Well, at least for a week, the New York Jets hype train is stuck at the station.
As the Jets (0-1) head to Tennessee (0-1) to face the Titans on Sunday, they will have to answer a lot of questions about an unexpected unit — their defense.
New York has enough talent to be considered the best defense in the NFL. The unit was one of the best last season in terms of yards allowed and points allowed.
The San Francisco 49ers — who did not play running back Christian McCaffrey due to an injury — torched the Jets for 32 points, thanks in part of the performance of undrafted free agent running back Jordan Mason, who rushed for 147 yards.
San Francisco is a great offense, but New York made the 49ers look even better. The Niners had 401 total yards, possessed the ball for 38:40 and scored on their final eight possessions of the game. Kicker Jake Moody tied a franchise record with six field goals.
All this, and Niners quarterback Brock Purdy went almost untouched.
The Jets have a lot to answer for this week on defense, including whether they will cave on edge rusher Haason Reddick’s holdout demands.
Here is a preview of the Jets and Titans.
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.
Time, Day: 1 p.m., ET, Sunday
TV: CBS
Radio: 104.3 FM (flagship)
Records: Jets: 0-1; Titans: 0-1.
Last week: New York Jets lost to San Francisco, 32-19; Tennessee lost to Chicago, 24-17.
Coaches: Jets — Robert Saleh (fourth year, 18-34 with Jets, 18-34 career); Titans — Brian Callahan (first year, 0-1 with Titans, 0-1 career).
Fun fact: The two franchises were original members of the American Football League, which formed in 1960 and eventually merged with the NFL in 1970. The Jets started as the Titans in 1960, while the Titans were at one time the Houston Oilers. The Oilers won the first two AFL titles, while the Jets won the 1968 AFL title en route to winning Super Bowl III.
All-Times Series: Titans lead series 25-20-1.
Last meeting: Jets def. Titans, 27-24, (Oct. 3, 2021, in overtime).
Series notes: The two franchises now play on a three-year cadence, thanks to the NFL’s uniform schedule. But, while AFL rivals from 1960-69, the two teams played each other 19 times. At one time the Titans beat the Jets six straight games from 1991-96. The Titans also won each of their first six AFL meetings. The Jets’ best streak against the franchise was a five-game stretch against the then-Oilers in which they went 4-0-1.
About the Jets: New York is in the midst of a start to a season in which it will play three games in 11 days. First, it was the season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers. After this game, the Jets open the home portion of their schedule against New England.
That’s a gauntlet for any team. But the Jets are working a 40-year-old quarterback into the lineup again, as Aaron Rodgers continues to get his feet back under him after missing all of last season with the Achilles tendon injury.
But New York has other problems. The running game couldn’t get on track against the Niners. The Jets’ defense played well below their standard. And the Jets get one less day to figure it all out as they try to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
About the Titans: It’s a new era with Callahan, who was the offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals for four seasons, helping them reach the Super Bowl a few years ago with quarterback Joe Burrow at the controls. He was hired to replace long-time coach Mark Vrabel.
Titans leadership is banking on Callahan turning second-year quarterback Will Levis into a quarterback that can help Tennessee challenge for the postseason, something it hasn’t done since 2021 when it won the AFC South for the second straight season.
Whether Levis is up for the task is the question. He managed just 127 yards passing, with a touchdown and two interceptions, in Tennessee’s loss to Chicago. With just 10 NFL games, the sample size on the former Kentucky quarterback is small.
Next Up: The Jets host New England on Thursday Night Football on Sept. 19. The Titans host the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 22.
