As expected, the always classy Robert Saleh has been taking the high road all week. The former New York Jets turned Tennessee Titans head coach hasn't used any platform to insult the New York Jets with his mini-reunion on the horizon.
Instead, he's been focused completely on theTitans and what they need to win.
"Our desire to win Week 1 and beat the Jets is because it's Week 1 and nothing more." Saleh told reporters
.Fans will no doubt keep debating whether or not he means that, but then it happened. Saleh gave us something.
Saleh discussed the importance of winning early in the season, particularly for a young football team still learning how to win.
"You win a couple early, start getting momentum, start getting confidence with a young group, who
knows where it goes?" Saleh said when discussing Tennessee's outlook entering the regular season.
On the surface, the comment was about the Titans, but it also highlighted one of the biggest differences betweenthe two teams preparing to meet Sunday in Nashville.
The Titans remain one of the NFL's younger teams and are still trying to establish an identity under a new coaching staff. Tennessee is also looking to improve after consecutive 3-14 seasons. That makes an early-season confidence boost particularly important. The Jets, meanwhile, are taking a different approach.
New York's offseason additions included veteran quarterback Geno Smith, veteran offensive coordinator Frank Reich, linebacker DeMario Davis and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Around them is an established core that includes Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Quinnen Williams and several other proven contributors.
That's not to say the Jets don't have young players expected to contribute. They do, but unlike Tennessee, New York isn't asking a young roster to discover itself on the fly.
Robert Saleh knows this isn't the same Jets team
Another notable aspect of Saleh's comments was his acknowledgment of how much New York has changed since his departure. He specifically pointed to the presence of Geno Smith and Frank Reich, recognizing that Tennessee will be facing a different offense than the one he left behind.
Those changes have become central to the Jets' hopes of improving in 2026. Whether that experience advantage translates into a victory remains to be seen.
But as Saleh discussed the importance of confidence and momentum for a young team, he may have unintentionally identified one reason many believe the Jets enter Week 1 with a slight edge. New York is counting on experience to help it start fast, while Tennessee is still trying to prove it can.
Jets Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 NFL season.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Robert Saleh highlights an area where Jets hold an edge over Titans
