Carolina vs Tennessee Preseason Week 2 Expert Pick

The Tennessee Titans host the Carolina Panthers in the second week of the NFL’s 2016 preseason. If you think that the NFL odds on this game are insane, just remember that the preseason is when a lot of teams are tinkering with their rosters rather than trying to win games. Even so, the Titans were impressive running the ball against San Diego in their Week 1 win — and the Panthers surrendered a ton of running yards to Baltimore in their preseason opener.

Closer Look at the Carolina vs Tennessee Preseason Week 2 Expert Pick

We’re happy to be home, but the work is far from done Practice Recap » https://t.co/BZczTJmQ4N pic.twitter.com/9C0ubgAjoj

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) August 19, 2016

When: Saturday, August 20, 2016, 3:00pm ET Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN TV: WKRN Channel 2 Nashville Radio: Tennessee / Carolina Live Stream: NFL.com NFL Odds: PK (O/U 41 points)

Why should you bet on Carolina?

The Panthers’ starting offense looked just as solid in their preseason opener as they did last season, as Cam Newton went 5 for 6 for 36 yards, and the Panthers marched 14 plays down the field for a field goal. They nailed a reverse on the first play to get the ball rolling, and then their first-team defense picked off a pass that would have gone for a score, but Cam Newton ran on the field before his teammate made it into the end zone, drawing a penalty. The Panthers’ reserves were not able to do much to move the ball, but if the starters make it all the way to halftime, Carolina should be able to build a lead.

Why should you put your money on Tennessee?

The Titans have a lot of people with a lot to prove — whether it’s running back DeMarco Murray trying to recover the glory of his time with the Dallas Cowboys, or second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Titans added rookie tailback Derrick Henry to help Murray carry the load, and the team galloped for 288 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt — the most rushing yards for the Titans in a preseason tilt since they put up 340 yards on the Rams back in 2008. They gained a total of 437 yards against the Chargers, and while the Panthers have a much stronger defense, the execution is a promising sign. The Titans also picked off two passes and snatched a fumble.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The Titans looked impressive in their preseason opener. However, the Panthers are still the class of the NFC, while the Chargers are going to struggle this year and weren’t that much of a test. I’m predicting a 24-17 Carolina victory.