Titans vs. Buccaneers: NFL preseason betting odds, preview, and pick

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play in front of their home crowd at Raymond James Stadium for the second week in a row, when they host the Tennessee Titans in Week 2 of the NFL preseason.

Bucs backups seek redemption after Bengals loss

In their Week 1 preseason matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, the reigning Super Bowl champions dropped the ball, 19-14, in front of a packed house in Tampa, despite Tropical Storm Fred encroaching on the coast.

While players stayed dry during the game, the field was soft and slick from rainfall earlier in the day.

Tom Brady and most of the 22 starters from last year's Super Bowl-winning squad saw minimal playing time. Brady went 1-of-2 passing for nine yards and took a sack on his last of six snaps, before Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Griffin, and rookie Kyle Trask traded off at quarterback for the remainder of the contest.

Against Cincinnati, who sat second-year quarterback Joe Burrow the entirety of the matchup, the Bucs averaged 2.8 yards per play on offense and ran for a measly 29 yards, 27 of which came off Ke'Shawn Vaughn's 11 carries.

Aside from Vaughn's two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Tampa Bay's only other points were the result of a 16-yard interception return by Joe Jones early in the fourth quarter.

Gabbert and Griffin each completed six of 11 passes, while the latter was picked off twice. Trask, who was a Heisman Trophy contender at Florida last season, went 4-of-15 passing for 35 yards.

The three Bucs backups will likely carry the load again in Week 2, as head coach Bruce Arians alluded to in his weekend press conference.

The Titans and Bucs will hold joint practices Wednesday and Thursday, ahead of Saturday's preseason battle. According to Arians, "I think the physicality of those two practices will probably determine whether or not we play anybody in this game, because I don’t want to be hitting on Wednesday and Thursday and go back and be hitting on Saturday."

Titans to focus on defense in Week 2

Tennessee kicked off the preseason on a much stronger note compared to Tampa Bay. With backup quarterbacks Logan Whiteside and Matt Barkley running the offense, in lieu of Ryan Tannehill, the AFC South frontrunner crushed former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, 23-3, in his debut as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

Running back Derrick Henry, fresh off a 2,000-yard rushing season, did not travel for the game, nor did offseason acquisition Julio Jones or star receiver A.J. Brown.

On the down side for Tennessee, the team sustained a number of injuries in their first preseason matchup. Henry's backup at running back, Darrynton Evans, injured his knee in the first quarter, while defensive end Trevon Coley, safety Brady Breeze, and linebacker B.J. Bello each left the game hobbled.

To prevent further injuries, head coach Mike Vrabel may approach Week 2 more conservatively than Week 1.

Following Sunday's practice, Vrabel also revealed his goal to get rookie cornerbacks Caleb Farley and Elijah Molden some work in Tampa, after both sat in Week 1.

Titans and Buccaneers Trends

• Vrabel is 3-6 straight-up in the preseason as head coach
• Arians is 5-4 SU in his last nine preseason games
• The Under is 5-2 in Tampa Bay's last seven home games
• Tampa Bay is 0-1 ATS in the 2021 preseason
• Tennessee is 1-0 ATS in the 2021 preseason

Expect a low-scoring scuffle in Tampa

No team is willing to risk injuries in the preseason, and Tennessee will be especially careful after last week's run-in with health issues.

With a few of their rookies set to take the field on defense for the first time, and a general conservative approach to maintain the health of Tennessee's roster, the tide should turn in Tampa Bay's favor, as Gabbert, Griffin, and Trask get another week in front of a passionate home crowd.

The Under hit in both Tampa Bay and Tennessee's Week 1 games and will ride steady in Week 2.

Look for the Buccaneers to bounce back for a close win, as defense once again defines the outcome.

Score prediction: Tampa Bay 18, Tennessee 16

NFL preseason pick: Under 36.5 (+100)