The New York Jets (0-1) travel to Nashville in Week 2 of the 2024-25 NFL season for a battle with the Tennessee Titans (0-1). Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM EST on September 15th at Nissan Stadium.
Not a lot went right for either of these two teams to begin the 2024 regular season, as Tennessee lost 24-17 on the road in Chicago on Sunday afternoon before the Jets got crushed on Monday Night Football 32-19 by San Francisco.
Rest could be a factor already early in the season, as New York has to deal with a short recovery week after a late night on Monday out in California. QB Aaron Rodgers turns 41 in December, so the Jets will need to ensure that the general wear and tear that accumulates during a standard NFL season doesn’t add up in a hurry for their veteran quarterback.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Titans listed as 4-point home underdogs. The spread has come down slightly after early betting, as Tennesee is currently available at +3.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 40.5 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised exclusively on the CBS Sports Network. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
New York Jets Fall to 49ers in Primetime on Monday Night
Many people were predicting that New York would be a force right out of the gate in 2024, but it was a performance to forget for the Jets after falling 32-19 to the 49ers on Monday Night Football. Veteran QB Aaron Rodgers looked rusty at times after sitting out for the entire 2023-24 season, going just 13/21 for 167 yards and a single touchdown. However, his longtime Packers teammate Allen Lazard certainly got off to a fast start, catching six passes for 89 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Breece Hall couldn’t find a ton of room to run on the ground against a stout San Francisco defense, rushing for 54 yards on a team-high 16 carries. Hall did chip in with five receptions as well, averaging just under eight yards per catch. Garrett Wilson was also contained for the most part, as the 49ers secondary held him to six receptions for 60 total yards.
Perhaps the most surprising part of the Jets loss was their poor play on the other side of the ball. Ranked one of the NFL’s best defenses in 2023-24, New York gave up 33 points and over 400 total yards of offense. They were especially bad at defending against the run, as backup RB Jordan Mason torched them on the ground for 147 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Tennessee Titans Can’t Hold On Against Bears Despite Early 17-3 Lead
Everything went right for Tennessee for the first two quarters of their opening game in Chicago, as the Titans started the second half with a decisive 17-3 lead. It all fell apart from there though, as the Bears scored 21 unanswered points en route to a 24-17 victory. QB Will Levis wasn’t great, going 19/32 for only 127 passing yards while also getting picked off twice. RB Tony Pollard impressed in his first game since leaving Dallas, rumbling for 82 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Calvin Ridley was fairly quiet in his Titans debut, catching just three passes for 50 yards. However, he was still far and away Tennessee’s most productive receiver as no other player recorded more than 18 total receiving yards.
Most of the blame for the final score clearly was clearly attributable to the offense, as the Titans were very solid on the other side of the ball in a matchup against rookie Caleb Williams. Tennessee kept the Chicago offense out of the end zone the entire game, while also holding the Bears to under 200 total yards.
Our Jets vs Titans NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
Oddsmakers are still expecting a fairly close game despite Tennessee’s brutal offensive performance against Chicago, but it’s hard to imagine the Titans finding a lot more success against an even better defense here in Week 2. New York was exposed defensively in Week 1 but it’s important to remember that they had one of the toughest matchups on the board against a high powered 49ers offense.
The Jets offense also should look a lot better on Sunday afternoon, as Aaron Rodgers now has a regular season game under his belt for the first time in a full calendar year. The chemistry with Lazard is clearly still there, while Breece Hall is much too skilled of a player to be held under 100 total yards of offense very often.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Jets -3.5
Despite being forced to play their second consecutive road game, I think that New York should find a way to cover the spread in this particular spot. There is no doubt that they have the more skilled roster on both sides of the ball, especially on offense where the Titans basically have no depth at receiver position. The Jets defense is also in a great spot to bounce back, as Tennessee poses a far less difficult challenge than a 49ers team that was just one game away from winning the Super Bowl.
With oddsmakers expecting a relatively low scoring defensive battle in this matchup, I certainly am not expecting New York to run away with this game either. However, I do have much more confidence in the Jets to turn things around this weekend after many expected them to compete for the AFC East title with a healthy Rodgers under center. Buffalo and Miami both won last weekend, so it is critical that New York doesn’t fall behind by two games this early in the season in a very tough division. Laying the 3.5 points and taking the road favorite is the optimal play in this one – give me the Jets to cover!
