NFL Network Predicts a Titans Loss in Week 1 That Robert Saleh Must Avoid

Robert Saleh needs to come out and prove a point vs. the New York Jets, but national analysts have the Tennessee Titans getting out on the wrong foot in Week 1.

Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh addresses the media after team practice Vanderbilt Health Football Center Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Of all the season-opening matchups that the Tennessee Titans could have drawn, fans have to be pretty happy with the New York Jets. Coming off a season in which the Jets failed to secure one single interception and tallied just four wins.

Of course, Tennessee had only three wins, but the Titans reloaded this offseason with a new head coach and one of the most expansive free-agency rebuilds in the NFL. New York didn't go without additions, but running it back with Aaron Glenn and trusting Geno Smith (who threw a NFL-high 17 picks last season) kept the ceiling at a low point.

Yet, according to the NFL Network team, the Jets will still have the edge in Week 1 at Nissan Stadium. The projection is tight across the board, but analysts foresee an 0-1 start for Robert Saleh. What would that mean for this team?

NFL Network’s Jets-Titans picks pic.twitter.com/OZLfOJKdBX

— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) September 3, 2026

Well, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but in the first run out of a rebuild, it's games like these that you have to win. It's games like these that get a team over the three-win hump that has haunted the Titans for two seasons straight now.

Titans Face a Must-Win Game in Week 1

Things wouldn't seem so dire if Tennessee didnt have to play the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and in-divison rival Houston Texans in three of the next four contests.

Two of those games are also at home, but with a road bout vs. the New York Giants also thrown in the mix there, the Titans certainly don't have a slate catering to a franchise on the mend.

So when you've got a winnable game and a chance to go 1-0 right out of the gate, you have to jump on it. It's not like Saleh's position is on the line or anything outrageous, but there also exists a pressure to improve, and improve fast, given just how bad Tennessee has been as of late.

Tennessee's Identity Will Become Clear Quickly

At the very least, we should get a solid idea of what exactly this team is made of against New York. We'll see Brian Daboll's offense, and Saleh's defense, running out in full form for the first time.

Cam Ward will have his first workable base of receivers and an expectedly improved offensive line. Gus Bradley and Carmen Bricillo help round out a completely retooled sideline. It's not a gauntlet game in Week 1, but then again, that's good for a team in flux like Tennessee.

For what to expect, see our four candidates for a breakout against New York. Nobody will have much more than guesswork until we see this made-over Titans team actually take the field, but the need to perform is there from the beginning.