Jets Week 1 Awards: 10 Winners After Jets' Dominant Victory Over Titans

Here's who stood out in the season opener, good or bad.

Find out which award Jets RB Breece Hall received in Week 1, courtesy of Sports Illustrated's Nick Faria. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NASHVILLE, TN — It's a victory Monday for the Jets, and fans can't get enough of it.

New York's dominant 23-10 victory over the Titans was one of the more impressive showings on the day. Head coach Aaron Glenn needed a win against his predecessor and got it in droves, with his team outplaying Tennessee in all three phases.

I have 10 awards to dish out following the Week 1 win, so let's get to it.

The "That still counts!" award: David Bailey

Sunday was a good debut for second overall pick David Bailey. Pro Football Focus grades aside, the Texas Tech product recorded four tackles, six quarterback pressures, and a sack.

The sack, of course, came when he chased Cam Ward out of bounds, so there wasn't any tackling done, but it still counts! And for a rookie player like Bailey, who is only going to get better with more chances, this was the type of debut Jets fans can be pleased with.

The "So that's what it's supposed to look like" award: Aaron Glenn

This is what Glenn originally envisioned when he wanted to coach the Jets. A team that played good defense, ran the football, and whose quarterback took advantage of every open throw.

What stood out to me more than anything was how prepared Glenn and the Jets staff were. His defensive play calls were very strong on Sunday, and they completely overwhelmed Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Offensively, things looked more like the Lions than anyone will give them credit for.

There were certainly things to clean up, but that was an excellent debut for the Jets in 2026 and a win Glenn desperately needed.

The "QB play can be competent, huh" award: Geno Smith

Jets fans may have forgotten what competent quarterback play looked like after last season. Geno Smith gave them a swift reminder, though. New York's starting signal-caller methodically moved the ball down the field throughout the game with accurate throws while also maintaining the art of the big play.

To open the second half, Smith completed two passes for a combined 71 yards to set up the team's second touchdown. It was a major difference in the win because it showed New York was willing to take chances against Tennessee's defense.

If the Jets get that kind of play from Smith over the next 16 games, they will be fighting for a playoff berth.

The "Major butt-kicking" award: Jets' trench play

New York kicked ass in the trenches on Sunday. Starting with the offensive line, the group gave up minimal pressure and led the way to the tune of 152 yards rushing combined for the Jets' collection of runners. Jeffery Simmons, John Franklin-Myers and Jermaine Johnson were all nonfactors in that game, and that is a testament to the offensive line.

Joe Tippmann played a huge role in the Jets' offensive line's stellar Week 1 performance. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensively, the group was just as dominant. Kingsley Enagbare and Will McDonald IV joined Bailey with a sack and multiple pressures. T'Vondre Sweat, David Onyemata and Harrison Phillips all played well along the interior too. Keep in mind, this was a game without Joseph Ossai, who will fit right into New York's rotation of edge rushers.

This was a dominant day from both sides of the ball.

The "Concerning injuries" award: Omar Cooper Jr.

For one play, it looked like Omar Cooper Jr. was going to be the second coming of Randy Moss.

All jokes aside, the first-round rookie made one catch on one target during Sunday's win: a 30-yard completion that set the Jets up with a goal-to-go situation that they would punch in for their first score of the day.

During the play, Cooper suffered an ankle injury that is reported to be an ankle sprain. We'll know more about the injury later this week, but it's still a crushing blow to a young player who looked quite good in his limited time with the ball.

Of note, Minkah Fitzpatrick left Sunday's game with a groin injury and did not return. Glenn did not seem too concerned about the injury to either player, though, after the game.

The "Ground and pound" award: Breece Hall, Braelon Allen

When Glenn was head coach of the Lions, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery split touches and pounded opposing defenses into submission. The Jets have their own version of that with Braelon Allen and Breece Hall.

Hall rushed for over 100 yards on the ground, but Braelon Allen added 40 on his own, including a dominant second-quarter drive in which he recorded over 30 yards on four carries while leading the way on a 19-play drive.

If Hall and Allen can be the Jets' version of Gibbs and Montgomery, this team is going to be fun to watch all year.

The "Swiss army knife" award: Dane Belton

With Fitzpatrick down, the Jets were thin at safety. That was until Dane Belton stepped up in a major way to make sure New York would not get hit hard in the secondary. Glenn told reporters Monday morning that Belton took over Fitzpatrick's role and did so beautifully, tallying two tackles while posting solid coverage grades throughout the day.

The Jets brought Dane Belton in over the summer for situations like the one that occurred when Minkah Fitzpatrick left Sunday's game. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It showed what he can do as an everydown safety moving forward this year.

"(Dane is) playing at the nickel position; he's playing safety; he moved all over the field," Glenn said. " No matter who's in the game, injuries are going to happen in this league; you can't get away from it. What overcomes injuries though, and to me it's a playstyle. I think our guys understand that, and they did a good job of that."

Belton was an underrated player in New York's win.

The "All gas, no brakes" award: Titans' gameplan

The Titans' game plan was atrocious. On defense, they generated little pass-rush ability, but their Cover-3 scheme also gave up big plays. They were also called for too many men on the field and had 10 men on the field for both of the Jets' touchdowns.

Offensively, the unit wasn't much better. Tennessee averaged nearly five yards per carry with their collection of running backs. The Titans ran the ball just 10 times to those backs. In the passing game, the unit was under duress, but they also didn't make life easier for Ward, either, with simple reads and checkdown chances.

This was a baffling game plan for the Titans' coaching staff, and they deserve all the ridicule they will get over the next week.

The "See! I told you" award: Woody Johnson

Jets owner Woody Johnson caught a lot of flak for firing Robert Saleh early in the 2024 season. Most analysts around the league felt that it had more to do with Johnson's inept plan for the organization than Saleh's coaching ability.

Sunday's game was a massive vindicating moment for Johnson. Saleh's unit looked completely unprepared to handle anything that the Jets threw at them. By the third quarter, boo's rained down on the Titans roster.

Saleh may end up turning the ship around, but that was a disaster of an opener for him in a game where it was no secret that he wanted revenge. Instead, it was Johnson who got the last laugh.

The "Micah Parsons" award: Packers' Week 1 performance

Since Micah Parsons tore his ACL late in the 2025 season, the Packers are a whopping 0-6. That includes an embarrassing playoff loss to the rival Bears and a blowout defeat at the hands of Carson Wentz and the Vikings in Week 1.

The Jets could make that record an ugly 0-7 with a shocking victory next week. It's a tall order against a playoff team, but considering the Packers don't have Josh Jacobs either, anything is possible.

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