Titans Looking for Jolt Against Last-Place Panthers
Panthers vs Titans Spreads: Projected Total Among Lowest on Board
The Carolina Panthers, owners of the NFL’s worst record, visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday (1 p.m. ET).
A majority of bettors are understandably siding with the Titans, who have climbed to 3.5-point favorites (-110) and -185 on the moneyline. The Panthers, meanwhile, are +3.5 (-110) on the NFL betting lines and +160 to win outright. The projected total is 37 (-110 Over, -110 Under).
Will the Panthers’ struggles continue? Read on as we break down both teams and analyze the Panthers vs Titans spreads in our NFL game preview.
Carolina Panthers vs Tennessee Titans 
Day/Time:
Location: Nissan Stadium; Nashville, Tenn.
Streaming: FOX
Panthers vs Titans Betting Trends
The Carolina Panthers are 1-7-2 against the spread, including 1-4 away from home. Their 12.5% cover rate is the lowest in the NFL. The total has gone Under in seven of their 10 games.
The Tennessee Titans have fared slightly better with a 4-6 record ATS, including 3-1 at home. But they’re just 1-5 ATS over their last six games. Additionally, the total has gone Under in seven of their 10 games.
That’s important to remember when assessing the Panthers vs Titans spreads.
New QB, Same Stale Offense
After guiding the Tennessee Titans to a win in his NFL debut, 28-23 over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, rookie Will Levis has lost his last three starts. That includes a 34-14 setback against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, in which the second-rounder out of Kentucky threw for two touchdowns but finished with only 158 yards passing. The Titans, 6.5-point underdogs, fell behind 13-0 at halftime before the deficit ballooned to 27-0 in the third quarter.
The Titans are now in last place in the AFC South, sitting at 3-7. While nobody’s necessarily run away with the division, oddsmakers have already all but written the Titans off for the playoffs. Case in point: They’re a +1800 longshot to qualify.
Realistically, there’s no improvement in sight. Despite having a few aging yet quality playmakers in Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins, the Titans haven’t been able to move the ball with any consistency. Their offense is among the least productive in the NFL, ranking bottom 10 in both points per game (16.8) and yards per game (286). It’s why they’ve decided to fully hand the reins to Levis after riding with Ryan Tannehill.
Accordingly, the total has gone Under in 11 of Tennessee’s last 14 games, including seven times this season. Its 70% rate is tied for the fourth highest in the league. Keep that in mind when analyzing the Panthers vs Titans spreads.
Panthers Residing in the NFL Basement
Is there any saving the Carolina Panthers? Probably not. The Panthers dropped to 1-9 last week following their 33-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. An 11-point underdog, the Panthers trailed 17-10 early in the fourth quarter before the Cowboys ripped off 16 unanswered points to cover the spread.
Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, continues to struggle mightily. He’s been held under 200 yards passing for three straight games and is averaging just 5.3 yards per attempt on the season. That ranks last among all regular starters.
As if owning the NFL’s worst record isn’t bad enough, Carolina no longer owns its first-round pick for 2024. That was shipped to the Chicago Bears as part of a package in exchange for Young.
Projected for 7.5 wins, the Panthers must go undefeated for the remainder of the regular season to cash in on expectations. That obviously won’t happen. Based on what we’ve seen so far, Carolina will struggle to win one or two more games, let alone seven. Things are that dire.
Like Tennessee, Carolina has been held back by an underperforming offense. The Panthers are averaging the second fewest yards per game (266.7) in the league, ahead of only the New York Giants (262.2). They’re 29th in scoring (16.3 PPG).
Handicapping the Game
Offense will be at a premium. Both teams are averaging fewer than 17 points per game. That explains why the projected total is 37, among the lowest on the board for Week 12.
While the Titans have been unreliable ATS this season (4-6), they’re still nowhere near as futile as the Panthers. It’s hard to put any trust in Carolina at the moment.
If Tennessee is wise, it’ll continue to ride Henry, who’s maintained his place among the NFL rushing leaders. Score some points, bleed the clock, then let your defense do the rest. That should be enough to take care of business against the lowly Panthers.
For betting odds and analysis for NFL matchups this week, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
