Three to Focus on - Titans @ Panthers

In this NFC South / AFC South matchup, the 4-4 Tennessee Titans take on the 2-6 Carolina Panthers. Both have shown talent and fight this season, but their records rightly reflect their flaws.

The Tennessee Titans, despite getting a number of strong performances from Matt Hasselbeck in a Peyton Manning-less division, have not taken advantage of their talent and good fortune. At .500, they still have a shot at the playoffs, so a good effort this week should be expected, especially after a humbling home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals – who also happen to be led by a rookie quarterback.

The Carolina Panthers have also struggled, but considering the surprising performance of Cam Newton, there is still hope. Their sixth-worst overall defense needs work, but the team has found that rare franchise quarterback and he's helped to keep them competitive in every game they’ve played. What matchups will decide this one? Let’s take a look and see.

The Rookie vs. The Veteran

Despite winning just two games, rookie Cam Newton continues to be sensational. It’s not been perfect (he’s only had two games this year without giving the ball away), but you’d be a fool not to recognize how good he’s been. Whether with his legs, or his arm, Newton has made Carolina relevant and has particularly impressed with his downfield passing – leading the league in yards on balls thrown over 20 yards.

On the other sideline is three-time Pro Bowl veteran Matt Hasselbeck. While his overall grade is not up there with Newton’s, his passing grade (+14.5) is slightly better than the rookie’s (+12.5). With pass protection much better than he had in Seattle, Hasselbeck has flourished and has been one veteran QB to avoid being set side in favor of a rookie. What could prove telling is how he has protected the ball better than Newton. With just six picks and one lost fumble, in a game bound to be tight, turnovers could decide it.

Charles Johnson vs. Michael Roos and David Stewart

This game finds the Titan duo of Michael Roos (+5.7) and David Stewart (+4.0) having to deal with Charles Johnson. The Panther defensive end has split time between rushing from the left side (36.6%) and right (54.9%), so both men can expect a healthy dose. Roos is one of only five tackles who haven’t given up a sack this season, and is currently ranked third of all left tackles in our Pass Blocking Efficiency rankings. Stewart is doing even better on the right side and currently ranks at the top of the same rating for right tackles. Essentially, Johnson is going to need to bring his 2010 best if he’s going to kick-start even a good (but not great) 2011.

Chris Johnson vs. Jonathan Stewart & DeAngelo Williams

Chris Johnson’s struggles this season, in the face of his huge contract, have been heavily publicized. He will certainly have a chance to prove his worth against – according to our cumulative grades – the second-worst run defense in the NFL. While Johnson could also improve his receiving skills (two drops so far this season), he has been above-average in pass protection, giving up just one pressure in 46 pass-block attempts. It’s also worth noting that, despite Javon Ringer seeing three more carries than Johnson in the Week 8 win over the Colts (and then having numerous fantasy football websites labeling this team with a running back “time share”), Johnson comfortably remains the No .1 running back on this team, seeing 59 snaps over Ringer’s 14 snaps in last week’s game.

The Panthers, on the other hand, do have a legitimate time share with DeAngelo Williams (+2.3 run grade) and Jonathan Stewart (+6.1) both carrying the load. Although Williams’ 78 carries are five more than Stewart’s total rushes, Stewart has seen more playing time the past couple of games and it’s not hard to see why. Despite Williams’ huge offseason deal, Stewart has forced more miss tackles (14) than Williams (nine) and has generally looked more likely to make something happen. With the Panthers unlikely to make the playoffs and coming off a bye week, it’ll be interesting to see who is favored going forward, and who does the most with the attempts they are given.