Carolina Panthers vs Tennessee Titans Point Spread Picks

It's been a lost season for Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill losing his starting job and rookie Will Levis cooling off substantially after his spectacular NFL debut against Atlanta on Oct. 29. The Titans are No. 27 in the NFL scoring only 16.8 points per game and No. 27 in passing with 181.0 yards and the Titans have lost six of eight and three in a row following a 34-14 defeat at Jacksonville on Sunday. Levis was 13 of 17 for 158 yards with two TDs and the Titans were outgained 389-235. Tennessee is 6-2 UNDER its past eight games and Carolina has gone UNDER four in a row and six straight November games. The Panthers also are 4-0 UNDER following a double-digit home loss and 7-3-1 ATS in that situation. Tennessee is just 1-5 ATS its past six games and laying points is not recommended even against Carolina. Take the Panthers as a Max Play and the UNDER as a Max Play.

Carolina ran into a buzz saw at San Francisco last week, but the Panthers are still 4-3 and in second place in the NFC South. Kyle Allen lost his first game in five starts and he'll start this week against Tennessee. Allen hadn't thrown an interception until he was picked off three times by the 49ers' superior pass defense. The Titans are only #16 in passing yards allowed and they were fortunate to beat the Buccaneers when an inadvertent whistle cost Tampa Bay a fumble return. Also, Tennessee took advantage of four turnovers and Jameis Winston threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Tannehill has started two games for the Titans and he has five touchdown passes and two interceptions while throwing for 649 yards. However, Carolina still has the fifth best defense in the NFL in yards allowed even after last week's performance and also fifth in pass defense. It's very common for a team that has been embarrassed to come up big the following game and that's what will happen here. Play the Panthers on the moneyline. Also take the OVER. This total is set low. Yes, Tennessee games are low-scoring, but Carolina's are high-scoring (52 points per game) and this one is in their house. Under Ron Rivera, the Panthers are 21-11 to the OVER in games with a total set between 35.5 and 42. They are also 56-44 OVER under Rivera when playing without extended rest. Also under Rivera, this team is 11-2 OVER vs. good defensive teams like Tennessee (teams allowing 17 or fewer points per game) and 19-7 OVER after scoring 14 or fewer points last game. Back the home team and the OVER.

Carolina won by 10 points at home in Week 1 over Houston. However, the team showed plenty of the cracks that were exposed in last season's 6-10 flop. Houston had 153 yards rushing (6.4 yards per carry) and 257 yards passing, much of it from rookie QB Deshaun Watson. Quarterback Cam Newton (shoulder soreness) is ailing, shaky even in practice, and won't play. He underwent offseason surgery in March to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. Tennessee plays hard for coach Mike Mularkey and this is its preseason home opener. Last week QB Marcus Mariota saw his first action since breaking a leg last season and played well as the offense had 136 yards rushing, 6.5 yards per carry. Tennessee's defense was in mid-season form, holding the Jets to seven points, 56 yards rushing on 31 carries (1.8 ypc).  A year ago in the first preseason home game, the Titans crushed San Diego, 27-10, with a whopping 288 yards (8.7 ypc). Play Tennessee. 

The Carolina Panthers have turned in a perfect card for the first half of the season at 8-0. The Carolina offense is perhaps the most underrated unit in the NFL. They rank #4 with 28.9 points per game scored, on pace to eclipse the franchise record set all the way back in 1999. Cam Newton is healthy, and it shows, as he has accounted for 19 TDs on the season. The Panthers have run for over 100 yards in every game as well, getting great balance. They remain as only one of three NFL teams that have scored 20 points or more in every game. Tennessee has played six games behind Marcus Mariota and has averaged 24.3 ppg in the six, but the Titans are allowing 26.2 ppg in those six, and the wins have been hard to come by. Both of these teams are underrated for what they have done offensively on the season. The Panthers are 9-1 to the OVER after allowing 250+ in the air in their previous game, while the Titans 4-0 to the OVER in their last four after allowing 350+ total yards in their previous contest. This one finishes OVER.