The New York Jets evened their record at 1-1 with a gritty 24-17 victory over the Titans on Sunday in Nashville. Playing their second road game in six days, the Green & White broke a fourth-quarter tie on Braelon Allen’s 20-yard scoring run with 4:31 remaining and the defence made it stand in the final seconds.

The Jets rebounded from a rough start and got contributions from all three phases in the victory as Aaron Rodgers threw TD passes to RBs Allen and Breece Hall, the defence recorded two takeaways and Irvin Charles chipped in with a blocked punt on special teams. Rodgers moved to 6-0 in his NFL career after a Week 1 loss with 16 TDs and 1 INT. Allen’s game-winning score followed two critical Rodgers’ connections – a 26-yarder to Garrett Wilson on third-and-1 and then a 19-yarder to Mike Williams along the visiting sideline on second-and-16.

With the Titans desperate, QB Will Levis moved the offence to the NYJ 8. But the Jets stiffened as Will McDonald got a critical sack on third down and Tony Adams sealed the victory with a pass breakup in the waning seconds. Rodgers kneeled on the final snap and the Jets celebrated in the Music City before a large contingent of fans.

“From a defensive standpoint, the D-Line is the heartbeat of our team,” HC Robert Saleh said. “We go as they go, and they just kept fighting. I thought Will McDonald was unbelievable. … We fought and we kept swinging. We knew today wasn’t going to be easy with all the travel but credit our guys that they kept answering the bell.”

It was a game defensive effort for the Jets that lined up without veteran CB D.J. Reed and lost Pro Bowl edge Jermaine Johnson to an Achilles tendon injury in the third quarter. LB C.J. Mosley also missed most of the game after sustaining an injury to his right toe. McDonald had a breakthrough performance with 3 sacks as Tennessee converted on just 1 of 4 in the red zone.

Trailing 10-7 at half time, the Jets seized control in the third stanza. Plagued by penalties in the first half, the Jets got some good fortune when DT Jeffrey Simmons was called for roughing the passer on Rodgers. The defender’s contact with the QB’s helmet negated a third-down incompletion and kept a drive alive. Then Hall took over, ripping off a 30-yard run down the sideline before making like a receiver and high-pointing a 26-yard scoring toss from Rodgers. The Jets had their first lead at 14-10.

That was followed by Greg Zuerlein’s 33-yard field goal, giving the Jets a 17-10 advantage. But the Titans had an answer as Calvin Ridley made a sensational diving 40-yard grab off a vertical pass from Levis.

“We flashed today, and I thought we played well but we were still just a little off,” Hall said. “We are getting close and that is most exciting thing. You got to grow from the losses and the wins. It was a good win today but I still feel like I left a play or two out there and I know the O-Line are the biggest critics of themselves. So it will be cool to get in there and watch it again and learn from it and be ready for Thursday.”

Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter, the Jets offense found its footing on a 12-play, 73-yard march that was ignited by Rodgers’ 8-yard strike to Allen Lazard on third-and-8. Rodgers later connected with Wilson for a 17-yard gain before the two kept the drive going with a third-down conversion. Following the two-minute warning, Rodgers faked a short pass right and came back to rookie Allen who raced in from 12 yards out.

“I feel like all game, we were frustrated at times, but never got down on each other,” Rodgers said. ” It felt like we were supportive and positive, even though we were frustrated. I was frustrated not getting [Garrett] enough balls. And we didn’t run the ball very well for the two and a half quarters. We stayed confident and defence came up with a couple really big plays in the first half to keep it at one score game.”

A week after blowing a 17-point lead against the Bears, the Titans struck first again, against the Jets. They drove 68 yards in 9 plays, ending the 6:38 possession on Ridley’s 10-yard end around past the pylon. The Jets committed three infractions on the drive as two calls were enforced and a Levis to Ridley 15-yard conversion on a third-and-5 gave the home club early momentum.

The defence took another blow in the second quarter when Mosley was carted off the field. While he was replaced in the lineup by Jamien Sherwood, the Jets stayed in the game early with a pair of takeaways. Levis panicked on a third-down red zone play, lateraling a ball in the direction of Tyjae Spears but Quincy Williams recovered for the visitors. After a Jets’ three-and-out, CB Brandin Echols intercepted a long Levis force attended for Treylon Burks.

Nick Folk’s 41-yard field goal gave the Titans a 10-7 lead at halftime, but the Jets were outgained 152 to 93 in the first two quarters. Rodgers and the offense totaled 265 yards but they made the plays when the game was on the line.

Jetcetera

With D.J. Reed (knee) out of the lineup, Brandin Echols got the start opposite Sauce Gardner. Echols was credited with 5 tackles and an INT. … Repacking MLB C.J. Mosley (toe), Jamien Sherwood totaled 9 tackles and 2 TFL… Will McDonald recorded the first 3-sack game of his career while DT Solomon Thomas added one. … The scoring receptions from Braelon Allen and Breece Hall were the first time since 1994 two Jets RBs had receiving scores in the same game . … The Jets return to action Thursday night for their home opener when they begin division play against the New England Patriots.