Titans hope being home again helps against the struggling Panthers

Updated Nov. 24, 2023 10:02 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CAROLINA (1-9) at TENNESSEE (3-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.

OPENING LINE: Titans by 4, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Carolina 1-7-2; Tennessee 4-6.

SERIES RECORD: Tied 3-3.

LAST MEETING: Panthers won 30-20 on Nov. 3, 2019, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

LAST WEEK: Panthers lost 33-10 to Cowboys; Titans lost 34-14 to Jaguars.

PANTHERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (29), PASS (28), SCORING (29)

PANTHERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (6), RUSH (24), PASS (6), SCORING (31)

TITANS OFFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (19), PASS (27), SCORING (26T)

TITANS DEFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (17), PASS (20), SCORING (17)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Panthers minus-6; Titans minus-5.

PANTHERS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Adam Thielen. The 33-year-old wide receiver has been the best player this season for the struggling Panthers. Thielen has 76 catches for 726 yards despite playing for an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in almost every statistical category. Thielen has shown a knack for making big plays. His 18 third-down receptions resulting in a first down are second in the league behind only Keenan Allen (19). He also had two chain-moving fourth-down catches last week against Dallas.

TITANS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Derrick Henry. The two-time NFL rushing champ needs just 2 yards Sunday to become the 38th player in NFL history with 9,000 yards rushing in his career. But he would be just the eighth to reach that mark along with 80 rushing TDs before turning 30, joining Adrian Peterson and six now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, LaDainian Tomlinson, Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk.

KEY MATCHUP: Titans' pass rush vs. Panthers' offensive line: The Panthers' O-line has struggled all season to protect the quarterback, allowing 39 sacks this season — fourth most in the league. Rookie QB Bryce Young has been sacked 36 times in nine starts, including seven times last week by Dallas. Even when Young isn't being sacked, he's almost always under pressure. The Titans aren't exactly a pass rush juggernaut with 25 sacks, but that may not matter. Surely their coaches will find a way to attack this offensive line.

KEY INJURIES: The Panthers had hoped starting CB Jaycee Horn would return for the first time since hurting a hamstring Week 1, but he's doubtful. CB CJ Henderson (concussion) also is doubtful. TE Hayden Hurst will miss a second straight game in the concussion protocol. OG Austin Corbett is out for the season with a knee issue. S Jeremy Chinn (quadriceps) and OLB Yetur Gross-Matos is out after hurting a hamstring at practice this week. ... Titans WR Treylon Burks will miss his third straight game because he's still in the concussion protocol. RT Chris Hubbard (biceps) is out and will be replaced by Dillon Radunz. Rookie Jaelyn Duncan will start at LT even with Andre Dillard clearing concussion protocol. CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (right thumb) is back after missing two games.

SERIES NOTES: The Panthers have won two straight between the teams. The Titans haven't beaten Carolina in Nashville since the 2007 season with a 20-7 win.

STATS AND STUFF: These are two of the NFL's three teams still winless away from home. The Titans are 0-6 while the Panthers are 0-5. ... With nine losses, the Panthers are assured their sixth straight losing season since David Tepper purchased the team in 2019. ... The Panthers have scored only three offensive touchdowns in the last four games. ... Young is 1-8 as the team's starter and has nearly as many interceptions (eight) as touchdown passes (nine). The Panthers have scored more than 21 points in only one game with the No. 1 pick under center. ... Young has thrown three pick-6s in the last three games, including two against the Indianapolis Colts. ... RB Miles Sanders saw an increased role in the running game last week against Dallas after Frank Reich resumed play-calling duties. Sanders, who has been virtually nonexistent this season, had 11 carries to Chuba Hubbard's 10. ... Behind Thielen, DJ Chark has been the team's second-most productive receiver, with 17 catches for 229 yards and three TDs. ... The Titans are 62-39 at home against NFC teams since moving into their current stadium for the 1999 season. ... Titans QB Will Levis will become the fifth rookie in franchise history to start at least five games, joining Dan Pastorini (1971), Vince Young (2006), Zach Mettenberger (2014) and Marcus Mariota (2015). ... WR DeAndre Hopkins needs 52 yards receiving to become the 29th player in NFL history with 12,000 for his career. He also needs five receptions to become the 25th with 900 career catches. Reaching both marks along with the 75 TD receptions Hopkins already has would make him only the fifth NFL player with that trio of stats within his first 11 seasons, joining Marvin Harrison, Jerry Rice, Brandon Marshall and Larry Fitzgerald. ... Titans WR Chris Moore is set to play his 100th career NFL game. ... DL Denico Autry needs two sacks to become the franchise's first player since Jevon Kearse between 1999 and 2001 with eight or more sacks in three consecutive seasons. ... K Nick Folk has made an NFL-record 74 straight field goals from less than 40 yards.

FANTASY TIP: Henry is averaging 116.7 yards from scrimmage in three games at home this season. He also has run for at least 100 yards in each of the last two home games.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL