NASHVILLE, Tenn. – They’ve had all offseason to plan for their opener, but as Mike Vrabel and the Titans put their final touches on the first game plan of 2021, it's probably not what you think.

The Cardinals, like many teams, are starting from close to zero.Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard

There are some basics from last season that are sure to carry over. But with new personnel and a blank sheet, they can do anything, and Tennessee will have to respond and adapt more on Sunday than in most games this season. They are in position to make Arizona do likewise.

We tend to picture whiteboards and iPads filled with months’ worth of ideas for the first game, but it sounds like the buildup to Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium won’t have been like that at all.

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Paul Kuharsky has covered the Tennessee Titans since 1996, first for The Tennessean, then ESPN.com and now independently at paulkuharsky.com. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee and one of the longest-tenured Titans beat reporters in the franchise's history.

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