This was a tale of two halves so let’s look at it that way.
1st Half
Third Down Efficiency: CAR 2-4-50% - TEN 4-9-44%
Average Drive Start: CAR 16 - TEN 42
Red Zone Efficiency: CAR 1-1-100% - TEN 3-5-60%
Turnovers: CAR 2 - TEN 0
Net Yards Rushing: CAR 48 - TEN 113
Net Yards Passing: CAR 88 - TEN 149
So while it is easy to point at the turnovers as killer, and they were, the defense didn’t exactly show out either. The defense, both 1st and 2nd team, gave up chunks of yardage as the Titans rolled down the field.
Things got better in the second half once the 2nd and 3rd team offense got going.
Full Game
Third Down Efficiency: CAR 4-9-44% - TEN 7-16-44%
Average gain per rushing play: CAR 7.6 - TEN 3.6
Avg gain per pass play (inc.# thrown passing): CAR 6.6 - TEN 6.6
Penalties (Number and Yards): CAR 3-24 - TEN 11-93
Red Zone Efficiency: CAR 2-3-67% - TEN 4-6-67%
On the positive side the average yards per rush. The Panthers averaged yards a carry in the 1st half and did even better in the second. In fact everybody carried the ball well except starting RB Jonathan Stewart.
Another positive is this is the second week in a row the Panthers have not been penalized very much. The Panthers had 5 penalties for 42 yards against the Texans so they did even better this week.
So while there is plenty to harp on in this game there is a bright spots. The running game, the offensive line and the the skill players looked the part. If this game counted we would have been thinking we should have won this game even with without Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly.