Stuff You Should Know: Buccaneers @ Titans

The Bye-Week is over, practice is over, and now it’s time to get down to business.

Buccaneers Jason Pierre-Paul will make his debut today along with second-year Tight End Tanner Hudson. Hudson is in due to O.J. Howard being out with a hamstring injury. Hudson showed he had capable hands during the preseason and should make the best of his opportunity today while playing behind Antony Auclair and Cameron Brate.

The last time the Buccaneers faced the Titans was in 2015 in the Buccaneers’ Week 1 home opener; that was the first and only time in NFL history that two top draft picks, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, started in a regular-season game against each other.

The 2-4 Bruce Arians led Buccaneers are in Nashville today and will face off against a 3-4 Mike Vrable led Titans team. Arians boasts a 2-0 record (28.8/30.8 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 17.3/16.0) against Mike Vrable and hopefully can take on his 3rd win this afternoon.

The Buccaneers are coming off of a tough 37-26 loss against the Carolina Panthers in London and the Titans a 23-20 win against the Chargers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have only allowed an average of 68 yards rushing per game, rank 1st overall in run D, will have to stop Derrick Henry, who has 506 yards on the season and 5 rushing TDs. Henry is the type of runningback that if you sleep on him, he can really hurt you. Fingers crossed that the Buccaneers run defense can continue their defensive trend.

The Tennessee Titans give Ryan Tannehill the nod in Week 7 against the 5th ranked Chargers passing defense, and he played rather well. Tannehill was 23 of 29 for 312 yards, 2 Tds, and 1 INT he faces Tampa’s league-worst passing defense. The Titans Passing defense ranks 11th in the league, and hopefully, that won’t affect Jameis Winston too much as he did throw 5 interceptions against the Carolina Panthers’ 8th ranked defense in London. The Titans run defense ranks 13th in the league, so Barber and company will have a tough go of things if they do not establish the run right away. The Buccaneers running back trio only managed a grand total of 38 yards on the ground against the Carolina Panther’s 10th ranked run defense in London.

Bucs vs Titans Notes:

• QB JAMEIS WINSTON (TB) had 400 pass yards in Week 6, his
2nd career game with 400+ pass yards. Had 210 pass yards &
2 TDs vs. 2 INTs in the last meeting. Has 1,133 pass yards (283.3
per game) & 8 TDs vs. INT for 106.5 ratings in his past 4 on road with 100+ rating.

• QB RYAN TANNEHILL (TN) passed for 312 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT
for 120.1 rating in 1st start with Ten. last week, his 17th career
game with 300+ pass yards. Had 229 pass yards & 2 TDs vs.
INT for 84.3 rating in his only career start vs. TB (11/11/13).

• RB PEYTON BARBER (TB) has 5 rush TDs in his past 6 on road &
aims for his 4th in row on road with rush TD.

• RB RONALD JONES (TB) had 3rd career rush TD in Week 6.

• RB DARE OGUNBOWALE (TB)1st career rush TD in Week 6.

• RB DERRICK HENRY (TN) had 108 scrimmage yards (90 rush, 18
rec.) & rush TD in Week 7. He has 11 rush TDs in his past 9 at
home. Aims for his 7th in row at home with 75+ rush yards.
Since 2018, is 1 of 2 RBs (TODD GURLEY) with 1,500+ rush
yards (1,565) & 15+ rush TDs (17).

• WR CHRIS GODWIN (TB) led the team with 10 receptions for 151
yards in Week 6. Ranks 2nd NFL in rec. yards (662) & ties for
NFL lead in TD catches (6) in 2019. Aims for his 4th in a row
overall with 7+ receptions & 125+ rec. yards. Aims for his 4th
in a row on road with 7+ catches, 120+ rec. yards & rec. TD.

• WR MIKE EVANS (TB) had 9 catches for 96 yards in Week 6, his 5th
career game with 9+ receptions. Has 4 rec. TDs in his past 4.
Since entering NFL in 2014, he ranks 4th in rec. yards (6,567) &
TD catches (44).

• WR COREY DAVIS (TN) had 6 catches for team-high 80 yards &
TD last week. Has 18 receptions for 297 yards (99 per game)
& TD catch in 3 career home games vs. NFC.

• WR A.J.BROWN (TN) had career-high 6 catches for 64 yards last week. Leads AFC rookies with 327 rec. yards & ranks 3rd with 20 receptions in 2019. (Rookie)

• WR ADAM HUMPHRIES (TN) had 219 catches for 2,329 yards & 9 TDs in 4 seasons (2015-18) with TB.

• TE CAMERON BRATE (TB) had rec. TD in Week 6.
Since 2016, he ranks 2nd among TEs with 22 TD catches.

• LB LAVONTE DAVID (TB)  had 5 tackles & FF in last meeting. Has
37 tackles (9.3 per game) in 4 career games vs. AFC South.

• LB SHAQUIL BARRETT (TB) has 9 sacks in 2019, tied-most in NFL.
Has 4 sacks, FF & INT in his past 3 on road.

• DT NDAMUKONG SUH (TB) had sack in his last game vs. Ten. (10/8/17 with Mia.). Has 4 sacks in his past 4 vs. AFC South.

• DT JURRELL CASEY (TN) had FR in Week 7. Had sack & 3 TFL in last meeting. Has 47 career sacks, 5th-most among active DTs.

• CB LOGAN RYAN (TN) had 3 PD & 6th-career FF last week. Has 2+
PD in 2 of his past 3 at home.

• S KEVIN BYARD (TN) has 5 PD & 2 INTs in his past 4 & aims for his 5th in row with PD. Since 2017, leads NFL with 15 INTs.

• DL JEFFERY SIMMONS (TN) had sack & 2 TFL in NFL debut last week. (Rookie)

• LB WESLEY WOODYARD (TN)  had 8th-career FF in Week 7. Has 2 sacks & 3 TFL in his past 3 vs. NFC South.

Passing Stats for 2019:

Jameis Winston (TB): 132 completions – 220 attempts -1,771 yards -12 TDs -10 INTs – 84.9 Rating

Ryan Tannehill (TN): 36 completions – 45 Attempts – 456 yards – 2 TDs – 2 INTs – 105.2 Rating

Team Receiving Leaders:

Chris Godwin (TB): 43 receptions – 662 yards – 15.4 yards per reception – 6 TDs (Tied for first in the league)

A.J. Brown (TN): 20 receptions -337 yards – 16.9 yards per reception – 2 TDs (Rookie)

Team Rushing Leaders:

Ronald Jones (TB): 63 attempts – 279 yards – 4.4 yard average – 2 TDs

Derrick Henry (TN): 135 attempts – 506 yards – 3.7 yard average – 5 TDs

Team Sack Leaders:

Shaquil Barrett (TB): 9 sacks (tied for first in the league)

Harold Landry (TN): 4 sacks

Team Interception Leaders:

LB Lavonte David, CB Vernon Hargreaves, LB Shaquil Barrett, S Jordan Whitehead, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (TB): Tie with 1 INT

S Kevin Byard (TN): 3 INTs

Team Kicking Leaders:

Matt Gay (TB): 16 made / 18 attempts  PAT; 11 made /13 attempts FG (Rookie)

Cody Parkey (TN): 2 made / 3 attempts  PAT; 1 made /1 attempt FG

More Stuff You Should Know:

STADIUM: Nissan Stadium

HEAD REFEREE: ADRIAN HILL

Buccaneers vs Titans Injury Report