As the New York Jets get ready for their Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, the goal is simple: win at all costs.

While that much is clear, New York’s ideal game plan is challenging to project, as the Titans’ exact offensive and defensive schemes are unknown. Next Sunday will mark their first game with a new coaching staff in place after firing Brian Callahan during the 2025 season.

Of course, Robert Saleh’s first matchup against the Jets since his 2024 firing will generate much of the attention. Despite that, the real wild card with the Titans is their offense.

Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Cam Ward, is getting ready for his second NFL season after a rough preseason, and he is now paired with former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator and New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

Can Daboll unlock Ward? How will he manage his personnel? Those questions remain unanswered as Week 1 approaches.

In the meantime, let’s take a look at Daboll’s personnel tendencies from his four seasons as the Giants’ head coach to see what the Jets may have to game-plan against.

Daboll’s personnel tendencies

Personnel groupings are identified by the number of running backs (first digit) and tight ends (second digit) on the field. For example, 11 personnel includes one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers. Meanwhile, 12 personnel includes one running back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers.

Here is a look at how frequently the Giants used each major set during Daboll’s four seasons with the organization, compared with the corresponding NFL average that season, per SumerSports.

Note: Daboll was fired after Week 10 of the 2025 season. The 2025 numbers represent the Giants’ entire season, so they can’t be fully attributed to just him.

Heavy 11 personnel

The clearest trend is Daboll’s use of 11 personnel.

The Giants finished above the league average in 11 personnel usage in all four seasons he was with the organization.

That includes particularly high marks in 2023 and 2024, when the Giants used it 71.05% and 73.38% of the time, respectively, compared to the league averages of 62.28% and 61.06%.

When looking at Tennessee’s current supporting cast, coupled with Daboll’s history, the Jets should be facing a lot of 11-personnel looks in Week 1. The Titans paired veteran Calvin Ridley with fourth-overall pick Carnell Tate and $70 million free agent signing Wan’Dale Robinson, who followed Daboll from the Giants.

However, that doesn’t particularly help their quarterback, Ward. Living in 11 personnel would space the field out, but it could also expose him to disguised coverages and lure him into poor decisions.

Now, there is obviously more nuance to it. Not every snap with three WRs on the field needs to indicate an obvious passing situation. That is where creativity comes into play. Daboll can test the Jets’ defense through the air early, then run the ball against lighter looks, while using pre-snap motion to his advantage.

There should be no shortage of 11 personnel snaps in Week 1.

Look out for 12 personnel

The more interesting question is how frequently Tennessee will utilize 12 personnel.

Last season, the Titans only rolled with two-tight-end looks on 16.53% of their snaps, which ranked 25th in the league. By comparison, the Giants finished seventh at 32.53%, nearly doubling the Titans’ rate.

Again, Daboll was fired after Week 10, so that mark is not solely his. However, he was their head coach and play-caller for the majority of the season, and typically, after coaching changes, the core of the system remains in place for the remainder of the season.

While there should be a lot of 11 personnel, just like every other opponent, keep an eye on the two tight ends. The way Tennessee attacked the offseason indicates they could be using 12 personnel way more than they did last year.

The Titans signed former Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger in free agency, who overlapped with Daboll for all four of his seasons with the Giants. They also have Gunnar Helm, a 2025 fourth-round pick who is expected to take a Year 2 jump.

Bellinger is very familiar with Daboll’s system, while Helm is expected to take on an increased role in the team’s passing attack after a 357-yard rookie season with 44 receptions in 16 games.

The appeal of 12 personnel is that it creates so many more opportunities for the offense, depending on the group that the defense deploys.

Without a doubt, the matchup will be a chess match between Daboll and Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who is entering his first season as the team’s defensive play caller.

What this means for the Jets

Daboll’s history, along with Tennessee’s roster, gives the Jets a pretty good idea of what’s coming. The Titans should be running a ton of 11 personnel. When Daboll wants a different look, he will probably go with 12 personnel.

The biggest key for the Jets is that they can’t assume that three receivers immediately indicate a passing play. Daboll has no fear of running the football.

The same goes for 12 personnel. At first glance, two tight ends look like a run-heavy package, but look at the way Bellinger was used by the Giants. He played a legitimate role in the receiving game at times.

With the Giants, he lined up everywhere. Despite mostly playing inline, he also lined up in the slot, out wide, and in the backfield. He is a player to keep an eye on.

Every Jets fan knows what Saleh can carve up defensively, but Daboll is the coach that fans should be curious about entering Week 1.