushing yards on the day.

RB LenDale White got in on the act in the game, spelling Henry and rushing eight times for a modest 17 yards. Both backs were slightly involved in the passing game, getting one short catch each.

QB Vince Young led the offense, but mostly with his feet. Young ran for 49 yards, a large total especially in comparison to his scant 101 yards passing. At one point in the game, Young had 41 rushing yards and just 35 yards passing. For Tennessee at this point, the offense seems focused on the ground game. No Titans’ receiver had 30 or more yards receiving, and only WR Brandon Jones had multiple catches.

DB Adam “Pacman” Jones scored on a punt return after fielding it at the Tennessee ten. He made five different Eagles miss over the next 20 to 30 yards, and then ran the rest of the way for the 90 yard special teams’ touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles

QB Donovan McNabb hurt his right knee on a scramble to the right, falling out of bounds. When he attempted to get up, he could not put any weight on his right leg and was carted off. McNabb has since been diagnosed with a torn ACL and is lost for the rest of the season.

The big question will be who tries to take over as QB for the Eagles. Jeff Garcia came in after McNabb’s injury, and he played like a second string quarterback with little notice to get ready to play. Garcia was competent in his relief appearance, but he was not up to the challenge of leading Philadelphia’s comeback effort. Garcia threw an enormous amount (26 for 48), but barely completed half of them and most were of the short variety, with dump offs to RB Brian Westbrook often being the default receiver. Despite Garcia’s performance, it may be QB AJ Feeley who starts for Philadelphia against the Colts in Week 12.

Westbrook contributed as much as he could, both by rushing and by receiving. He finished with over 100 yards rushing, his fourth 100+ game of the year and third in the last four games. He also contributed a season high 12 catches, but remarkably only gained 46 yards total receiving.

WRs Donte Stallworth and Reggie Brown did their fair share to try and push the Eagles back into the game, as both were targeted over ten times. Neither receiver could get in sync with QB Jeff Garcia, who often put the ball in the wrong space for either receiver to make a play. Even TE L.J. Smith, who also had over a dozen targets, also struggled in connecting with Garcia’s throws. Smith did add the only Eagles’ touchdown on a short fourth quarter pass.

The Eagles fell victim in a number of ways in Week 11, losing the game and also Donovan McNabb. The defense was also to blame in part, as both S Brian Dawkins and CB Lito Sheppard dropped second quarter passes that would likely have been defensive touchdowns.

What you ought to know

QB Vince Young, Pass: 8 - 22 - 101 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 6 - 49 - 0

Vince Young led the Titans’ offense on the ground, including his own rushing efforts. At one point late in the first half, Young had more rushing yards (41) than passing (35). At the half, Young was just 5-17-53-1-0, completing only five passes on 17 attempts. Tennessee all but abandoned the pass in the second half, as Young threw just five times, completing three for 48 total yards.

Young used his speed and athleticism to keep drives going. He ran often in the second quarter, picking up 50 yards on five carries. His role was very diminished in the second half as the Titans and HC Jeff Fisher became very conservative in an effort to hold on for the victory.

RB Travis Henry, Rush: 18 - 143 - 1, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (3 targets)

Henry broke off his longest career run in the second quarter, bursting through the center of his offensive line. Breaking past initial contact, Henry hit the secondary and dashed the next 60 yards for a 70 yard score. He added 17 more carries for the rest of the game, adding 73 more yards. Henry also had one catch for eight yards in the second quarter, catching his only possible target. It was worth noting that Henry attempted to stretch the field in the second quarter by running a deeper sideline route, but he was double covered and the ball was defended by the Eagles’ secondary.

RB LenDale White, Rush: 8 - 17 - 0, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (2 targets)

White came in to give Henry some rest, and he played moderately well. White averaged just over two yards per carry on eight attempts for 17 yards, but he was also successful in getting two first downs. White also added an 11 yard reception in the third quarter on his second target.

RB Ahmad Hall, Rec: 1 - 28 - 0 (1 targets)

Hall caught one pass for 28 yards in the fourth quarter. The reception for a first down was his only target in Week 11. Almost unbelievably, the 28 yards made Hall the leading receiver for the Titans against the Eagles.

WR Brandon Jones, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (5 targets)

Jones had the most targets, but that is not saying much when that number is only five targets. Jones started well, catching a 13 yard pass for a first down on third and 11, but the next three targets fell incomplete. The Eagles guarded Jones closely, defending all three of those targets well. Jones added a short nine yard catch in the third period on his fifth and final target.

WR Drew Bennett, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (4 targets)

Bennett started at wide receiver in Week 11, and he caught the first pass that came his way. Unfortunately, he was stopped for no gain and also fumbled the ball, setting up Philadelphia in Titans’ territory. Bennett was targeted three more times before halftime but the ball was defended well by the Eagles every time.

WR Bobby Wade, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (3 targets)

Wade caught his third target for 18 yards and a first down in the second quarter. His first target was nearly intercepted by Eagles S Brian Dawkins. Wade’s second target was uncatchable, as the ball hit the ground well before it got close to Wade.

WR Courtney Roby (1 targets)

Roby had one target in the fourth quarter and was not a factor in Week 11.

TE Ben Troupe, Rec: 1 - 14 - 1 (2 targets)

Troupe caught the first pass thrown to him, which was an end zone route across the middle that he leapt for and grabbed for a first quarter touchdown. His second and last target came later in the first quarter, where the Eagles defended him well and batted it away.

TE Bo Scaife (2 targets)

Scaife had two second quarter targets in Week 11 versus Philadelphia. His first target was nearly intercepted. His second and final chance was a dump off pass attempt by QB Vince Young who was under immense pressure and just got rid of the ball. Scaife could not make a play on that erratic throw.

PK Rob Bironas 1 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points

Bironas connected on all four of his extra points and tacked on a 36 yard field goal in the second quarter.

TEN Rush Defense

RB Brian Westbrook managed to get over 100 yards rushing against the Titans. Westbrook and the Eagles gained nine first downs on the ground, but were unable to score in that manner. Their inabilities on the goal line forced them to attempt passes, which did lead to a red zone turnover.

TEN Pass Defense

Tennessee faced an Eagles’ offense that was struggling even before QB Donovan McNabb tore his knee in the second quarter. The Eagles were kept to short and medium passes, as they only threw for over 25 yards once, and that was in the first quarter. The Titans held their lead well despite a lackluster pass rush that recorded no sacks on the day.

QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 26 - 48 - 189 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 1 - 0

Garcia came off the bench in relief of the injured McNabb, and he did not look very sharp at all. That of course would be expected of a second string signal caller, as he was not loosened up nor in a mindset to go out and lead the Eagles in a comeback effort. Garcia could not stretch the field, and despite completing 26 passes only one was for over 20 yards (22 to WR Reggie Brown). Most of his completions went to the running backs, RBs Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter, who combined for 14 catches but just 63 yards with Garcia.

Garcia added on some padded numbers in the final minutes of the game after it had been decided. Garcia was 7-62 for his final 11 passes with fewer than four minutes to go in the contest. Without that last drive, Garcia had but 19 completions for only 127 yards in 37 tries in relief of McNabb.

QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 6 - 13 - 78 - 0 TD / 1 INT

McNabb is lost for the season with a torn right ACL. No official word if the Eagles will stay with QB Jeff Garcia or give the next start to QB AJ Feeley.

McNabb started moderately, hitting RB Brian Westbrook a few times early to get in the rhythm of the game. He then stretched the field with WR Donte’ Stallworth, gaining 40 yards on the longest Philadelphia play for Week 11. He shortly followed that with an 11 yard gain to Stallworth before the end of the first quarter. He was injured after two incomplete passes in the second period.

McNabb nearly had a touchdown to RB Brian Westbrook, but the five yard touchdown reception was ruled short of the goal line by instant replay. Unfortunately for McNabb, the next pass was under thrown and intercepted in the end zone instead of a touchdown pass to TE L.J. Smith.

RB Brian Westbrook, Rush: 22 - 102 - 0, Rec: 12 - 46 - 0 (13 targets)

Westbrook continues to be the main focus of the Philadelphia offense, and that become even more so once QB Donovan McNabb was injured. Westbrook tied his season high from last week with 22 carries, and he again broke the century mark as a rusher. This was the fourth game this season that Westbrook gained 100 yards or more on the ground, and also the third time in the last four contests.

Westbrook was also very busy as a receiver. He converted 13 targets into 12 receptions, but none of them was for more than nine yards. The biggest loss for Westbrook (and McNabb, statistically) was a five yard touchdown that was challenged by Tennessee and overturned, as they said he was down at the one foot mark.

RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 3 - 16 - 0, Rec: 6 - 41 - 0 (7 targets)

Buckhalter carried three times, all in the first half, including a one yard gain in a goal line package from the two (he did not score). He added two more runs and 15 total yards in the second period, including his long of 11 yards. Buckhalter was employed more in the second half as a receiver, getting six catches on seven short range targets. He caught six of the seven, gaining from two to 13 yards receiving and a total of 41 yards and three first downs as a receiver. Buckhalter did fumble once in the fourth quarter after a catch, but he recovered the loose ball.

RB Reno Mahe, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0

Mahe had one carry in the fourth quarter. He was given the ball only to give RB Brian Westbrook a play off after gaining 27 yards on the prior snap.

RB Thomas Tapeh (1 targets)

Tapeh had one target in the fourth quarter. The short pass was thrown behind him and was uncatchable.

WR Donte Stallworth, Rec: 4 - 75 - 0 (11 targets)

Stallworth started the game against the Titans quite well, catching a 40 yard deep pass from QB McNabb on his first target. His second catch also came in the first period, as Stallworth added 14 yards and another first down. His remaining nine targets were either way off target or defended by aggressive Tennessee defenders. Stallworth seemed to have caught every catchable ball that was sent his way.

WR Reggie Brown, Rec: 2 - 31 - 0 (10 targets)

Brown had a terrible game statistically, converting only two of ten targets to receptions. He caught a pass for a 22 yard gain and a first down in the second quarter, and then he dropped a pass on third down that would have picked up a fresh set of downs on his next target. That pass before halftime was the only target that was catchable, aside from his nine yard catch in the fourth quarter.

WR Hank Baskett, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (2 targets)

Baskett was targeted twice in the fourth quarter. The first chance came on fourth and short for the Eagles, but the ball was thrown behind him by QB Jeff Garcia and he was unable to adjust. His second target was good for 17 yards and a first down very late in the game.

WR Greg Lewis (2 targets)

Lewis dropped a medium length pass in the first quarter, costing the Eagles a first down, then later stopped a deep route too soon in the third period and was unable to make a play on the ball.

TE L.J. Smith, Rec: 7 - 57 - 1 (14 targets)

Smith got back in the swing of things and started to produce for the Eagles once again in Week 11. Smith’s day started poorly, as he was an intended receiver in the end zone for his first target of the day, but the ball was under thrown by QB McNabb and it was intercepted by Titans LB Stephen Tulloch. Smith added a short five yard catch before halftime, and then added three more short catches for 17 yards in the third period. Smith’s biggest production came in the fourth quarter, where he started with a five yard touchdown, followed by a 23 yard catch for a first down. Smith ended his day with a seven yard catch. LJ Smith was the most targeted Eagle in Week 11.

PK David Akers 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points

Akers added two field goals, a 42 yarder in the first quarter and a 38 yarder in the second quarter, to go along with his one extra point.

PHI Rush Defense

Tennessee’s entire offense seemed to come via the ground game. The Titans ran for 209 yards as a team, highlighted by RB Travis Henry’s 70 yard touchdown. Henry led all rushers with 143 yards, and QB Vince Young added 49 more.

PHI Pass Defense

The Eagles held the Titans and QB Vince Young to only 101 yards passing, but they lost key opportunities to change the game. Both S Brian Dawkins and CB Lito Sheppard dropped interceptions that would likely have been touchdowns for the defense. Those missed chances cost the Eagles the ability to change the dynamic of the whole game. Philadelphia did force and recover one fumble and also had three sacks, but the lost interceptions hurt their chances the most.