The Tennessee Titans are 0-1, and the opening night feel around this team is familiar in all the wrong ways. Their 23-10 loss to the New York Jets was the same kind of season-opening stumble that has haunted them for the past five seasons, and it extended a stretch in which Tennessee still hasn’t won a season opener in a decade.
Now comes a tough quick turnaround. The Philadelphia Eagles visit Nissan Stadium in Week 2, and Tennessee is staring at a matchup that could make the first two weeks feel even heavier.
This will be the 14th meeting between the teams, with Philadelphia holding an 8-5 edge overall and a one-game advantage over the last five meetings. The Eagles are 1-0 after surviving a 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders, and they arrive with the reputation of being one of the NFC’s better teams.
What stood out most in Week 1 wasn’t just the loss. It was how much of the same old script showed up again.
The Titans came into the season with plenty of offseason optimism, but the Jets quickly ripped that away. Tennessee looked more like the 3-14 team from the last two seasons than a group ready to turn heads in 2026. The identity problem is still sitting right there, unresolved, and the bigger issue is that the Titans simply weren’t making enough plays on either side of the ball.
One area that clearly needs help is the middle of the defense. Cedric Gray, Tennessee’s leading tackler in 2025, is viewed as a difference-maker, and the Titans could use his athleticism badly.
Anthony Hill Jr. made a strong debut against the Jets, but that also kept Cody Barton in the lineup, and Barton looked slow at times and seemed to be the part of the defense the Jets targeted. Gray clearing concussion protocol and getting back against Philadelphia would be a major boost.
Hill’s first regular-season game, though, gave Tennessee something to feel good about. The Titans traded up into the second round to get him, and he looked the part right away. He was around the ball constantly, produced plays all over the field, and finished with a team-high 16 total tackles.
There was also a moment in the game that left plenty of people asking the same question: That wasn’t a fumble? The call drew criticism because it came at a point that could have shifted the flow of the game, even if nobody can say for sure what would have happened if it had gone the other way.
The bigger problem, though, was what Tennessee couldn’t do after that. The defensive front was supposed to be one of the offseason priorities, but it barely made an impact against the Jets.
Geno Smith had far too much time, the pass rush never really got going, and the secondary was left exposed. On top of that, the Titans had trouble slowing the run and allowed New York to dictate the clock.
All offseason, Tennessee talked about being fast, physical, and violent. None of that showed up against the Jets. The visitors came into Nashville and out-physicalled the Titans in every phase.
And on offense, Cam Ward still has work to do. Entering his second season, there was hope he’d take a clear step forward, but Week 1 looked a lot like the issues from his rookie year.
He was inaccurate, left the pocket too soon, and missed throws that should have been there. Ward did deal with a lot of pressure from the Jets’ aggressive front, but the Titans need more from him now.
If Tennessee is going to get moving, he has to turn the corner soon.
In Other News...
Titans Fans Already Have One Big Brian Daboll Concern
The first game of Brian Dabolls Tennessee tenure did not offer much comfort for a Titans offense trying to find its footing. In the Week 1 loss to the Jets, Tennessee managed only 10 points and 195 yards, and the unit looked disconnected in key spots, especially when it came to staying on the field on third down and getting anything going on the ground.
Now the challenge gets steeper with the Eagles coming to town in Week 2, and that is where the early concern really starts to build. Daboll is still in the opening stages of trying to shape this offense, but if the same issues linger against a better opponent, the calls for faster answers are only going to grow louder, even if the long-term hope is that more time together brings a cleaner product. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Have A Week 2 Decision Fans Will Be Watching Closely
Anthony Hill Jr. made a strong first impression in his NFL debut, stepping into the Titans starting lineup and finishing with a team-high 16 tackles in Week 1. The rookie linebacker filled in for Cedric Gray, who was out in concussion protocol, and did more than just hold the line. He was around the ball all afternoon and even came away with a forced fumble before the call was changed to an incomplete pass on review.
Now Gray is back after clearing protocol, which creates an interesting Week 2 decision for Tennessee as it prepares to face the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Robert Saleh said Gray is available, and that opens the door to a linebacker rotation or a tougher choice about how the Titans want to deploy Hill after the way he handled his first start. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Wards Early Titans Debate Isnt As One-Sided As It Looks
Cam Wards first game for the Titans did not land the way anyone around the team hoped. He finished the opener with 19 completions on 32 attempts for 140 yards and no turnovers, a line that looked modest enough to fuel the usual early-season hand wringing that comes with a rookie quarterback. But the bigger picture around him is not as bleak as the reaction might suggest, especially when you compare where he stands right now to other young passers who needed time before they settled in.
His early numbers are landing in the same neighborhood as Bryce Young, Trevor Lawrence, Sam Darnold and Josh Allen were at similar points, which is why the discussion in Tennessee is already more layered than a simple hot or cold verdict. Wards touchdown-to-interception ratio and completion percentage have him tracking with quarterbacks who eventually became franchise pieces, and the Titans have every reason to see this as an evaluation that should be measured in months, not just one rough afternoon. [Read more 🡒]