The Carolina Panthers have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, as they went 15-1 and advanced to the Super Bowl in 2016. Their starters are much more talented than that of the Tennessee Titans, but Week 2 of the preseason isn’t always a time when high-end talent is most important. Carolina star quarterback Cam Newton may not see a bunch of playing time, which could give the Titans a window to emerge victorious playing at home.
This Week 2 preseason duel will be held on Saturday, August 20th, 2016, at 3 p.m. ET at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Carolina Panthers +1
Tennessee Titans -1
Over/Under 41.5
Odds Analysis
This wouldn’t be close to the line in the regular season, but the Panthers know what they have at many positions and don’t need to see a bunch out of players like Cam Newton, running back Jonathan Stewart, linebacker Luke Kuechly or defensive tackle Kawann Short. The preseason is a time for backups to prove their cases, which gives the Titans as good of a chance to win this one. Tennessee will have a better chance if starting quarterback Marcus Mariota gets significant snaps.
Quarterback Rotation
Cam Newton didn’t play much in the preseason opener, a 22-19 loss to the Ravens, but did finish 5-of-6 for 36 yards. He is the reigning NFL MVP and has proven himself as a league superstar. Newton doesn’t need a ton of time in the preseason as the Panthers just want to make sure he’s ready to go for 2016.
Backup quarterback Derek Anderson is a journeyman who is nothing more than an emergency replacement in the event of an injury to Newton. Anderson was 7-of-14 for 93 yards and a touchdown against Baltimore.
The Panthers’ third-string quarterback is Joe Webb, who was 9-of-16 for 89 yards against the Ravens. Carolina doesn’t have a great reserve signal-caller situation behind Newton, although the Titans’ secondary isn’t very impressive either.
The Titans’ Mariota was 5-of-5 for 45 yards in the first game, a nice start and one he hopes to build upon. Matt Cassel is the new backup instead of Zach Mettenberger, and he went 3-of-5 for 55 yards in his debut. Tennessee’s third quarterback is Alex Tanney, who was 6-of-10 for 67 yards against the Chargers.
Mariota could see more time under center in this game as he ramps up for the regular season, and it will be interesting to see how he does against an elite Panthers defense.
Coaching History
Panthers coach Ron Rivera is 11-10 in his preseason coaching career. Last year’s preseason was a harbinger of a regular season to come as Carolina went 3-1 before a 15-1 heading into the regular season.
Titans coach Mike Mularkey is 7-6 in his career in his preseason, although he’s been really good of late. Mularkey went 3-1 in the preseason in 2012 and is now 1-0 in 2016 after an impressive opening win over the Chargers.
Free ATS Pick
The Panthers could very well take another step forward and win the Super Bowl this year. The team has that much talent. However, the group is so established that there’s not much to prove in the preseason, meaning players like Newton and Kuechly could just see a little bit of playing time. The Titans, meanwhile, are trying to jell a team together as it aims to improve during the regular season. There is plenty on the shoulders of Mariota. If he has a good game and some of the youngsters excel as they see a good amount of playing time, Tennessee could emerge victorious in this home contest in NFL odds.
NFL Odds: Titans 21, Panthers 13
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