Titans host Jets in home opener

The Tennessee Titans (0-1) welcome Aaron Rodgers to town Sunday when they host the New York Jets (0-1) in their home opener.

Both teams lost on the road in week one. The Titans blew a 17-0 first-half lead losing to Chicago while the Jets were dominated from start to finish in San Francisco on Monday Night Football.  So both of these teams are staring at the very scary scenario of starting the season 0-2.

The Jets struggled offensively against the 49ers but Titans head coach Brian Callahan says they are still facing a team with plenty of firepower, “Offensively, they got one of the best runners in football (Breece Hall), I think, as far as talent and catching the ball. They’ve got a really good young receiver (Garrett Wilson), and obviously a Hall of Fame quarterback (Rodgers) that is leading the show there. So really good coaching staff, guys that I know really well.”

Last week Rodgers played his first game in a year after tearing his Achilles in week one of the 2023 season.  He was pulled from the week one loss to the 49ers when the game was deemed out of reach in the fourth quarter after throwing for only 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

He will face a Titans defense that enters week 2 ranked number one in the NFL after stifling the Bears for all four quarters last week in Chicago. The Bears managed less than 100 yards rushing and less than 100 yards passing.

NFL Defensive Leaders:

1. Tennessee Titans – 148 Yards Per Game
2. New Orleans Saints – 193 Yards Per Game
3. New England Patriots – 224 Yards Per Game
4. Pittsburgh Steelers – 226 Yards Per Game
5. Dallas Cowboys – 230 Yards Per Game

Leading the way for the Titans defense is their interior tandem of Jeffery Simmons and 2023 Outland Trophy Winner T’Vondre Sweat out of Texas.  The Titans will look for them to keep Hall under wraps and collapse the pocket in front of Rodgers putting a 40-year old quarterback coming off of a significant injury on the move.

The Jets defense also struggled in San Francisco giving up eight consecutive scoring drives, but that is viewed by many as a one off. Callahan does not expect anything to come easily, “Their defense over the last handful of years has been got excellent talent in the secondary. They’ve got a really good front. They’ve got two really good linebackers. It’s a formidable opponent on defense.”

The biggest concern for the Titans offensively starts up front where they failed to protect quarterback Will Levis last Sunday in Chicago when he was pressured on almost half of his pass attempts. Left guard Peter Skoronski gave up eight pressures last week and faces Quinnen Williams Sunday who is regarded as one of the top five interior defensive linemen in the league.

Levis needs all of the support he can get after a three turnover performance in the 2^nd half in Chicago handed the game over to the Bears.  He should be aided by the continued return of Deandre Hopkins who should be a full go at wide receiver after being limited to 15 snaps a week ago.

The area the Titans will probably try to exploit is the run game where they had solid first half success last week in Chicago behind new running back Tony Pollard who finished with 82 yards and touchdown while averaging over 5 yards per carry. The 49ers gashed the Jets on the ground Monday night for 180 yards and a pair of scores and that was with star running back Christian McCaffrey out with a calf injury.

Turnovers will likely be the difference in what is expected to be a low scoring game and that puts the pressure squarely on Levis to make good decisions and accurate throws to keep his team out of trouble.