NASHVILLE, Tenn. —The Titans and Panthers duked it out for a half. Then, the Titans ran out of punches.
The Panthers came into Nissan Stadium and left with a 27-10 victory over the Titans.
It was the first home game under interim coach Mike Mularkey, who coached his first game last week in New Orleans since replacing Ken Whisenhunt earlier this month.
The Titans trailed 14-10 at the half, but couldn't get anything going on offense in the second half. The Titans only picked up two first downs before the two-minute warning as the Panthers pulled away.
The Titans dropped to 2-7 with the loss, while the Panthers improved to 9-0. The Titans have now lost 10 straight games at Nissan Stadium dating back to last season.
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota competed 16-of-24 passes for 185 yards and an interception in the contest. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was 21-of-26 for 217 yards and touchdown. The Titans sacked him five times.
The Titans had trouble stopping the Panthers, and Newton, early. The Panthers scored in their game-opening drive on a 16-yard touchdown run by running back Jonathan Stewart to make it 7-0.
The Titans answered back with a touchdown drive of their own, which ended with an electrifying 25-yard touchdown run by Dexter McCluster, who stiff-armed a defender and dove to the pylon to tie the game 7-7 late in the first quarter.
But the Panthers answered back. Newton guided Carolina back down the field, and found tight end Ed Dickson open for a one-yard touchdown to make it 14-7. Newton completed his first 11 passes in the contest as Carolina built an early lead.
A 45-yard field goal by Titans kicker Ryan Succop made it 14-10 with 7:45 left before halftime.
Neither team could do much with the football in the third quarter, when the Panthers scored the only points of the quarter on a 48-yard field goal by kicker Graham Gano to make it 17-10. The Panthers made it 20-10 with 9:06 left in the contest on a 19-yard field goal by Gano.
The Panthers made it 27-10 late in the fourth quarter on a two-yard touchdown run by Newton.
The Titans had opportunities in the second half, but dropped passes and mistakes kept them from getting on track.
The Titans travel to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars on Thursday night.
The Tennessee Titans take on the Carolina Panthers Week 10 at Nissan Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)
