Bucs topple Titans 20-6, snap four game losing streak

The Bucs are now half a game back on the NFC South lead after beating the Titans at home.

The Buccaneers ended their four-game losing streak with a dominant defensive performance, beating the Tennessee Titans 20-6. After an embarrassing 37-39 loss to C.J. Stroud and the Texans last week, the Bucs smothered their next rookie opponent Will Levis with a relentless parade of blitzes, sacking him four times.

Tampa Bay’s win over Tennessee was a return to form for the defense, holding the Titans to 209 total yards and no touchdowns. It is the first time the Bucs have kept an opponent out of the end zone for an entire game since their Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints.

The final result could have been far worse for Tennessee if the Bucs defense were able to hold onto the half-dozen dropped interceptions that Levis sent their direction. Antoine Winfield Jr.’s fourth-quarter interception of Levis as he was being hit was Tampa Bay’s sole forced turnover of the day.

On offense, the Bucs could not recapture last week’s production but more than managed to get the job done thanks to big plays from Rachaad White and Mike Evans. The Bucs run game was again mostly nonexistent, but Rachaad White was excellent nonetheless. He was responsible for Tampa’s first score of the day with a 43-yard catch off a screen:

Evans struggled with drops, including an uncontested potential touchdown catch, but made up for it with six catches for 143 yards and one of the more physical touchdown catches of the day:

Baker Mayfield struggled early, throwing a pick on the Bucs’ opening drive and completing just nine passes. He settled down and found a rhythm in the second half, ending the game with 278 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

The first half was mostly a defensive battle, consisting of just two scoring drives and six punts from both teams. The Bucs were more successful offensively in the second half, scoring 13 points on three consecutive drives, while the defense held Tennessee to one field goal for the half. The Titans’ final three drives ended with Tennessee turning the ball over, first with the Levis interception then twice on downs.

The win gets the Bucs to 4-5, tied with Atlanta for second in the NFC South and now half a game out of first due to the Saints loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Tampa Bay faces a huge test next week as they head to San Francisco to play the 49ers.