Monday night marks the fifth straight year the Buffalo Bills will have played the Tennessee Titans. This matchup is always one of the tougher games on the schedule and two Bills players who have connections to Tennessee feel that will be the case again on Monday night.
Jones' reunion with the Titans
When the Bills suited up against the Titans in recent seasons, defensive tackle DaQuan Jones was on the sideline opposite the one he's on now. Jones spent six seasons in Tennessee and now, he's preparing to go up against his former team for the first time as a member of the Bills.
"We know this heated rivalry is getting more attention and getting more head of steam," Jones said. "To be on this side it feels kind of funny. At the same time, I'm excited to go out there and see it from this point of view."
Jones has seen firsthand the challenge running back Derrick Henry forces onto teams every time he steps on the field. From teammate to now opponent, Jones will be responsible for stopping the RB, which he knows isn't an easy task.
"The challenge for us is going to be the mindset," Jones said. "We're going to have to go in there and dominate our opponent in one-on-one matchups. And if we do that, we're going to be alright."
Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Titans head coach Mike Vrabel praised the great teammate and person Jones is on and off the field. McDermott went on to share that his lead-by-example approach has fit right into the Bills defense.
"He's been very solid, very steady in his approach day to day, and he's a pro," McDermott said. "He's strong fundamentally and he comes to work every day, and there's a lot to be said for that."
"I think DaQuan has improved since the day he got into the NFL," Vrabel said. "I got a lot of respect for him as a person and as a player, and it looks like he's continuing to do that and help in Buffalo."
The DE is closer to his hometown of Johnson City, NY now that he's in Buffalo and about 25 members of his family will be in town for Monday night's game, which rarely happened when he was playing in Tennessee and Carolina.
"It's going to be exciting to have everybody out here and to be able to see everybody," Jones said. "To have all my family come up here is going to be pretty fun."
Knox knows the challenge of facing his hometown team
Tight end Dawson Knox, a Brentwood, TN native, naturally grew up a Titans fan. Before he became a Buffalo Bill, Knox would tune into Titans games to watch Eddie George, Steve McNair, Blaine Bishop, and Frank Wycheck.
Now, Knox is ready to go up against his hometown team in a primetime matchup on Monday in search of the Bills' first win against the Titans in two seasons.
"It's always going to be in the back of your mind how the last year or two have gone with that opponent," Knox said." There's a little extra chip on our shoulder."
The Bills fell just short to the Titans last season 34-31. As a team that always presents a challenge to the Bills, Knox knows his team will face yet another one when they go up against his hometown team on Monday.
"We're looking forward to kind of getting some of that bad taste out of our mouths from last year, and especially me personally as the hometown team," Knox said. "I didn't even get to finish last year's game because of the broken hand, so definitely itching to get back out for this one."
A fond memory from Knox's rookie year was when the Bills went into Nashville and defeated the Titans 14-7 in 2019. Knox described this moment as an incredible feeling and one that he looks to repeat in Week 2.
"The last two years they've had our number, so we have all the respect for them," Knox said. "But we're really looking forward to the challenge this year."
Scroll to see photos as the Buffalo Bills prepare for the Monday Night Football matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
Spencer Brown. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Rodger Saffold (76). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Damar Hamlin (3). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Baylon Spector (54). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tim Settle (99). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jordan Phillips (97). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Marcus West, A.J. Epenesa (57), C.J. Brewer (98). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Von Miller (40). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tommy Sweeney (89). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Isaiah McKenzie (6). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Devin Singletary (26). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Matt Milano (58). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
A.J. Epenesa (57). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Shaq Lawson (90). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jamison Crowder (80). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Stefon Diggs (14). Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tommy Doyle (72). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Greg Van Roten (75). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Rodger Saffold (76). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Isaiah Hodgins (16). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Mike Love (56). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Isaiah Hodgins (16). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jamison Crowder (80). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jamison Crowder (80). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
James Cook (28). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Gabe Davis (13). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Khalil Shakir (10) Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Isaiah Hodgins (16). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Rodger Saffold (76), C.J. Brewer (98). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jamison Crowder (80), Siran Neal (33). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jordan Poyer (21), Micah Hyde (23). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Isaiah McKenzie (6), Taron Johnson (7). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
James Cook (28). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Dion Dawkins (73). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Baylon Spector (54), Devin Singletary (26). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49), Bobby Hart (68). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jordan Phillips (97). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Matt Milano (58). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Zack Moss (20). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Matt Barkley (11). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Kaiir Elam (24). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Prince Emili (94). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
DaQuan Jones (92). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tommy Doyle (72), Alec Anderson (70), Ryan Van Demark (74), Ryan Wendell, Greg Van Roten (75), Aaron Kromer. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Von Miller (40). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Terrel Bernard (43). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Taiwan Jones (25), Von Miller (40). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Case Keenum (18), Brandon Beane. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49) interception. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49) interception. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49) interception. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49) interception. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49) interception. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tavon Austin (86), Taron Johnson (7). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Gabe Davis (13), Tyler Matakevich (44). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Ken Dorsey. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jordan Poyer (21), Matt Milano (58). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Siran Neal (33), Damar Hamlin (3). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
James Cook (28). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tommy Doyle (72), Aaron Kromer. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Taron Johnson (7). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Terrel Bernard (43). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Reggie Gilliam (41). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Micah Hyde (23). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jaquan Johnson (4). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Dane Jackson (30). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47), Leslie Frazier. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Defensive line. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Dane Jackson (30), Stefon Diggs (14) Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Ryan Van Demark (74). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jordan Poyer (21), Micah Hyde (23), Taron Johnson (7). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tommy Sweeney (89), Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Defensive backs. Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Matt Milano (58). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Jamison Crowder (80), Tavon Austin (86). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Siran Neal (33). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tyler Bass (2), Sam Martin (8), Reid Ferguson (69), Jim Salgado, Siran Neal (33), Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
Tremaine Edmunds (49). Buffalo Bills Week 2 practice, September 14, 2022 at One Bills Drive.
