NFL 2010 Week 3 Review: Titans Topple Giants, Bengals Maul Panthers

The first two games of the 2010 NFL Week Three saw two AFC teams pile on two NFC teams.

There is definitely a shift in power going on in the NFL as the National Football Conference is taking a back seat to the American Football Conference three weeks into the young NFL season.

We start out our review of the Week Three action with a look at wins by the Titans and the Bengals.

Tennessee Titans Tackle The New York Giants – Final: 29-10

The Tennessee Titans rolled into New Meadowlands Stadium and received a ton of welcoming gifts from the host New York Giants. This one wasn’t a Picasso type effort by either team or by any stretch of the imagination.

The Giants gave up two interceptions and fumbled once with one of the interceptions and the fumble coming within the Titans 6-yard line. They also missed two field goals and committed five personal fouls with one of them being a chop block that resulted in a Titans 2-point safety.

The G-Men were able to move the ball as they racked up 471 total net yards but miscues and penalties cost them all game long. How the Giants head coach and offensive coordinator still have their jobs is beyond reason.

For their part the Titans played ball control offense and used an attack style defense as they moved to 2-1 on the season. Tennessee quarterback Vince Young, who was benched last week, went the distance in this game and was a pedestrian 10 of 16 for 118 yards and a touchdown. His caretaker like effort was however turnover free.

The Titans didn’t need to pass much in this game because all world running back Chris Johnson was his usual stellar self. CJ2K gained 125 yards on the ground and scored two touchdowns on 32 rushing attempts. The Giants knew CJ was coming but could do very little to stop him.

The Giants season is slipping away while the Titans are holding their own in the tough AFC South.

Bengals Maul Panthers Rookie QB Jimmy “Santa” Clausen – Final: 20-7

We had this game pegged as the best bet of the week as the Carolina Panthers threw their rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen into the Bengal cage and he ended up getting mauled.

By the time the carnage was over, Clausen completed 16 of his 33 passes for 188 yards, one interception and two fumbles lost. The rookie looked out of sync and out of touch as he consistently under threw the ball and didn’t complete his second career pass until the Panthers first drive in the second half.

All of the blame for the loss can’t be heaped on Clausen though as the Bengals defense was relentless and allowed the Panthers just 77 yards on 18 rushing attempts.

Cincinnati came away with the win but it was not impressive day for their offense. Quarterback Carson Palmer looked like a rookie himself as he completed just 19 of his 37 attempts for 195 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Running back Cedric Benson was the games brightest star as he racked up 90 yards of total offense and scored two touchdowns. His second TD late in the game sealed the deal and was the first receiving touchdown of his six-year career.

The Bengals continue to roll on while the Panthers are clawless kitties.