The Tennessee Titans (2-6) return to Nissan Stadium this week to face the undefeated Carolina Panthers (8-0).
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In both of these games though, criticisms against Newton arose – same as they always seem to do – and detractors seem to have a lot of trouble saying what they really mean.
The Titans were unable to get anything going on offense after halftime, as they tallied only 19 yards and on first down in the third quarter. The Panthers (9-0) extended their league-best winning streak to 13 games.
Notes: Titans interim coach Mike Mularkey said CB Jason McCourty is trying to decide how to proceed with an injured groin after getting varying opinions.
Newton completed 21-of-26 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.
The Panthers would snatch the lead back at 14-7 with a 1-yard Newton TD pass to tight end Ed Dickson at the 13:14 mark of the second quarter. The team record for consecutive completions in a game is 13.
“He did it all game, which I guess that’s acceptable”, Mularkey said. A couple of these games we should have been able to close out and we didn’t. Reggie Wayne and Terrelle Pryor are also available for the picking, but the Nicks is the player that makes the most sense.
The stats say Carolina has so far reduced its longstanding poor pass defense % to the point where they qualify as a legitimate Super Bowl contender if things continue along this path. The sack ratio is a double digit plus, and their DL is indeed one of the best.
“They are not going to come out and roll over and let us squirrel through anybody. Eventually the dam’s going to break”.
Carolina led 17-10 entering the final quarter.
Late in the second quarter it was third down and one at the 37 yard line and they chose to run Dexter McCluster up the middle to get a first down.
In doing so, the Titans have become for the first North American professional sports team to utilize drones for competitive purposes.
He also ran for a touchdown, marking the 30th game Newton scored through the air and the ground. Think about it, the Panthers came from behind to beat the Seahawks in Seattle, then won back-to-back primetime games against the Eagles and Colts, respectively, then held on to beat the Packers in a wild finish last Sunday.
“For the most part, everything was at your hands”, Olsen said. The defense sacked Carolina quarterback Cam Newton five times on Sunday and held the Panthers to just 4.7 yards a play.
Picked up a sack in his third straight game after having none his first six games.
Scoring against the Carolina defense isn’t an easy task, but Marcus Mariota will throw two touchdown passes.
Tennessee’s initial plan of attack was to blitz Newton to put pressure on him and leave it to the defensive backs to make plays in the secondary. Bidi Wreh-Wilson, who started for Cox, left early in the second half with a hamstring injury.
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According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the Titans have lost Justin Hunter for the remainder of the season after the wide receiver suffered a fractured ankle in Week 10. Mularkey said he had no details about Hunter’s injury but said “It’s not good”.
