The Titans head to New York in Week 3 still chasing their first win of the 2026 season, and the setup gives them a real shot to finally break through. Tennessee is 0-2 after a four-point loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, while the Giants are coming off a 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams that came with a pile of injury issues.
The biggest storyline, though, belongs to Brian Daboll. Tennessee’s offensive coordinator spent four seasons as the Giants’ head coach from 2022-25 before joining the Titans in January.
Daboll opened his Giants tenure with a playoff win and an NFL Coach of the Year award in 2022, but the run unraveled after that. He went 11-33 over his next three seasons and was fired after a 2-8 start last season.
After Tennessee’s ugly offensive showing against the New York Jets in Week 1, Daboll’s postgame news conference brought back a familiar refrain for Giants fans. Now he gets his first crack at the organization that gave him his only head coaching job.
There’s also a major quarterback wrinkle for New York. Jaxson Dart left Monday night’s loss to the Rams on the opening drive after hurting his knee.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh said afterward that the injury was in the neighborhood of a sprained MCL. But later reports suggested the injury is more serious than initially believed, and Dart could miss the rest of the season.
That takes some of the shine off what would have been the first NFL meeting between last year’s two first-round quarterback picks, Dart and Cam Ward.
For Tennessee, the mission is simpler: get into the win column. The Titans’ first two losses have put them behind early, but the Week 2 defeat to Philadelphia showed more fight than the opener against the Jets.
Tennessee actually took the lead with 1:56 left before the Eagles answered with the go-ahead touchdown at the 9-second mark. A trip to face an injured Giants team gives the Titans another chance to change their record, and they’ll likely see Jameis Winston under center for New York.
Winston is 0-2 in his career against Tennessee.
This game also comes with a few extra links between the two teams. Daboll is the obvious one, but he’s not alone.
Former Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, and center Austin Schlottmann are all on Tennessee’s roster after spending time with Daboll last season. That should make for a familiar-looking matchup on both sides.
Ward, meanwhile, gets another chance to keep building after a much better outing in Week 2 than the rough start he had against the Jets. The Giants just gave up 28 points to the Rams, so Tennessee’s second-year quarterback has a clean opportunity to show growth and keep the offense moving in the right direction.
And then there’s the Titans’ pass rush, which could end up tipping the whole thing. Jeffery Simmons has been a force through two games, leading the NFL in pass-rush wins, and Tennessee’s front has a real chance to make things miserable for whichever quarterback starts for New York. The Titans just couldn’t finish the job against Jalen Hurts on the Eagles’ final possession, and that’s exactly the kind of moment they’ll be trying to clean up in Week 3.
In Other News...
Brian Daboll Sends Clear Message Before Titans Visit The Giants
Jaxson Darts season ended in painful fashion, and the injury only sharpens the attention around a Giants offense that had already made him the centerpiece of its future. The 2025 first-round pick started the 2026 season before the knee injury was confirmed by MRI, with damage to his MCL, PCL and meniscus ending his year and leaving New York to regroup without the quarterback it had built around.
Brian Daboll, now the Titans offensive coordinator and Darts former coach, has already made his feelings clear ahead of Tennessees trip to New York. He offered support and respect for Dart after the injury, a reminder that this matchup carries a little extra personal weight even if the Titans are focused on their own side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Titans May Need Nicholas Singleton Sooner Than Anyone Expected
Nicholas Singleton got his first taste of NFL action in Week 2, and it was a modest debut by any standard, with the rookie running back finishing with 10 yards on four carries. Still, the Titans did get a look at what he can offer in the backfield, and that matters now more than it did a week ago. Tennessee has leaned on a rotation of backs in its offense, and Singleton was already a player worth watching as the season unfolded.
His timeline may be moving up faster than expected. Injuries to veterans Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears have opened the door for Singleton to see a larger workload in Week 3 against the Giants, giving the Titans a possible next-man-up answer at a position that can change quickly. Even if his role grows gradually, this could be the kind of early-season opportunity that helps define how Tennessee handles its backfield moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Legend Chris Johnson Faces A Painful Question After Diagnosis
Chris Johnsons place in Titans history has always been secure, and this week brought a different kind of update for one of the franchises most electric players. The former Tennessee running back announced that he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the news also pushed back his induction into the Titans Ring of Honor as he continues to deal with his health.
Johnson discussed the diagnosis with PEOPLE magazine and said doctors have not linked football as the cause of his ALS, but he believes the sport still deserves a closer look when it comes to the relationship between football-related trauma and neurological disease. For Tennessee, it adds a sobering note to what should have been a celebratory moment for a legend whose career still resonates deeply with the fan base. [Read more 🡒]