Sunday’s opener against the Jets has a way of feeling bigger than a Week 1 game usually should.
Calling it a must-win would be over the top. A loss wouldn’t sink the Titans’ season in one shot. But this is a home opener against another team that finished 3-14 last year, and that gives Tennessee a clear early chance to show it has climbed out of the NFL’s basement.
New York wound up with the second pick in the draft, one spot ahead of the Titans at No. 4. The Jets also went through major changes on Aaron Glenn’s staff after just one year, failed to intercept a pass all season and turned back to Geno Smith at quarterback, the same player the franchise moved on from four years after taking him in the second round in 2013.
For Tennessee, this is the kind of game that can say something real about where it stands.
There is also a little extra edge built into the matchup because of all the familiar faces on the field. Robert Saleh spent more than three years coaching the Jets, and John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin, Solomon Thomas and Tony Adams all have ties to the organization. That kind of connection tends to sharpen the mood a bit.
“New regime, new logo, so there are a lot of things to be excited about, new for this building,” Martin said. “Getting the season started off on the right for us huge for us so we can go where we want to go.
For us, we’ve got to start fast. And just play our style of ball.”
The Titans are also trying to snap a long opening-game skid. They haven’t won a season opener since 2020 in Denver, and since then they’ve dropped games to Arizona, the Giants, New Orleans, Chicago and Denver. That includes the 2021 season, when they still finished with the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
One reason for the optimism inside the building is the way Saleh ran training camp. The work was heavy, physical and relentless, and Johnson said that was exactly the point.
“Every practice we did was pretty much full pads,” Johnson said. “Two-and-a-half hours.
I played all my college in the South (at Florida State), so coming back down here and being in the heat, that was good. I just like to say you get out what you put in, and we put a whole lot in some I am excited to see what we get out.”
Johnson said facing the Jets will be “pretty cool, pretty fun,” though he made clear the reunion aspect belongs before and after the game, not once the whistle blows.
There are other familiar names on the other side of the matchup, too, including Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who could end up in an interesting slot battle against Wan’Dale Robinson, and T’Vondre Sweat, the massive nose tackle.
“You can make any game personal,” Martin said. “But I know a lot of this locker room who have been with the Jets organization that are extra excited playing this one, myself included, I would say that’s your old boss, man, c’mon.”
In Other News...
Titans Secondary Still Has One Week 1 Concern Robert Saleh Must Fix
The Titans went into the offseason knowing their secondary needed help, and the additions of Alontae Taylor and CorDale Flott gave Robert Saleh two corners with the kind of upside that can change the feel of a defense. Taylor has flashed throughout camp, piling up three interceptions and pairing that with a strong 2025 coverage grade, while Flott has shown he can hold his own too, finishing above the NFL average even if the route there has not been perfectly clean.
The problem is that the talent has come with some coverage mistakes and penalties that can quickly turn into drive-extending plays once the games count. For Tennessee, the next step is not just getting both corners on the field, but getting them on the same page with the rest of the back end, and that puts the spotlight on Salehs ability to tighten up communication and assignments before Week 1 arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Secondary Still Has One Problem A Big Trade Could Solve
The Titans have spent the offseason trying to reshape a secondary that still looks like a work in progress, even after bringing in corners Alontae Taylor and CorDale Flott. Through preseason action, the group has yet to flash the kind of clear dominance Tennessee would like to see, which keeps the back end squarely on the radar as the regular season approaches.
One possible answer is hanging out in New England, where Christian Gonzalez is dealing with a contract dispute that could push his status into season-opening uncertainty. The Patriots have not publicly shopped him, but if the holdout stretches on, Tennessee could be among the teams that at least checks in on what a trade would take, especially if the Titans want a more proven piece to stabilize the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Titans May Already Be Setting Up Dan Moores Biggest 2026 Pressure
Dan Moore arrived in Tennessee on a four-year deal in 2025 with the expectation that he would help stabilize the Titans pass protection, but his struggles in that area have already made his long-term standing worth monitoring. For a team trying to build something more dependable up front, left tackle is too important a spot to leave unanswered for long, especially when the early returns have already raised questions.
Trevor Goosby is one name that could eventually enter the conversation if the Titans decide they need a different answer on the edge. He is seen as a developing tackle with strong athletic traits and the kind of upside that makes him an intriguing future left tackle, which is exactly why the 2026 season could matter so much for Moores hold on the job. [Read more 🡒]