Jets offensive line bullies Robert Saleh’s defense in dominant Week 1 win

The New York Jets haven't given their fans much to cheer about in the last few years, but Sunday provided temporary relief.

The Jets beat the Tennessee Titans 23-10 on the road to start the 2026 campaign, and the Titans scored their lone touchdown with 2:42 left in the game. New York was powered by its offensive line, which kept quarterback Geno Smith clean and opened up room in the run game.

The 35-year-old completed 19-of-24 passes for 215 yards and never got sacked, while the Jets also tallied 152 rushing yards and two scores on 39 carries (3.8-yard average). They also won the time-of-possession battle 38:46-21:14 and the total yardage battle 367-195.

Additionally, New York ran 14 more plays than Tennessee and executed a 19-play, 74-yard field-goal drive that took 11:48 off the clock in the second quarter. That offensive domination wouldn't have happened without its performance in the trenches.

Geno Smith praises New York Jets offensive line in dominant outing

Smith gave full credit to his teammates up front postgame, via The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt.

"Geno Smith raving about the O-Line. Said he doesn’t think he got touched today," he reported. "Said he felt the Jets 'dominated physically.'"

New York drafted left tackle Olu Fashanu and right guard Joe Tippmann in 2024 and 2023, respectively, when Robert Saleh was its head coach. Owner Woody Johnson then fired Saleh midway through the 2024 campaign, and the latter man is now Tennessee's coach.

The Jets hired Aaron Glenn to succeed Saleh in 2025 before drafting right tackle Armand Membou in the first round that year. Now, Fashanu, Tippmann, and Membou are anchoring a unit that steamrolled Saleh's defense on Sunday.

New York Jets must prove worth against playoff-caliber team

New York dominating Tennessee on the road builds momentum to start the season, but it hasn't proven anything yet. If its offensive line gets the better of the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, that will show that the squad has truly arrived.

Like the Jets, the Titans are coming off a 3-14 season and have a second-year general manager. However, Tennessee also has a new head coach in Saleh, while Glenn is in his second campaign in New York.

Titans quarterback Cam Ward is also in his second season, and the Jets have a veteran journeyman. They also have elite skill-position players in running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, while Tennessee's most accomplished player is three-time All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

Basically, dominating the rebuilding Titans isn't a historic feat. But the Packers have made the playoffs for three straight seasons and are led by an established veteran core.

If New York upsets Green Bay at home on Sept. 20, it will be the first time it has won its first two games of the season since 2015, its most recent winning campaign. The Jets missed the playoffs at 10-6 that year, with Smith relegated to backup duty behind Ryan Fitzpatrick after a teammate broke his jaw with a punch in training camp.

Smith backed up Fitzpatrick again in 2016 before playing for the New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, and Las Vegas Raiders over the next eight years. The Jets then acquired Smith from the Raiders this past offseason, providing a full-circle moment and a chance for redemption.

New York will host Green Bay at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX on Sept. 20.

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