NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Carolina Panthers defense forced the Tennessee Titans to punt on every single drive of the second half, but Bryce Young and the Panthers were unable to put together a game-tying drive.
With three minutes remaining in the game, the Panthers had one final chance to tie the game after a big defensive stop. On the would-be clutch drive the Panthers completed three passes without gaining a first down because of a sack that killed any momentum the drive had. Game over.
The loss drops the Panthers to 1-10, the team's worst record since 2010. The Panthers have not scored 20 points in a game since the team lost 42-21 to the Miami Dolphins in Week 6.
Tennessee scored first with a 15-play, 91-yard drive in the first quarter that ended with a short Derrick Henry rushing score. The Panthers answered with a long drive of their own that stalled in opponent territory after a holding penalty. Carolina settled for an Eddy Piñeiro field goal.
The Panthers defense forced the Titans into a quick three-and-out on the next drive but Young fumbled while being sacked on the ensuing drive and set Tennessee up with great field position. The Titans capitalized with another Henry touchdown to take a 14-3 lead.
Young and the Panthers failed to pick up a first down the rest of the first half and went into the locker room down 17-3, marking the seventh time in 11 games that the Panthers have trailed at halftime.
The Panthers opened the second half with a lengthy drive that ended with a Chuba Hubbard rushing score on 4th down from the Tennessee 5-yard line. The score was just the third rushing touchdown of the season for the Panthers, a category the team ranks second-last in.
The rest of the second half saw the teams trade punts, three for Carolina's Johnny Hekker, and four for Tennessee's Ryan Stonehouse, who beat an 82-year-old record held by Sammy Baugh in 2022 with the all-time single-season yards per punt total. Stonehouse's presence certainly helped flip field position in the Titans' favor.
Young completed 18 of 31 passes for 194 yards passing. Hubbard led the Panthers with 45 yards rushing as the team rushed for just 96 yards.
On the other side, rookie Will Levis had 185 yards passing. Henry had 76 yards rushing with two touchdowns.
The Panthers' search No. 2 takes them to Florida next week as Carolina faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a divisional showdown.