Breece Hall powers Jets past Titans 23-10 in a dominant season opener against their former coach

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The New York Jets made some big moves and changes during the offseason trying to shake up a franchise mired in a decade of losing.

For one game, they got exactly what they wanted.

Breece Hall ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, Geno Smith threw for 215 yards in his Jets' return and the Jets defeated Tennessee 23-10 on Sunday to spoil Titans coach Robert Saleh's debut against his former team.

“We’re just following our plan, and that’s it,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “That’s it. We’re happy to get a win. It’s only one game.”

The Jets never trailed, led 10-3 at halftime with the TD scored by rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq and held the ball close to 39 minutes. Smith, drafted by New York in 2013 and acquired from Las Vegas in March, finished 19 of 24 while efficiently moving new coordinator Frank Reich' s offense.

“We started fast, and obviously we kept our foot on the gas and just tried to stay even-keeled throughout,” Smith said.

The game matched franchises that went 3-14 last season and prompted the Titans to hire Saleh — who coached the Jets from 2021 before being fired after five games in 2024 — in January hoping to end four straight losing seasons. Tennessee also was the NFL's biggest spenders in March adding free agents.

“A little birdie told us that they wrote some checks they couldn’t cash today,” Hall said to laughter.

The Jets, meanwhile, have the longest playoff drought in the four major North American men’s sports leagues with Glenn starting his second season in New York.

The Jets left Music City with their first season-opening win since 2023. A team that began last season by losing its first seven under Glenn and dropped its last five dominated Tennessee with a 367-195 edge in total offense. The Jets also had a 19-play drive that used up nearly 12 minutes of the first half.

“I’m very disappointed,” Ward said. “We’re better than what we showed.”

With Glenn calling the defense this season, rookie edge rusher David Bailey, the No. 2 pick overall, had one of three sacks for the Jets, who chased Titans quarterback Cam Ward all game. Linebacker Demario Davis, among the free agent additions, led the defense in tackles, while offseason addition Kingsley Enagbare had a sack.

“They got after us,” said Saleh, who called the Titans’ plays on defense after not doing that with the Jets.

Ward was 19 of 32 for 140 yards and a late touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor.

Glenn deactivated kicker Blake Grupe, who was claimed off waivers Aug. 31 from Indianapolis, and went with Jason Sanders, who was elevated from the practice squad. Sanders made field goals of 33, 51 and 52 yards, rebounding after yanking a 54-yard attempt short and left.

Titans kicker Joey Slye pushed the opening kickoff out of bounds for a penalty, and Saleh had to call a timeout to avoid a penalty for 12 men on the field. All-Pro returner Chimere Dike had a teammate pushed into him on his first attempt at fielding a punt. Once cleared from a concussion check, Dike lost a fumble on a kickoff.

Former running back Chris Johnson couldn’t make it Sunday with the Titans set to induct him into their ring of honor. The Titans went ahead with honoring the man nicknamed CJ2K after becoming the sixth man in NFL history to run for at least 2,000 yards. Johnson announced in June that he had been diagnosed with ALS.

Jets: Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick hurt his groin in the first quarter and didn't return. Rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. hurt an ankle in the first and never returned. Glenn said: “I’m not too worried about them at all."

Titans: Dike was hurt on his first chance to return a punt when teammate Micah Robinson was pushed backward into Dike. He was evaluated for a concussion and cleared to return.

Jets: Host Green Bay in their home opener on Sept. 20.

Titans: Host Philadelphia on Sept. 20.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq (16) gets past Tennessee Titans linebacker James Williams Sr. (52) to score a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) passes over Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) celebrates with teammate tight end Jeremy Ruckert (89) after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

New York Jets linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball (41) greets fans at the end of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh, left, hugs New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn at the end of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Allen didn’t wait for the question he knew was coming on Sunday after finally leading the Buffalo Bills to a road win over the Houston Texans in a season-opening thriller.

“We do like Reliant Stadium,” he said with a big smile. “Woo.”

Allen threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 remaining to lift the Bills to a 36-31 victory in a back-and-forth game.

Allen had 334 yards passing with two touchdowns and ran for two more scores after losing his previous four games at Reliant Stadium.

“It feels good to start the season off right,” Allen said.

It was the Bills' first win at Houston since Nov. 19, 2006.

The Texans led 31-30 when Allen split two defenders to find Palmer. The 2-point conversion failed.

One play earlier, Houston's Kamari Lassiter got his hands on a pass from Allen in the end zone but couldn’t grab the interception.

“We got lucky,” Palmer said. “He dropped it. Next play I caught it.”

The Texans had a chance to win in the closing seconds, but Greg Rousseau had his second strip-sack of the day, taking down C.J. Stroud at the Buffalo 28. Terrel Bernard recovered to seal the victory.

It was a disappointing outing for Houston's vaunted defense, which led the NFL in yards allowed and ranked second in points allowed last season.

“We had multiple opportunities to make plays, had chances to make plays on the football and we didn’t make plays,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said.

Houston allowed its most points since a 36-22 loss to Cleveland on Dec. 24, 2003.

“We’ve got to do a better job, especially closing out the game,” defensive end Will Anderson said. “It just wasn’t our standard. That’s not who we are. That’s not who we want to be as a defense. ”

Dalton Kincaid had five receptions for 130 yards and DJ Moore had five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Buffalo debut after a trade from Chicago.

Buffalo's Joe Brady started his head coaching career with a win after he was promoted from offensive coordinator following Sean McDermott’s firing after nine seasons.

“You saw a lot of the conviction, everything we sort of talk about,” Brady said. “We didn’t care how pretty. There’s no such thing as an ugly win.”

David Montgomery, who was traded from Detroit this offseason, had a three-TD day in his Houston debut. He had scoring runs of 1 and 18 yards in the first half and his 7-yard touchdown reception put Houston up 28-27 early in the fourth.

Stroud threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns but lost two fumbles.

Tyler Bass' 33-yard field goal made it 30-28 Buffalo with 10 1/2 minutes to go.

Ka'imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard field goal put Houston back ahead with about seven minutes remaining before Allen’s game-winning drive.

Buffalo went up 10-7 when Allen scrambled for a 21-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.

Montgomery’s second score came when he scampered 18 yards untouched to make it 14-10 with about five minutes left in the first half.

Lassiter was flagged for pass interference on Moore in the end zone to give the Bills the ball on the 1 on their next drive. Allen’s scoring dive two plays later put Buffalo up 17-14.

Moore grabbed a ball in front of a diving Reed Blankenship and dashed 43 yards to the end zone later in the second to push the lead to 24-14.

A 12-yard touchdown reception by Nico Collins cut the lead to three at halftime.

Rousseau sacked Stroud on Houston’s first drive, causing a fumble that Ed Oliver recovered on the Houston 32. That led to Bass' 46-yard field goal.

A 1-yard run by Montgomery put the Texans up 7-3 near the end of the first quarter. The score was set up by a 25-yard reception by Collins three plays earlier.

Moore and Kincaid gave the Bills just the second game in franchise history where a tight end and a receiver both had 100 yards receiving. The first time it happened was when Andre Reed had 144 yards receiving and Pete Metzelaars added 122 in Week 2 of the 1992 season.

Brady raved about what Moore brings to the team.

“He opens it up for everybody,” Brady said. “He opens it up for Dalton Kincaid, for the run game and James Cook. He opens it up for Keon Coleman... and Josh Palmer. And then on big-play opportunities, he made them. We’re so much better with him.”

Houston LB Jake Hummel left in the second half with an abdominal injury.

Bills: Host Detroit on Thursday night in their first game at their new stadium.

Texans: Host Cincinnati next Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) calls the play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter (3) breaks up a pass against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown past Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter, right, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws an incomplete pass forced by Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter, second from left, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)