The NFL season is only 17 games.
So what happens in Week 2 could mean a great deal down the road.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans won their season openers, so Sunday’s winner in Nashville will own a tiebreaker edge should they vie for the same AFC wild-card spot later in the season.
Their Week 1 victories could not have been any different, though. While the Titans were routing the Oakland Raiders 38-13 at home, the Steelers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 15-9 in overtime at home.
It was an important win for the Steelers as they are without starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was suspended four games after violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
After Sunday, the Steelers play at Tampa Bay and host Baltimore before their bye week. Roethlisberger's first game will be against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 17.
Until Big Ben is on the clock, though, it looks like Dennis Dixon will run the show. He was 18-of-26 for 236 yards with an interception against the Falcons. The Steelers didn't score a touchdown until Rashard Mendenhall's 50-yard run 2:35 into overtime. Mendenhall finished with 120 of the Steelers' 143 rushing yards.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said Dixon did enough things well to earn another start. Backup Byron Leftwich, who has missed time with a sprained left knee, was to return to practice Wednesday.
The Steelers will likely be without starting left tackle Max Starks, who suffered a high ankle sprain against the Falcons.
The Steelers’ defense held the Falcons to 58 yards rushing. But here comes the Titans’ Chris Johnson, who rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders, including a 76-yard TD run.
Johnson has rushed for more than 100 yards in 12 straight games; the Steelers have allowed only four 100-yard rushers since 2005.
Johnson, who rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, is on pace for 2,272 yards. Eric Dickerson holds the NFL record with 2,105 yards in 1984.
Titans quarterback Vince Young was an efficient 13-of-17 for 154 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders, and added a big play of his own, a 56-yard TD strike to Nate Washington as Tennessee scored 24 unanswered points in the first half.
Defensively, Tennessee sacked Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell four times and forced two turnovers.
The Steelers began the Titans’ 0-6 start in 2009 with a 13-10 victory in Pittsburgh. The Titans, who have won seven of their last eight at home, defeated the Steelers 31-14 at Tennessee in 2008.