Following a heavy free-agency spending spree, new head coach Robert Saleh faces his former team in a high-stakes opener that serves as a definitive culture-setter.
As expected, it's been a long offseason if you're a Tennessee Titans fan.
After winning six games in the last two years, the Titans made another head coaching change. After their success with a defensive head coach in the past, the Titans are trying to run it back.
Mike Vrabel was known for his defenses at the Titans, and it paid dividends. In his first season in 2018, the Titans went 9-7 and barely missed the playoffs. Then, he made the postseason from 2019-2021.
His postseason trips included an AFC Championship Game appearance, one in the Wild Card and one in the Divisional Round. For Titans fans, they hadn't experienced that in a long time.
The Titans have found another defensive head coach in Robert Saleh. Saleh comes to the franchise after two separate stints with the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator.
He's also had time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets.
To make things interesting, the NFL decided to have the Titans and Jets face off in Week 1 of the 2026 season. It'll be a homecoming for Saleh, who was the head coach of the Jets from 2021-24.
It's going to be a special game for sure.
I also think that it is absolutely a must-win game for the Titans. 104.5 The Zone's Ron Slay laid it out perfectly, and I agree.
Let's look back at everything that has transpired this offseason.
For one, the Titans invested heavily in free agency. John Franklin-Myers, Cor'Dale Flott, Alontae Taylor and Wan'Dale Robinson weren't cheap. They are expected to contribute.
Then, you have the additions from the 2026 NFL Draft. Carnell Tate, Keldric Faulk, Anthony Hill Jr., Fernando Carmona, Nicholas Singleton, Pat Coogan, Jackie Marshall and Jaren Kanak.
Peter Skoronski and Jeffery Simmons have been paid massive extensions. J.C. Latham is looking like a different player from what we've seen in his first two years.
After all the hype that has come from this offseason, a loss isn't acceptable. On top of that, there's an added factor to the game.
The team is planning on inducting Chris Johnson into the Titans Ring of Honor. To go in and lose that game after that great moment in Titans history after heartbreaking news on his battle with ALS would be brutal.
Then, there's, of course, making a statement in your first game as a head coach. Saleh can win all the preseason games he wants to, but losing in the season opener to a team that we know isn't a world beater could be very damaging to the Titans.
The Jets and Titans had the same record last year, both going 3-14. The only reason the Jets picked higher than the Titans did was the lack of quality in their losses.
Don't get me wrong, we don't know if the Titans are a good team yet either. Adding players in free agency and the draft doesn't fix all your problems. We learned that from the Titans' first preseason game with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Titans still have plenty of issues that they need to correct on both sides of the ball.
The Jets should be a game that the Titans can compete in, and they should expect to win. The home crowd will be in the game due to the excitement of Saleh's debut and the fact that Johnson is going to be honored among the Titans' greats.
If the Titans can't beat a team like the Jets, we may be in for another disappointing year here in Music City.
To the rest of the NFL world, this game might not look very appetizing. For the Titans, this game will determine how the season goes.
We'll learn a lot about this Titans team from that season opener.
Is this a game a must-win? Absolutely.
