Ex-Jets player reveals Week 1 is a must-win game but not because of Robert Saleh

When it comes to an NFL team's regular-season schedule, every game is a "must-win," whether it's against the best team in the league or the worst team in the league.

Unlike the NBA or MLB, there aren't 82 or 162 games to get your stuff together. You have 17 chances to stack wins, and you have to capitalize early and often

The New York Jets, heading into the 2026 regular season, have no choice but to pick up wins wherever they can. Head coach Aaron Glenn's job likely depends on how competitive his team is on the field.

But there's one game, according to one former Jets player, that is a must-win in 2026, and that's their first matchup of the season against the Tennessee Titans.

Leger Douzable says Week 1 vs. Titans is a 'must-win' thanks to schedule structure

Now, your first assumption is likely due to the fact that the Jets will be facing their former head coach, Robert Saleh, when they take on the Titans in Week 1.

But actually, ex-Jets defender and current CBS analyst Leger Douzable believes the Jets need to win their first game of the season because of how hard their schedule gets in the first month of the year.

"It's almost a must-win, Week 1 at Tennessee. It'll be interesting to see because the Jets have a really tough Week 2 through 4 schedule. Now, the good thing is the Green Bay game is at home, but those other two are on the road, so starting off the season, three out of four games on the road is tough for any team. So, for this one, this is a big game for the Jets in Week 1."

Leger Douzable

Douzable believes Tennessee is the most beatable team on the Jets' schedule in their first four games of the year, and he's absolutely right.

The Jets play three NFC North teams in their first four games, including a home tilt with the Green Bay Packers, and trips to Detroit and Chicago to face both the Lions and Bears.

The Packers and Bears were both playoff teams last year, and Detroit barely missed the postseason. All three games will be tall tasks for a young Jets team.

If the Jets want any hope of starting their season off on the right foot and not fall into a 0-4 hole to start Year 2 of the Aaron Glenn era, they have to get one on a very beatable Titans team.

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