The New York Giants are regrouping for a Week 3 matchup against the 0-2 Tennessee Titans. New York lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season, a brutal gut-punch. The Giants are 2.5-point favorites, with the Over/Under at 39.5 points.
The Giants welcome back former head coach Brian Daboll. It is the Titans’ first road game of the 2026 season. Tennessee is rebuilding in Robert Saleh’s first season as head coach, but does have its quarterback of the foreseeable future and a few young offensive
weapons.
Let’s look at how the Giants’ defense matches up with Tennessee’s offense.
Brian Daboll’s offense
Daboll took Carmen Bricillo, Shea Tierney, and Cade Knox to Nashville to coach under Saleh. Daboll inherited quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward looked much more comfortable in the Titans’ 24-20 last-second loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Daboll’s squad mustered only 10 points in their Week 1 loss to the Jets.
The Titans have used 11 personnel at a 71% rate through two games — as expected after signing Wan’Dale Robinson to a four-year, $70-million contract. Ward has operated under center at a 37% rate; under Daboll last season, Dart was under center only 20% of the time.
The Titans’ offense has yet to eclipse 300 yards in a game this season. They’re 10 of 25 on third down (40% conversion rate), and they have three touchdowns through two games; Ward has two touchdowns on the ground, and he threw a touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor in Week 1. Ayomanor dropped a touchdown in Week 2, but the throw was off-target.
Ward is 32 of 53 (61.5%) through the air for 323 yards (6.2 YPA) with just one touchdown and no interceptions. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears split rushing work, but rookie Nicholas Singleton dressed after being a healthy scratch in Week 1.
Pollard has rushed 21 times for 99 yards (4.7 YPC) with six missed tackles forced and a 3.05 yards-after-contact number, while catching two passes for zero yards. Spears sprung a long catch in Week 2 and has secured four passes for 41 yards through two games. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry with just ten rushes for 53 yards, and an impressive 3.90 yards after contact.
Tennessee’s receiving corps consists of three young receivers: Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and first-round pick Carnell Tate. Robinson operates the slot, and Calvin Ridley is still a Titan. Ridley has played 62% of the snaps this season. Tennessee used more 12 personnel against the Eagles, leading to more Daniel Bellinger, who is the second tight end behind Gunnar Helm.
Ayomanor leads the Titans in receiving yards; he’s caught three of six targets for 80 yards and one receiving touchdown. Tate has seen 11 targets and secured seven for 65 yards. Robinson has caught six of seven for 47 yards, and Helm has secured all six of his targets for 41 yards.
The Titans’ offensive line has former Giants’ center Austin Schlottmann anchoring the unit; Pro Football Focus has graded him well in pass protection, but poorly in run blocking, which is consistent across the Titans’ front, who dealt with two solid defensive fronts with the Eagles and Jets.
Dan Moore Jr. and JC Latham will have their hands full with the dangerous Giants’ pass rush on the edges, while Peter Skoronski and Fernando Carmona — the latter has surrendered four pressures on the season already — will be starting at guard for Bricillo. The Giants can win the matchup of the trenches.
Giants’ game plan
Dart wasn’t the only significant loss in Week 2. Brian Burns had his ankle rolled up on with six minutes left in the 28-6 game. The Giants will be without their star edge defender, which will force Dennard Wilson to change how he uses his personnel.
Kayvon Thibodeaux is in for an increased role without Burns. He’s played 59 snaps so far this season to Burns’ 91 and Abdul Carter’s 108. Chauncey Golston may receive more snaps on the edge, as well as Arvell Reese in certain packages.
Tae Banks remains questionable for the game; if he can not dress, Colton Hood will receive the spot opposite Greg Newsome II. The Giants should dress Jason Pinnock in this game as insurance behind Tyler Nubin, who was attacked by McVay’s offense in Week 2.
The Giants faced a Rams team that used 13 personnel on over half of their snaps — that won’t be the case against Brian Daboll’s offense. Giants’ nickel cornerback, Dru Phillips, played on just 48% of snaps against the Rams, after playing on in 83% against Dallas. Expect to see less base personnel and more nickel packages against a Titans team that has run 11 personnel at a 71% rate. Daboll has used 12 personnel at an 18% rate.
The 17% blitz rate from Week 2 is going to increase in Week 3. Cam Ward has been blitzed at a 31% rate overall and a 38% rate on third down. I expect to see more five-man rushes from the Giants. Wilson should dictate via aggression against the young quarterback.
There is an option to expand Reese’s role as a blitzer, too. Reese has 11 pass rush snaps this season; possible use of him on the edge in certain situations versus 11 personnel could be something for the Giants to explore. New York could use a lot of Cover-3, middle-of-the-field-closed with both strong/weak-side buzz rotation against 3×1 sets.
Final thoughts
I expect the Giants, although injured, will handle business against the Titans. I believe we’ve seen the worst of Jameis Winston, and he’ll help stabilize the offense, which will likely be in 12 and 22 personnel often. I also expect Wilson to have more freedom and comfort to get creative against Ward and Daboll’s offense. I have the Giants winning, 20-13.
