Panthers @ Titans
Final Score: Titans 17, Panthers 10
Writer: Ben Brown (@BenBrownPL on Twitter)
This was an ugly game. All of the scoring was done by the halfway point of the third quarter, and the rest of the game was a mix of poor quarterback play and good defense. Derrick Henry scored two touchdowns on the ground while Chuba Hubbard scored one of his own. Will Levis didn’t exactly shine, but compared to Bryce Young he was the star on top of a Christmas tree. Levis led them down the field on their first scoring drive, completing all seven passes while looking like a legitimate NFL quarterback. Meanwhile, Young continued his recent struggles and never really looked comfortable.
Two Up
- Derrick Henry – Two early touchdowns on the ground made up for a lack of yardage for much of the game
- Chuba Hubbard – Nothing exciting but he gave you over 20 points in PPR leagues
Three Down
- Adam Thielen – His only catch against one of the league’s worst pass defenses came in the second quarter. He was invisible
- Bryce Young – The rookie struggles are real
- Miles Sanders – He’s just not the dynamic player this team thought he was when they signed him
Carolina Panthers
Quarterback
Bryce Young: 18/31, 194 yards, 4 sacks, fumble (lost) | 3 carries, 23 yards
Pressure. It felt like Young was pressured constantly, and when under duress he simply is not comfortable, nor is he very good. He struggled throwing on the run, while his offensive line struggled to keep a clean pocket for him. He also only looked Adam Thielen‘s way three times, with their only connection coming in the second quarter. Young looked hesitant at times, and I wonder if the game is just moving too fast for him right now. Or, he’s scared for his life behind that putrid offensive line. Either way, this offense is in the midst of some serious troubles and Young needs to get out of his funk sooner than later.
Running Back
Chuba Hubbard: 14 carries, 45 yards, TD | 5 targets, 5 receptions, 47 yards
Hubbard is the lead back but isn’t anything exciting. The receptions are nice for PPR leagues but 25 of his receiving yards came on one play where Tennessee literally didn’t cover the middle of the field at all. He did score his touchdown on 4th and two inside the five yard line, hitting an open hole off the left guard and barreling over two defenders to punch it in. Tennessee’s run defense has struggled this year but they stepped up last week and continued their success again this week. Hubbard isn’t pretty but he’s a useful piece.
Miles Sanders: 15 carries, 28 yards | 1 target
He’s shown flashes at times in recent weeks but not in this one. Sanders struggled to get anything going and looks cooked in this offense.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Adam Thielen: 3 targets, 1 reception, 2 yards
Oof. Adam Thielen has been one of the best fantasy WRs this season and was a late round selection in many drafts. His first and only catch came early in the second quarter. That was essentially the end of his day. Bryce Young was constantly under pressure by the Tennessee defense, and he did plenty of off-balance throws and dump offs. I saw Thielen open underneath in the flat a handful of times but Young was simply either looking downfield or scrambling to the other side of the field. Young has really struggled in recent weeks and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it has coincided with Thielen’s lack of involvement.
Jonathan Mingo: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 60 yards
Mingo had a 24 yard catch and run early in the game. He also had… whatever this is.
I just love mingo ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/HhAYzKuCK0
— Jacob Cleckler (@Jcleckler1234) November 26, 2023
DJ Chark Jr.: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 34 yards
Ihmir Smith-Marsette: 1 target, 1 reception, 14 yards
Stephen Sullivan: 1 target, 1 reception, 13 yards
Sullivan made a fantastic diving catch in traffic to convert 4th and long. I’ve been impressed by Sullivan each time I’ve seen him play this season. He’s a name worth watching.
Ian Thomas: 1 target, 1 reception, 9 yards
Laviska Shenault Jr.: 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards
Tommy Tremble: 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback
Will Levis: 18/28, 185 yards, sack | 3 carries, -3 yards
Will Levis didn’t blow me away in this game, but he flashed at times and showed that he has the makings of a competent NFL quarterback. On Tennessee’s second drive of the game, Levis completed all seven of his passes and did a nice job of picking apart Carolina’s zone defense, while also standing in taking a couple hits. It led to a Derrick Henry touchdown. Just before the half, Levis threw a bullet to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to get the Titans into field goal range, which Nick Folk then promptly converted for three points. It wasn’t a perfect day, as Levis had two throws that should have been intercepted by my count, including one where he focused in on DeAndre Hopkins and let the linebacker read his eyes. The LB jumped the route and almost made a diving interception. All in all, Levis did more to help than hurt in this game and it helped lead Tennessee to a win.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: 18 carries, 76 yards, 2 TD | 2 targets, 1 reception, 0 yards
Derrick Henry has not been his usual self this year. It was much of the same in this game, as he struggled to earn big chunk plays for much of the day. Panthers DT Derrick Brown did a tremendous job of eating up offensive linemen like they were lucky charms, and he was constantly stuffing Henry and pressuring Levis all day long. Henry did score two touchdowns on the day, salvaging what would have been an otherwise lackluster fantasy day. He also made up for a poor yardage day with 26 yards on Tennessee’s second to last drive while trying to burn clock, including an 18 yard scamper down the sideline where he looked like the King Henry of old. Hopefully he can turn back the clock next week against the Colts.
Tyjae Spears: 2 carries, 6 yards | 3 targets, 1 reception, 1 yard
Wide Receiver/Tight End
DeAndre Hopkins: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 49 yards
DeAndre Hopkins started this game off with a 19 yard reception. After that he was mostly invisible. Will Levis spread the ball around and almost threw an interception the one time he focused in on Hopkins right from the snap. Carolina’s defense is surprisingly stingy, especially against the pass, and Levis was pressured often in this game. I can’t say it directly led to Hopkins not being targeted more than five times, but it certainly didn’t help.
Chigoziem Okonkwo: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 45 yards
Okonkwo had one notable catch inside the five yard line on a ball that was floated his way thanks to a big hit on Levis by Brian Burns. Levis wasn’t quite able to get everything on it that he wanted to, and had he gotten the ball to Okonkwo sooner it likely would have been a touchdown, as Okonkwo had room to run. That room disappeared as the ball hung in the air, but he still made the catch and had a chance to dive at the pylon, unsuccessfully.
Chris Moore: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 41 yards | 1 carry, 1 yard
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 41 yards
Josh Whyle: 1 target, 1 reception, 11 yards
Kyle Philips: 2 targets, 1 reception, -3 yards