Game Preview: Titans Travel to Tampa Bay to Face Buccaneers
The Tennessee Titans (3-5) play their second of three consecutive road games this week, traveling to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers (3-5). Kickoff at Raymond James Stadium (capacity 65,844) is scheduled for noon CST/1 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 12.
The Titans and Buccaneers have met on only 12 prior occasions, and 10 of those were won by the Titans, including the past three encounters. Sunday will mark only the fourth game between the clubs at Raymond James Stadium, which opened in 1998. The Titans are 2-1 at the Buccaneers’ current home.
THE BROADCAST
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The contest will be regionally televised on CBS, including Nashville affiliate WTVF NewsChannel 5, as well as on Paramount+ in the Nashville market. The broadcast team includes play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon, analysts Tiki Barber and Matt Ryan, and reporter AJ Ross.
Fans in Nashville can stream live Titans games on mobile devices with NFL+, which offers access to local games and all primetime games on phones and tablets. Out of market, fans can watch every Sunday afternoon game with Sunday Ticket. More information on ways to watch NFL games can be found here.
The Titans Radio Network and Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone carry all Titans games across the Mid-South with the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith, analyst Dave McGinnis, sideline reporter Ramon Foster and gameday host Rhett Bryan. Streaming is available at the Titans Mobile App for listeners in the Nashville market and available everywhere for desktop users.
TITANS FACE ANOTHER ROAD TEST
The Titans were on the road at Pittsburgh last week to face the Steelers on Thursday Night Football. With quarterback Ryan Tannehill out for a second consecutive game due to an ankle injury, rookie quarterback Will Levis recorded his second NFL start. Levis and the Titans took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter, but the Steelers scored the go-ahead touchdown with less than five minutes remaining in regulation and fended off a last-minute drive by the Titans to win 20-16.
Levis, the 33rd overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, completed 22 of 39 passes for 262 yards with one interception. He had seven completions of 20-plus yards, the most for the Titans in a game since Tannehill had seven in the 2022 season opener against the New York Giants. Through two NFL games, Levis is 41-of-68 passing for 500 yards with four touchdowns, one interception and a 96.4 passer rating.
The Titans will have extra time following the Thursday night game to rest and prepare for the Buccaneers. Since Mike Vrabel became the head coach of the Titans in 2018, the Titans are 10-1 with nine or more rest days between games. The record includes a 4-1 mark on Sundays following a Thursday game the previous week.
Following their Tampa trip, the Titans will travel back to the Sunshine State to play the division-rival Jaguars on Nov. 19. That will conclude a seven-week stretch in which they play a total of one game at Nissan Stadium. Other than the home game—a win against Atlanta on Oct. 29—the stretch includes four road contests, one game in London and a bye. Five of their final seven games will be at home, starting with a post-Thanksgiving clash with the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 26.
THE BUCCANEERS
The Buccaneers won three of their first four games of 2023 before dropping their last four contests. Last week they were at Houston, where the teams combined for 31 points in the fourth quarter alone. After the Buccaneers took a late lead, the Texans responded with a touchdown with six seconds on the clock to win by a final score of 39-37.
Todd Bowles is in his second campaign as Tampa Bay’s head coach following three seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator. He led the Buccaneers to an NFC South title in 2022. Through eight games in 2023, the 3-5 Buccaneers are in third place in the division behind the 5-4 New Orleans Saints and the 4-5 Atlanta Falcons.
Following the offseason retirement of quarterback Tom Brady, the Buccaneers signed veteran signal caller Baker Mayfield as an unrestricted free agent. The former No. 1 overall draft choice with the Cleveland Browns has started every game this season, passing for 1,865 yards and 12 touchdowns with four interceptions
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