Jets Dominate Titans in Week 1: Here Are the 3 Things That Mattered

There were a few things that stood out from the Jets' regular season opening win.

New York Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV (right) had one of the team's three sacks in Sunday's 13-point win. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unlike last season, when the New York Jets ended up on the losing end in Week 1, Gang Green was on the right side of the scoreboard on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Tennessee Titans, 23-10

It wasn’t a perfect performance from head coach Aaron Glenn’s squad. But there were a lot of things to like from Sunday's win (such as the running game) that New York can carry into Week 2. And there were also some things that the Jets must clean up (penalties and three-down conversions) with the Green Bay Packers on the horizon next week.

Needless to say, a win is a win, and for a fanbase that deserves a winner, Sunday’s result is a step in the right direction. Below, we’re going to highlight a few important items that mattered in the 13-point victory and what the ramifications are going forward.

3. Jets' offensive line dominated at the point of attack

I know it's early to say that New York's offensive line might be one of the best units in the NFL, as it’s been one game of football, against the Titans at that.

That said, the Jets’ offensive line, which looked good on paper, did an amazing job of keeping starting quarterback Geno Smith upright in the pocket and also imposing its will against the Titans’ front seven on the ground.

The Jets’ running game gashed the Titans’ defense for 144 yards and two touchdowns, thanks in large part to the dynamic duo of Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. It was clear from the opening quarter that the Jets were the more physical team, and offensive coordinator Frank Reich leaned on his big maulers on the line.

As for the passing game, Smith was not sacked once as he dialed up a couple of deep passes in the second half to Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell. The veteran QB completed an efficient 19-of-24 passes for 215 yards and had a rating of 104. If the Jets’ o-line can play like this throughout the season, this offense will definitely be a top-20 unit in the league in 2026.

2. Braelon Allen gets off to a good start as RB2

The third-year running back created a ton of buzz this summer when he told reporters that he weighed close to 250 pounds. That caught a lot of fans off guard because he weighed 240 last season. For those who might not remember, Allen's 2025 campaign was cut short due to an MCL sprain.

However, in Sunday’s game, Allen showed that the work he put in this offseason has paid off, as he looked like the running back we saw coming out of the University of Wisconsin years ago. He ran with physicality between the tackles and is already making the case to keep the RB2 job.

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen (right) had a solid effort on the ground in Week 1, racking up 40 yards on 10 carries. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his first four carries against the Titans, Allen picked up 7, 8, 9, and 4 yards. He finished the game with 40 rushing yards on 10 carries. He also had a target in the passing game that he didn’t haul in on third down, as a Titans defender punched the ball out.

The last time Allen had double-digit carries in a regular-season game was in Week 14 of the 2024 season against the Miami Dolphins (11 carries for 43 yards).

If you’re a Jets fan, you should be pleased with what you saw from Allen on Sunday, as he can hopefully build off this performance heading into the home opener.

1. Jets’ pass rush will be a force to be reckoned with in 2026

I was going to save this last point for Jason Sanders and the kicker situation, but our Nick Faria did a great job breaking down what he saw from the veteran down in Nashville.

Instead, let’s talk about the Jets’ pass rush, which looks much improved after one game and will be a driving force in this team’s success. Last year, as we know, the Jets finished with 26 sacks, which was the second-worst mark in the NFL.

However, the Jets made multiple additions to the front seven in the offseason, and it is already paying off. New York’s defensive front got after Titans QB Cam Ward, sacking him three times and racking up five quarterback hits.

Two out of three sacks came from veteran Kingsley Enagbare and rookie David Bailey. Will McDonald IV had the other. After watching this defensive unit struggle in 2025, it was such a breath of fresh air to see the pass rush play with explosiveness and physicality.

Bailey, whom the Jets drafted with the second overall pick, will play a huge part in how far this pass rush goes in 2026. According to ESPN’s Benjamin Solak, Bailey had team-high six pressures and a 23.1% pressure rate, which is pretty good. The sky is the limit for this group, especially if they're playing on all cylinders like they were on Sunday.

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