New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans Match Player Stats (Sep 15, 2024)
Will McDonald IV beat Nicholas Petit-Frere with a speed rush. Wrapped up Will Levis. Drove him backward six yards. Third and goal became fourth and 14. Game over. Jets 24, Titans 17.
That final sack capped a day where Tennessee beat themselves and New York simply collected the gifts.
Week 2 at Nissan Stadium: Numbers Don’t Lie, But They Don’t Tell Everything Either
New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans match player stats from September 15, 2024, show Tennessee with 300 total yards to New York’s 265. Titans rushed for 130, Jets managed 101. Tennessee picked up 20 first downs, New York just 16.
Score? Jets by seven.
Turnovers: Jets 0, Titans 2
Red zone efficiency: Jets 50%, Titans 25%
Blocked punts: Jets forced 1, Titans gave up 1
Brian Callahan’s home debut as Titans head coach ended exactly like Week 1. Same 24-17 score. Same self-inflicted wounds. The 65,509 fans at Nissan Stadium witnessed a clinic in beating yourself.
First Quarter: Tennessee’s Blueprint Works (For Now)
Calvin Ridley motioned left, then took the handoff going right. End around. Ten yards. Touchdown. First rushing score of his career. Titans up 7-0 at the 2:30 mark.
| Drive Summary | Stats |
|---|---|
| Plays | 9 |
| Yards | 68 |
| Time | 6:38 |
| Key Play | Levis to Ridley, 15 yards on 3rd & 5 |
The Titans’ opening drive ate clock and moved chains. Tony Pollard averaged 5.2 yards on four carries. Levis went 3-for-3 passing. Offensive line opened holes. Exactly what Callahan drew up.
Second Quarter: Where Games Turn
8:46 Remaining – The Fumble
Titans ball, first and goal from the Jets 10. Levis took the snap, pump faked, tried a shovel pass to Pollard. Ball hit the ground. Quincy Williams fell on it.
On the sideline, Callahan slammed his clipboard against his thigh. Turned away from the field. Minimum three points gone. Probably seven.
7:00 Remaining – The Pick
Two drives later, Levis scrambled right. Tried to force one to Treylon Burks near the sideline. Brandin Echols jumped the route. Interception at the Tennessee 25.
1:47 Remaining – Jets Cash In
Three plays after the pick, Aaron Rodgers checked down to Braelon Allen. The 20-year-old rookie caught it at the 15, broke a tackle from Amani Hooker, powered through Roger McCreary at the 5, and fell into the end zone.
Game tied 7-7. Allen became the youngest player to score from scrimmage since Arnie Herber in 1930.
Halftime: Tennessee 10, Jets 7
Nick Folk connected from 41 yards as time expired. Slim lead considering the missed opportunities.
Third Quarter: Special Teams and Controversy
12:08 – The Flag That Changed Everything
Third and 8, Jets at their own 35. Rodgers in the pocket, pressure from all sides. Pass incomplete to Garrett Wilson. Tennessee defense heading to the sideline.
Flag down. Roughing the passer, Jeffery Simmons. Hit Rodgers in the head. Fifteen yards, automatic first down.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen threw his arms up. The crowd booed for thirty seconds straight.
Two plays later: Rodgers to Breece Hall, 26-yard touchdown. Jets up 14-10.
5:58 – Déjà Vu for Stonehouse
Ryan Stonehouse set up to punt from his own 30. Good snap. Good hold. Terrible protection.
Irvin Charles came through untouched up the middle. Blocked it clean. Jets recovered at the Tennessee 30.
| Stonehouse’s Nightmare | Stats |
|---|---|
| 2024 Blocked Punts | 2 |
| Games Played | 2 |
| 2023 Season | Ended on blocked punt injury |
Greg Zuerlein hit from 33 yards. Jets 17, Titans 10.
3:22 – Ridley Keeps Tennessee Alive
Levis took a seven-step drop. Waited. Waited. Launched it deep for Ridley. The receiver tracked it over his shoulder, dove, and hauled it in between D.J. Reed and Jordan Whitehead. Forty yards. Touchdown.
Game tied 17-17.
Fourth Quarter: Rookie Makes History
The Drive – 7:19 Remaining
Jets started at their own 26. Game tied. Season hanging.
1st & 10, own 26: Hall up the middle for 4
2nd & 6, own 30: Rodgers incomplete to Wilson
3rd & 1, own 35: Rodgers found Wilson on a crossing route. 26 yards to the Tennessee 39
The Nissan Stadium crowd hit 115 decibels according to the stadium meter.
1st & 10, TEN 39: Allen for no gain
2nd & 10, TEN 39: Rodgers incomplete deep for Wilson
3rd & 16, TEN 39: Rodgers rolled right, bought time, hit Mike Williams on the sideline for 19
1st & Goal, TEN 20: The call went to Allen. Took the handoff. Saw daylight between left guard and tackle. Cut through. Twenty yards. Touchdown.
Jets 24, Titans 17. Time remaining: 4:31.
Allen’s Day in Context
| Braelon Allen vs Titans | Numbers |
|---|---|
| Snaps Played | 20 (35% of total) |
| Touches | 9 |
| Total Yards | 56 |
| Touchdowns | 2 |
| Yards Per Touch | 6.2 |
Two touchdowns on 20 snaps. Most running backs need 60-70 snaps to find the end zone twice. Allen did it on 20.
Defense Without Its Stars
Jets Lose Two Captains, Keep Playing
14 snaps in: C.J. Mosley hobbled off. Toe injury. Done for the day.
Third quarter: Jermaine Johnson down on the field. Grabbed his Achilles immediately. Cart came out. Crowd went quiet. Season over.
Jamien Sherwood replaced Mosley. The third-year linebacker from Oklahoma had started two games in his career. This wasn’t supposed to be number three.
| Player | Tackles | Solo | TFL | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamien Sherwood | 12 | 8 | 2 | 1 catch allowed, 8 yards |
Sherwood played 30 coverage snaps. Allowed one reception. Earned an 82.7 PFF grade. That’s All-Pro level production from a backup.
Will McDonald’s Arrival
| Quarter | Sacks | Yards Lost |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 0 | 0 |
| Q2 | 1 | 6 |
| Q3 | 1 | 5 |
| Q4 | 1 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 3 | 17 |
Three sacks spread across three quarters. The last one mattered most.
Third and goal from the 8. McDonald speed rushed around Petit-Frere. Got home. Six-yard loss pushed Tennessee to the 14. Fourth and goal from there? Good luck.
Tony Adams batted down Levis’s final pass attempt to Tyler Boyd. Jets win.
Line Play Decided This Game
Jets Offensive Line Dominance
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Penalties | 0 |
| Sacks Allowed | 2 |
| Pressures Allowed | 3 |
| Run Yards Before Contact | 3.4 avg |
Zero penalties across 57 snaps. Tyron Smith at left tackle: zero pressures allowed. Joe Tippmann at center: 83.6 PFF grade, highest of any player in the game.
The Jets didn’t just protect Rodgers. They created running lanes when needed. Controlled the line without holding, false starting, or any mental errors.
Tennessee’s Protection Issues
| Titans OL | Sacks Allowed | Pressures | PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petit-Frere | 2 | 5 | 51.5 |
| Skoronski | 1 | 3 | 56.7 |
| Team Total | 4 | 8+ | 62.3 avg |
Four sacks, 22 yards lost. Constant pressure forced Levis into poor decisions. The fumble at the goal line? Pressure up the middle. The interception? Scrambling to avoid a sack.
Red Zone: The Difference
| Team | Trips | TDs | FGs | Failed | Points Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3-7 |
| Titans | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10-14 |
Four red zone trips for Tennessee:
- Q1: Ridley TD ✓
- Q2: Levis fumble ✗
- Q3: Settled for FG
- Q4: McDonald sack ends it ✗
One touchdown in four trips won’t beat anybody.
Complete Game Statistics
Quarterbacks
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rating | Sacked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | 18/30 | 176 | 2 | 0 | 98.7 | 2 |
| Will Levis | 19/28 | 192 | 1 | 1 | 84.2 | 4 |
Rushing Leaders
| Player | Att | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Pollard | 17 | 62 | 3.6 | 15 | 0 |
| Breece Hall | 14 | 62 | 4.4 | 30 | 0 |
| Will Levis | 4 | 38 | 9.5 | 21 | 0 |
| Braelon Allen | 7 | 33 | 4.7 | 20 | 1 |
| Calvin Ridley | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 10 | 1 |
Receiving Leaders
| Player | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvin Ridley | 4 | 77 | 19.3 | 40 | 1 |
| Garrett Wilson | 4 | 57 | 14.3 | 26 | 0 |
| Breece Hall | 7 | 52 | 7.4 | 26 | 1 |
| Tony Pollard | 5 | 40 | 8.0 | 22 | 0 |
Defensive Leaders
| Player | Tackles | Sacks | TOs | PFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamien Sherwood | 12 | 0 | 0 | 82.7 |
| Quincy Williams | 9 | 0 | 1 FR | 78.4 |
| Ernest Jones IV | 8 | 0 | 0 | 79.8 |
| Kenneth Murray Jr | 7 | 0 | 0 | 27.7 |
| Brandin Echols | 5 | 0 | 1 INT | 74.2 |
| Will McDonald IV | 4 | 3 | 0 | 81.3 |
Historical Notes
Braelon Allen Joins Elite Company
Last player younger than Allen (20 years, 237 days) to score from scrimmage: Arnie Herber, November 30, 1930. Herber was 20 years, 44 days old. Went on to win four NFL championships with Green Bay.
Brian Callahan’s Rough Start
First two games as NFL head coach:
- Week 1 at Chicago: Lost 24-17
- Week 2 vs NY Jets: Lost 24-17
Last coach to lose first two games by identical scores: Josh McDaniels, Denver, 2009. McDaniels went 8-8 that season, then 3-9 in 2010 before getting fired.
Moving Forward
Jets (1-1)
Thursday night hosting New England. Short week. Division rival. National TV.
McDonald needs to keep producing without Johnson. Sherwood has to maintain this level replacing Mosley. Allen earned more touches after this performance.
The offensive line gives them a foundation. If they protect like this weekly, Rodgers doesn’t need 300-yard games. Earlier matchups with Buffalo showed similar offensive efficiency winning games.
Titans (0-2)
The talent’s there. Ridley proved it with two touchdowns. Pollard averaged 3.6 yards despite poor blocking. Defense held New York to 265 total yards.
But talent without execution equals losses. Fix the punt protection immediately. Can’t have two blocks in two games. Get Levis cleaner pockets. Four sacks won’t work. Most importantly: stop beating yourselves in the red zone.
Divisional games ahead won’t get easier. Previous struggles against similar competition suggest patterns that need breaking.
Your Questions Answered
How did a 20-year-old dominate NFL veterans?
Braelon Allen touched the ball nine times. Scored twice. The Jets used him in perfect spots: red zone, short yardage, check-downs with room to run. Credit Nathaniel Hackett for perfect play-calling.
Which injury hurts the Jets more long-term?
Jermaine Johnson’s Achilles. Season-ending. He had 7.5 sacks last year. McDonald played great today but asking him to replicate this weekly? Tough ask. Mosley should return after the mini-bye.
What single moment cost Tennessee the game?
The goal-line fumble. Minimum three points wiped away, probably seven. Jets took that gift and turned it into their own touchdown drive. Ten to fourteen point swing right there.
How bad is Tennessee’s punt protection?
Historically awful. Two games, two blocks. Ryan Stonehouse suffered a season-ending injury on a blocked punt last year. Now it’s happening again. That’s coaching, scheme, and execution all failing.
Did the refs impact the outcome?
The Simmons roughing call was correct by rule. Hit Rodgers in the head. That extended a drive that became seven points, but Tennessee can’t blame officials for their 12 other mistakes.
What grade would you give each offensive line?
Jets: A. Zero penalties, two sacks allowed, dominated at point of attack.
Titans: D. Four sacks, constant pressure, multiple penalties declined by Jets.
Can Allen handle a bigger workload?
Twenty snaps, two touchdowns suggests yes. But Hall remains the lead back. Smart usage means keeping Allen fresh for red zone and fourth quarter. Why mess with what worked?
Is Brian Callahan on the hot seat already?
No, but the patterns are concerning. Same score both weeks. Same mistakes. NFL owners have patience for rebuilds, not for repeated failures in winnable games.
Final Stats That Matter
New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans match player stats show what wins NFL games:
Jets: 0 turnovers, 1 blocked punt forced, 50% red zone efficiency
Titans: 2 turnovers, 1 blocked punt allowed, 25% red zone efficiency
Tennessee gained more yards. Controlled time of possession. Had the crowd. Still lost by seven because they beat themselves while the Jets played clean football. In Week 2 of a long season, that’s the difference between 1-1 and 0-2.
Data from NFL.com, ESPN, Pro Football Reference, Jets official site
