Week 8 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Home)
2018 Record: 5-11
Line: Tennessee -5.5
Key Additions:
- Ndamukong Suh, DT
- Breshad Perriman, WR
- Devin White, ILB
Key Departures:
- Kwon Alexander, ILB
- Adam Humphries, WR
- DeSean Jackson, WR
- Gerald McCoy, DT
Head coach Bruce Arians is back in action. A pass-first, heave it downfield and ask questions later type of play-caller, Arians is a perfect fit for quarterback Jameis Winston. Losing receivers DeSean Jackson and Adam Humphries was a significant blow to the roster, but the Buccaneers have a monster in wideout Mike Evans and are in love with WR Chris Godwin.
Arians went so far as to say Godwin wouldn’t leave the field in 2019. The MMCNB (My Man Catch No Balls) gang will have their hands full.
https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1165050605217300481
Looking to replicate the No. 1 aerial attack in the league last year, I expect the Bucs to take a few shots downfield early—a big play or two designed to deflate the Titans defense. Under former head coach Mike Mularkey, this tactic might have worked; but Vrabel has a roster that has fully bought in.
If the Titans can eliminate mistakes, and prevent the big play, they’ll swing the pressure onto the Tampa Bay defense. Arians needs to keep his offense on the field, and incompletions and a stagnant clock won’t help things. Why?
The Buccaneers look atrocious on the defensive side of the ball. Other than adding LB Devin White in the draft, they don’t appear to be a much-improved unit.
Well, what about defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh? He was terrible for the Rams last year, until the playoffs, when he decided to turn on the juice.
Prediction: Win
The Titans get it done here, as they should. Their home record improves to 4-0 on the season after this one.
Tennessee Titans win-loss counter: 7-3