The Titans lost 29-7 to the Buccaneers on Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium.
Here's a look at six things that stood out in the contest:
Cam's Debut
Titans quarterback Cam Ward had a nice showing in his first NFL contest, when he completed 5-of-8 passes for 67 yards, with a passer rating of 89.1. After a pair of incompletions on the team's first possession, Ward went 5-of-6 when the Titans got the ball back and drove the team to a second quarter touchdown. After a solid performance in a joint practice with the Buccaneers on Thursday, Ward carried his momentum in the game. "It felt good operation-wise," Ward said. "We really didn't have any MAs (missed assignments). I think the biggest thing was us being able to play in a real-game atmosphere together, getting the vibe of each other and then playing together like we did."
Ridley Connection
Ward and receiver Calvin Ridley have developed nice chemistry in training camp, and that was on full display on Saturday night. Ward connected with Ridley for completions of 10, 13 and 27 yards on the scoring drive, delivering a strike down the middle of the field, and some nice sideline throws. The three catches for 50 yards was a 16.7-yard average that offered even more optimism about this tandem for 2025.
James Williams Sr.
Second-year linebacker James Williams Sr. made his presence known right from the start when he delivered a big hit on the opening kickoff. Williams then made a nice play on a third-down play, ending a Tampa Bay possession by sniffing out a screen, and stopping it short of a first down. Williams was credited with seven tackles in the contest, including one TFL. Williams continues to make a strong case for himself to be the starter alongside Cody Barton.
Shaky Run Defense
Neither Jeffery Simmons nor T'Vondre Sweat played a snap. And, the team's starters on Saturday night didn't play a whole lot. Nonetheless, the performance from the run defense wasn't great against the Buccaneers, who ran for 178 yards and two touchdowns on 41 carries against the Titans. It came on an average of 4.3 yards per carry.
Tyjae Spears Injury
The sight of Titans running back Tyjae Spears being carted off the field at Raymond James Stadium wasn't what anyone wanted to see. Unfortunately, Spears was injured late in the first half, and left the field with the training staff. The team will have a better idea on his status in the coming days. "Further evaluation," Coach Brian Callahan said after the contest. "It's probably an ankle, but we'll see what the severity is as we evaluate him a little bit further. I'll have news on that on probably another day."
Turnovers
The Titans turned the ball over three times against the Buccaneers, including interceptions thrown by back-up quarterbacks Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. The latter of the two was returned for a touchdown, which accounted for the final margin. "(We have to) clean up the turnovers," Callahan said. "It got sloppy late, which was disappointing to see. But we did some good things, and (there's) plenty to correct."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Preseason Week 1 at Raymond James Stadium.
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Jessie Rogers/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers compete during the preseason game at Raymond James Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Tampa, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
