QB Battle of the Clipboard
With the starting quarterback job remaining with Ryan Tannehill, the battle for his backup is heating up between Logan Woodside and Matt Barkley. Neither player took the step to separate themselves from the other as in the first preseason game, Barkley went 5-for-8 for 54 yards and a touchdown while Woodside went 10-for-15 with 84 yards and a touchdown of his own. Woodside was on the roster in 2020 but did not attempt a single pass while Barkley went 11-of-21 for 197 yards with a touchdown and an interception as a backup in Buffalo last season. It will be interesting to see which player ends up holding the clipboard Week 1 and which is potentially not dressed.
The Titans have an incredible secondary consisting of Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins, Kristian Fulton, Amani Hooker, and Kevin Byard. Getting them clicking in this game should control the opposing passing attack and really help out when September rolls around, and the games begin to matter. Rookie cornerback Caleb Farley getting some action in the secondary also helps for the future, so limiting Tampa’s passing game is a huge point for the Titans here.
Young and Hungry
There aren’t many times where a potential fourth-string quarterback is going to be the focus here, but rookie quarterback Kyle Trask will look to bounce back here. In his first-ever NFL action during the preseason last week, he went 4-of-15 for 35 yards and was sacked twice for 12 yards. He will not see the field, and getting to learn under the tutelage of Tom Brady is going to help him evolve tremendously. If the former Florida quarterback can continue to improve, the future is bright for the Bucs.
The Buccaneers’ defense is a little older, so expecting a lot of them in the preseason is a bit of a stretch. They allowed a total of 303 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals in the preseason, and they were able to get some of the dust off, so they need to get some snaps here. Playing against Tennessee will be a chance to play against one of the better offenses in the sport.
Official Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -1
The point spread is from the Fanduel Sportsbook, but there are a lot of question marks surrounding this game. This is the second of three preseason games for either team, so this could essentially be the “dress rehearsal” that Week 3 of the preseason was typical.
The Buccaneers brought back all 22 starters from their Super Bowl victory, and the Titans are a run-heavy offense that Derrick Henry isn’t going to produce much in. Make sure to bet responsibly on this game as the preseason is more secretive, but Tom Brady is expected to play in this game, and it’s hard to picture Tennessee Titans head coach Matt Vrabel being able to draw a game plan to limit what the defense can do to stop the Bucs here.
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