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Eagles vs. Titans predictions: Local and national media picks for Week 13

There's definitely still a lean toward the Eagles this week among the national media, but not as much as in recent weeks. Their opponent, the Titans, probably has a lot to do with that.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and cornerback Darius Slay preparing for last week's game at the Linc. They won that one. Will they do it again Sunday against the Titans?
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and cornerback Darius Slay preparing for last week's game at the Linc. They won that one. Will they do it again Sunday against the Titans?Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer

After running all over the Packers on Sunday night, the Eagles will be back at the Linc again this week as they host the Tennessee Titans — and look to move to 11-1 in the process.

We’ve reached Week 13 of the NFL season, so the haves and have-nots are pretty clear at this point, and the Eagles certainly are among the former. The 7-4 Titans, currently leading a bad AFC South that the Eagles are already 3-0 against, also appear to be in that camp, which is part of the reason the Birds only are 4.5-point home favorites against Tennessee, according to FanDuel.

Another reason for that tight spread? Derrick Henry, who appears poised to terrorize an Eagles defense that has struggled at times to contain the run, especially in the middle of the field where injuries at defensive tackle already forced the Eagles into signing some reinforcements. Those replacements, Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh, actually played pretty well in their two games since joining the team. Meanwhile, rookie Jordan Davis, who was on injured reserve, hopes to return on Sunday.

But the Eagles have a high-powered offense of their own, and proved last week that they don’t have to stop you, they can simply outscore you.

» READ MORE: ‘I feel like I’ve won’: Eagles’ A.J. Brown reflects on trade, looks forward to playing the Titans

So, who will pick up the win in South Philly? Let’s take a look at some predictions from both the local and national media, starting right here with our own beat writers ...

Inquirer beat writer predictions

For the second week in a row, our writers are split on the results of this one, with two picking the Eagles and one taking a Titans upset. Here’s a snippet from EJ Smith, who is rolling with the Birds on Sunday, but in a close one.

This is the type of game that will help determine where the Eagles rank among the upper echelon of the NFL. If the game were in Tennessee, I’d likely go with the Titans. Since it’s in the Linc, I expect a close, grimy game between two teams that have formed an identity as bruisers and bullies that ends with a narrow Eagles win.
Prediction: Eagles 27, Titans 24
EJ Smith

To see who is picking against the Eagles — and to read more from EJ, as well as the full predictions from Jeff McLane and Josh Tolentino — click here.

» READ MORE: Eagles-Titans predictions: Our beat writers make their picks for Week 13

National media predictions

Here’s a look at what football analysts around the country have to say about this week’s Eagles-Titans matchup ...

· ESPN.com: Just five of their 10 experts offered picks this week, and they were similarly split to our own beat writers, with just three picking an Eagles win.

· NFL.com: Gregg Rosenthal’s streak of picking the Eagles continues — and once again he doesn’t have them covering the 4.5-point spread.

· CBS Sports: Six of their eight experts are predicting an Eagles win this week. But when it comes to covering the spread, which they had listed at 5.5 points, seven of the eight are going with the Titans.

» READ MORE: Titans nose tackle Teair Tart is glad he kept his cleats on at West Philly High

· Sports Illustrated: Three of the five football experts at MMQB are picking Titans to pull off the upset on Sunday.

· Yahoo! Sports: Frank Schwab, who also wrote recently about Nick Sirianni’s rising Coach of the Year odds, only picks against the spread. And he, like many others this week, is picking the Titans to cover.

· The Ringer: The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia also only makes picks against the spread. And while he had the spread at 5.5 points, he still thinks the Titans cover, adding that he “wouldn’t be surprised if they pulled off the upset.”

· The Athletic: Seven of their 10 writers are picking the Birds to win this one straight up.

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· USA TODAY: Finally, a clean sweep, with all six of their football writers predicting an Eagles victory.

· Pro Football Talk: Mike Florio and Michael David Smith are split over who wins on Sunday, but neither has the Eagles covering the spread.

· Bleacher Report: When it comes to covering the spread, the B/R staff is split, but the consensus is an Eagles win.

Local media predictions

Who knows a team better than the experts who follow them day in and day out? Let’s take a look at who the local writers are picking ...

· PhillyVoice: Five of their seven writers are predicting an Eagles’ win on Sunday.

· Bleeding Green Nation: Five of their six writers think the Birds hold off the Titans.

· The Tennessean: Nick Suss, who covers the Titans for The Tennessean, has the Birds by a touchdown.