The Titans head to New York this Sunday for their first road trip of the season, and the spotlight is already pointed at the right mix of urgency and opportunity. Robert Saleh is still chasing his first win as Tennessee’s head coach, but the bigger theme may be which young players can tilt this game against a Giants team dealing with injuries.
Nasty, wet weather could shape how the Titans attack through the air, but if Cam Ward starts pushing the ball downfield, Carnell Tate looks like a prime candidate to finally deliver the breakout game Tennessee has been waiting on. With Wan’Dale Robinson likely drawing attention from Giants S Jevon Holland, Tate may avoid the defender who has been a turnover machine this year. The Titans drafted Tate for his ability to win contested deep balls, and if the rain doesn’t get in the way, this matchup against a battered New York roster feels like the kind of opening he can exploit.
On the other side, Cor'Dale Flott is a name worth watching for a different reason. He famously spurned the Giants at the last second, backing away from a near-signing to join Saleh in Nashville instead.
New York may have some extra motivation there, but Flott is focused on doing his job. He practiced today after missing last week with quad tightness and is listed as questionable, and if he plays, the setup looks favorable.
Alontae Taylor is likely to spend time on Malik Nabers, which should leave Flott with a less demanding assignment against a passing game that figures to be less threatening than what Tennessee faced from either the Jets or Eagles. Darnell Mooney would be the likely matchup, and with James Winston throwing for New York, the Titans’ corners are staring at an appealing spot overall.
The weather could also push the Titans toward the run, and that brings Jordan Singleton into the picture. Tony Pollard praised Singleton in our interview with him earlier this week, and Saleh said today that he hopes to get Singleton more carries in Week 3.
Pollard and Tyjae Spears both missed practice time this week with what appeared to be minor ankle issues, and Spears has also been handling more of the passing-game workload while Pollard remains the main piece on the ground. If the Titans lean away from the air, Singleton could be the one who picks up the extra work and makes his first real statement in the NFL.
Then there’s Jermaine Johnson, the kind of player who can slip through the cracks while everyone keys on Jeffery Simmons. Simmons forces offensive lines to build their game plan around him, and that creates chances for someone else to cash in.
Johnson has been building steadily through a quiet two-game start, and he posted five QB pressures plus one defensive stop against the Eagles in Week 2. That puts him in position to chase his first sack of the year.
Tennessee matched last week’s three-sack outing through a team effort, and with Simmons needing help again, the Titans need Johnson to deliver and justify the trade Saleh made for him in the spring.
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 🡒]