Titans vs. Buccaneers: Full Tennessee Game Preview
The proverbial slate is wiped clean for the Tennessee Titans. They got their franchise quarterback, revamped their defense with free-agent signings and have adopted a new attitude filled with youthful vigor.
With the future looking bright, the question is: How long will that future take to become a reality?
Patience will be needed for the Titans in 2015, but progress should easily be made from their 2-14 debacle in 2014.
The Titans kick off 2015 against another rookie quarterback in Jameis Winston. It makes for an intriguing matchup, as the top two picks from the 2015 NFL draft will face off.
Usually a battle between a couple of 2-14 teams isn't exciting television, but this one will be an exception.
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET/3:25 p.m. CT
TV: CBS Channel 5 WTVF (Nashville local)
Preseason Results and Recap
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The biggest takeaway from the Titans' preseason campaign was the confirmation that Marcus Mariota is the best answer at quarterback.
Mariota showed off his pinpoint accuracy and solid decision-making ability. And more importantly, he got the opportunity to play against opponents' defensive starters.
However, the Titans looked less than impressive in the "dress rehearsal" preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The game would've gotten out of hand quickly if it had been a regular-season game.
It is important to point out that Mariota bounced back in that game and led the Titans to within seven before exiting. He completed seven of his final eight passes.
Here are the game-by-game results of the Titans preseason:
The Titans played their best in their second preseason outing against the St. Louis Rams. Emotions were higher in this game due to Jeff Fisher's return to Nashville, but the Titans put together a solid performance early on to treat the fans.
You can't read too much into the 2-2 record. What you can read into is a healthy preseason showing from Mariota. There will still be growing pains for Mariota, which will probably show against the Buccaneers.
The emergence of the tight end position this preseason has been interesting. The Titans are taking five tight ends to the regular season, with Chase Coffman really standing out. He did enough to sneak onto the final roster.
There are still numerous questions around the defense. They made some great plays, highlighted by newly acquired Perrish Cox. Brian Orakpo brings some star power to the defense, but will that lead to production on the field? More importantly, will he stay healthy?
While fans should still be cautiously optimistic about this unit, Dick LeBeau is a welcome addition to help coach this defense.
News and Notes
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Who Will Return Kickoffs?
This has been an ongoing question mark for a few years now. It looks like Antonio Andrews will get the first crack at creating stability on returning kicks.
"Titans list Antonio Andrew as kickoff returner on updated unofficial depth chart, with Bishop Sankey second.... http://t.co/4HL4pcEhmV
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) September 8, 2015"
The Titans finished 16th in kickoff return average last season. Creating good starting field position for Marcus Mariota will be vital.
Andrews likely made the team due in large part to his ability to contribute in this area. It's also worth noting that Bishop Sankey will serve as the secondary kickoff returner, while Dexter McCluster will retain his punt returning duties.
What Does the Terrance West Signing Mean?
The Titans made somewhat of an unexpected splash by trading for Terrance West from the Cleveland Browns. They gave up a conditional 2016 draft pick to get West, who was needed after losing rookie David Cobb to injury for at least a couple of months.
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt told Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official website that he liked what he saw out of West from last year: "We liked him coming out last year. We brought him in for a visit. He was one of the players that we felt like we had a pretty good feel for, that we thought was a good match."
Don't expect much out of West in Week 1 against the Buccaneers, but he could gradually overtake Sankey as the season progresses.
Where is the Offensive Line After Trading Andy Levitre?
Perhaps one of the biggest free-agent busts in recent memory for the Titans franchise was Andy Levitre, and now he's finally gone.
David Climer of the Tennessean considered this a smart move by Titans management: "Although the return is meager considering what the Titans had invested in him, management deserves credit for making the best of a bad situation."
Byron Bell made the most out of his playing time in the preseason by replacing Levitre as the starter, and now he's earned the chance to improve the Titans offensive line from last year's dumpster fire.
Latest Injury News
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Sustaining injuries in the preseason is inevitable, and the Titans avoided any catastrophic ones. However, the loss of Jason McCourty for at least Week 1 was a tough one to swallow.
McCourty is widely considered one of the top pieces on the Titans defense, and the secondary is still a work in progress. Without McCourty, the Titans are in for a tough challenge containing the Buccaneers' potent receiving corps.
Here is a full list of current injuries, according to USA Today:
| Player | Position | Injury |
| Jason McCourty | CB | Groin |
| David Cobb | RB | Calf |
| Sammie Hill | DT | MCL |
Luckily, the Titans added some depth in the offseason with the signing of Perrish Cox. He'll fill the shoes of McCourty in the early going.
David Cobb's injury at running back is the most significant and has forced the Titans to trade for Terrance West. It's unfortunate, as Cobb looked sharp in his limited preseason action. He will be eligible to return no earlier than Week 10.
The Titans head into Week 1 relatively healthy, which isn't the case for several teams.
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Key Matchups
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Titans Secondary vs. Buccaneers Passing Game
This part of the game should make you nervous about this matchup if you're a Titans fan. Sure, the Titans are getting the luxury of facing a rookie quarterback in Week 1. The problem is that Jameis Winston has two lethal weapons in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans.
Blidi Wreh-Wilson will be forced back into a starting role and will most likely cover Evans.
The secondary will be tested early and often in this game. Without Jason McCourty, someone else is going to have to step up. If the Titans start 2015 with a loss, it will be because they lose this matchup.
Titans Pass Rush vs. Buccaneers Offensive Line
The Titans revamped their pass rush by adding Brian Orakpo this offseason. He will require a lot of attention in Dick LeBeau's defense.
Derrick Morgan also has a year of experience under his belt as an outside linebacker. Expect him to have the most productive year of his career.
If the Titans can force Jameis Winston into rookie mistakes, this game could easily swing in favor of the Titans. Winston proved on the college level that he forces throws that lead to critical turnovers. He just always had a great team around him to bail him out of those mistakes. The NFL is a much different animal, and the Titans have to take advantage of that.
It's worth noting that the Buccaneers offensive line is not very impressive, which showed in the preseason.
Winning the turnover battle and creating favorable field position for Marcus Mariota will be a major key to victory.
Jameis Winston vs. Marcus Mariota
You can't bring up key matchups in this game and not mention the intriguing quarterback battle between Winston and Mariota. The top two picks of the previous draft will face off in their first regular-season game of their respective careers. How convenient.
Both quarterbacks will make some costly mistakes in this game. The quarterback who avoids the monumental, disastrous turnover in the fourth quarter will probably win.
Mariota has the sharp decision-making skills, while Winston has more of the prototypical talent.
Expect Mariota to take fewer risks, but that could also work against him to a degree. He's up against a defense that ranked 25th overall last season, but the defense that's backing him up ranked 27th.
Winston's talent around him on offense far outweighs what Mariota has. That could be the biggest factor of all.
Matchup X-Factors
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Titans X-Factor of the Week: Bishop Sankey
Early life in the NFL will be very difficult for Marcus Mariota if the Titans rushing attack doesn't improve from last season. The Titans have a lot of options at the position, but it all starts with Bishop Sankey.
Sankey's mediocre rookie campaign has been under the microscope all offseason. He averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and never topped more than 61 yards rushing in a game.
The Titans went out and drafted David Cobb to form a one-two punch, but Cobb is now on short-term IR until at least Week 10. That puts the weight back squarely on Sankey's shoulders in Week 1.
Sure, the Titans have Dexter McCluster, Antonio Andrews and the newly acquired Terrance West to help carry load. However, none of those guys has the opportunity that Sankey has to make an impact right out of the gate.
Sankey commented on his rookie season and going forward, via Jason Wolf of the Tennessean:
"#Titans RB Bishop Sankey 'happy' with last season, 'confident' heading into this year: http://t.co/Rl0Mvez2tC via @Tennessean
— Jason Wolf (@JasonWolf) September 9, 2015"
It's time for Sankey to validate where he was taken in the draft. His opportunities will slowly dwindle if he doesn't have a good outing against the Buccaneers. A strong season from Sankey would really help the Titans get back to relevance in the NFL.
Titans X-Factor Flying Under the Radar: Perrish Cox
Without McCourty in this Week 1 battle with the Buccaneers, the Titans will lean heavily on Perrish Cox to at least shut down one side of the field. He'll probably have the daunting task of covering Vincent Jackson.
If Jackson runs wild on the Titans secondary, the score could get out of hand quickly. Cox was impressive in the preseason and is a huge upgrade from what the Titans had last season. However, things would look much more optimistic if McCourty was playing in this game.
Cox is known as a guy who can generate turnovers, something the Titans desperately need to bounce back from a 2-14 season. He'll get his fair share of chances against the Buccaneers, with a rookie quarterback looking to target his two standout wide receivers.
Prediction: Titans 20, Buccaneers 27
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A loss here won't mean the end of the world for the Titans' 2015 season. Remember last year? They started off 1-0, and we all know how that story ended.
This game will be one of the more entertaining games to watch in recent Titans history. We will see a much more polished and exciting brand of football from the Titans.
With that said, they're going against a vertical offense that the Titans will have a hard time keeping silent for a full game. They'll have to force a few turnovers to keep it close, and they should be able to do so. Jameis Winston will take some risks, and some of those risks will keep this game interesting until the end.
Mariota will play well, but his lack of proven weapons around him leads one to believe that he won't be able to generate enough points to win a moderately high-scoring game.
It's important to remember that the Titans are basically starting from square one, and the Buccaneers are not. They both went 2-14 last season, but the Buccaneers are further along.
The loss of Jason McCourty for this game stings, because it forces Blidi Wreh-Wilson back into the starting role that he didn't handle well in 2014.
The Titans may leave with a loss in Week 1, but there will be a reason for optimism if they can keep this game competitive on the road. The Tampa crowd will be roaring with their No. 1-overall pick starting his career at home.
Final Prediction: Titans 20, Buccaneers 27
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