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Tennessee Titans: 3 keys to victory in Week 9 vs. Carolina Panthers

By John Lowell

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 06: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter during their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank of America Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 06: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter during their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank of America Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /
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Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffery
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 06: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter during their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank of America Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

1. Slow down Christian McCaffrey

Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey is elite. Not only is he busy leading most championship-caliber fantasy teams to the promised land, but he’s producing at a league-high level in real life, too. McCaffrey leads the league in scrimmage yards per game (154.0) and has shown no signs of slowing down.

I won’t lie to you; there’s little hope that the Titans can catch lightning in a bottle and put a governor on CMC. Tampa Bay has been the only team to successfully slow McCaffrey, allowing him 110 total scrimmage yards in two contests this season. The Panthers’ offensive system, led by Norv Turner, runs through the former Stanford product, not the other way around.

Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees will need to be cautious of sending too many exotic blitzes. While they want to confuse QB Kyle Allen and force him into mistakes, the Titans need to generate organic pressure off of the edge and keep some playmakers in space.

Why? Because while they’ve made their money unleashing CB Logan Ryan, a back door screen to McCaffery floated over Ryan’s head could lead to a chunk play the Titans cannot afford to give up.

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