It seems like it has been forever. The New York Jets' postseason drought continues. Hopefully, they break through this season, but a long road awaits. 18 weeks of NFL action. One game is officially gone. There are 16 to go.
There weren't any surprises in terms of inactives: cornerback D'Angelo Ponds, kick returner Kene Nwangwu, kicker Blake Grupe, linebacker Trevin Wallace, and edge rusher Joseph Ossai.
Jason Sanders, as promised, was elevated from the practice squad to handle the kicking duties. After four quarters and three hours, Jets fans ultimately got the result they wanted: a win over the Tennessee Titans. The final score in this one was a lopsided one: Jets 23, Titans 10.
What went right?
Here is a quick list of what went right for the Jets against the Titans:
- How about early Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper sightings? After an offseason filled with concerns about Sadiq's health, we were served a nice early dose of his athletic traits. He caught the first pass of the Jets' season and scored the first touchdown. The latter was set up by a 30-yard catch-and-run by Omar Cooper to set up a first-and-goal scenario.
welcome to the league, rook
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 13, 2026
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- This was a snoozer in parts, but there was a lot to love about the first drive of the second half. New York's defense took the field first. They forced a punt, and Frank Reich's offense executed a five-play drive covering 80 yards. Tennessee cheated during Breece Hall's four-yard TD run by putting 12 defenders on the field, but Hall reached paydirt anyway.
first possession of the second half capped off by @BreeceH ✅
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 13, 2026
📺: #NYJvsTEN on @NFLonCBS | @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/4x9aE8wmog
All in all, there was some good. There was some bad. If you're a Jets fan, however, you no doubt enjoyed seeing or hearing about the Titans fans heading to the exits early. Kicker Jason Sanders enjoyed a decent day. He made three of four field goals and both of his extra point attempts after missing badly from 54 early (more on that later).
Speaking of special teams, this one certainly deserves a second look.
special teams stand up
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 13, 2026
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What went wrong for the Jets?
- You always hate to see injuries, even though we all know they're part of the game. Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin) left this one in the first quarter, and after initially being deemed questionable to return, both were eventually ruled out. Jarvis Brownlee also suffered a calf injury in this one.
- The Jets' third drive is worth noting. It lasted 19 plays and 11:48 while covering 74 yards. That part is good, as was the successful field goal to put New York ahead by a 10-3 margin, but ask any coach and they'll tell you they can do without the false-start penalty on 3rd-and-one that was followed by an incomplete pass as the drive-staller.
- After forcing a special teams turnover immediately afterward, four plays only netted two yards. Field goal-kicking issues returned as Jason Sanders missed an ugly one from 54 yards away.
- In games like these, coaches will always reference the self-inflicted errors. A 23-yard TD rush by Braelon Allen was nullified by a holding penalty. This time, however, a rose grew from the concrete as Sanders connected on his second field-goal attempt from 51 yards out. That should produce some confidence as he rebounded to finish by connecting on three of his four attempts.
What's the bottom line?
There were some positive takeaways for the Jets here. They scored a TD on opening possession of the season. They only did that once in 2025. They won the time-of-possession battle. They won on the scorboard, which is more important, but they were also unable to capitalize on scoring chances and some nice opportunities.
That said, this one was ugly in parts. One can argue that, had they played a better team, this game would have certainly resulted in a loss. Still, this is the NFL, and a win is a win. It's better to learn with a win in the back pocket than trying to do the same after a loss.
What's next for the Jets?
New York returns to MetLife Stadium in Week 2 for their home opener. They host the Green Bay Packers, and the conversation this week will be about them needing a better effort if they want to move to 2-0 on the campaign.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Instant analysis: What went right, what went wrong in Jets win vs. Titans
