Game Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Tennessee Titans

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off their worst loss in a long time.

Not because the Houston Texans aren't a solid football team on the rise, but because of the way the Buccaneers lost a game they should have won.

It was an epic collapse.

When it comes to the 2023 Bucs, it feels like all phases of the game just refuse to line up and perform well at the same time. As a result, the Buccaneers have lost four consecutive games and now find themselves sitting at 3-5 on the season, which places them second from the bottom in a very underwhelming NFC South division.

What makes the Bucs' recent struggles so tough to swallow for fans is the fact that the team came roaring out of the gate, and was sitting at 3-1 after the first month of the season.

But since then, everything has come crashing down.

To put it simply, the offense can't score enough points and the defense gives up too many. Despite being led by a defensive specialist, and having an impressive collection of proven stars on that side of the ball, the Bucs are one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to defending the pass and getting after the quarterback.

Offensively, the team has the worst rushing attack in the NFL and has proven incapable of generating any sort of offense on the ground. Whether that's solely to blame for the Bucs' inability to score points isn't totally clear. There are other issues at work, including but not limited to: predictable first-down runs, the worst tight end room in the league, inconsistent accuracy from the quarterback, and ineffective run blocking up front.

Despite all of these issues with the current iteration of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, what can't be ignored is the fact that they still possess a lot of talent.

So maybe a visit from a team like the Tennessee Titans may be just what the doctor ordered to get this football team back on the right track.

The Titans have some really impressive talent at a few key positions, but there isn't much beyond that.

Jeffrey Simmons is one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in the sport, and he is a certified game-wrecker who will provide a major challenge to the Bucs' young interior offensive line. Derrick Henry remains one of the NFL's most unique weapons, and he's a threat to unleash a dominant game each and every Sunday. And despite his declining performance in recent years, Deandre Hopkins is capable of popping off at any time.

BucsGameday Staff Score Predictions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Tennessee Titans

Since the team traded away their star safety, Kevin Byard, at the deadline, the only other real threat is rookie quarterback, Will Levis. Although Levis made his NFL debut just a few weeks ago, his imposing stature, impressive arm strength, and strong pocket presence have allowed him to find success early on. With the Bucs' susceptibility to giving up big plays -- take last week vs. Houston, for example -- this could certainly pose a threat to the Buccaneers' secondary.

There's no denying the tools Will Levis possesses. But it's been his ability to play within the offense and limit mistakes that have been the most pleasant surprise for the Titans. Especially so early in his career. The Buccaneers will need to find a way to pressure Levis, which is something they've also struggled with this season.

That said, the Titans offensive line is a major weakness. Aside from their rookie left guard, Peter Skoronski, who I expect to have a long and successful career, the entire unit leaves a lot to be desired.

One particular matchup that's worth keeping an eye on in this game is that of the two punters, Jake Camarda and Ryan Stonehouse. Both have been excellent for their respective teams this season, and with how unpredictable we know these two offenses to be, Camarda and Stonehouse could play a significant role in not only the battle for field position, but the outcome of the game.

Ultimately though, the Buccaneers should be able to handle the Titans this week. When you compare the two rosters, there's no question that the Bucs are superior in terms of talent and experience. This is a big reason why Tampa Bay's coaching staff is starting to feel the heat after so many disappointing results in a row.

To the contrary, Titans' head coach, Mike Vrabel, always seems to get the most out of his players. Which means that Todd Bowles and the rest of the Bucs' coaching staff needs to make sure that their team comes out of the gate focused, motivated, and well prepared... or they could very well get burned again.

If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't able to beat the Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium this Sunday afternoon to avoid their fifth consecutive loss, it may be time to start worrying more about the team's draft position next April than who their opponent is next week.

You can follow Collin Haalboom on X.

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