For the second straight week we’ll see the top two picks from a recent NFL Draft go against each other. Last week it was the 2018 draft class that took center stage when Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley made their NFL debuts. We go back to the 2015 draft for this Week 2 preseason matchup between quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, who will be facing each other for the second time in their careers. The two started their NFL journey with a much anticipated game to open their rookie regular season, a contest Mariota got the best of when his Tennessee Titans knocked of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This Week 2 preseason battle will take place Saturday, August 18, 2018, at 8 p.m. from Nissan Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3
Tennessee Titans -3
Over/Under 41
Odds Analysis
Home field advantage is typically the deciding factor when setting lines for preseason games and the Titans are favored by the standard 3-points. The Bucs won outright on the road last week while both teams cashed the over. The total opened at 41.
Quarterback Rotation
The balancing act for Dirk Koetter will continue through the preseason. With Winston facing a three-game suspension at the beginning of the year, temporary starter Ryan Fitzpatrick needs to get reps with the first team. Winston needs to stay sharp since his punishment will ban him from the Bucs facility, and Ryan Griffin needs work since he will serve as Fitz’s primary backup for the first three games.
It looked like Koetter got it right last week and we could see a similar rotation on Saturday. Fitz got the start and drove the Bucs 57-yards for a touchdown with their first possession. He finished the game 6 of 8 for 55 yards. Winston played the second quarter against Miami’s backups and went 11 of 13 for 102 yards, leading the team to 10 points on four drives. Griffin played the entire second half going 20 of 26 for 179 yards and a score.
Mariota made sure the debut of offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur was a good one. In his only series, Mariota completed 2 of 3 passes for 42 yards and added seven yards on one carry, capping the nine-play drive with a 4-yard scoring pass. The plan is to get Mariota at least one more series of work before handing off.
Blaine Gabbert will be the primary backup unless he really screws things up or Luke Falk proves to be super human. Gabbert came in with the second team for the second drive and performed like Gabbert. He was 9 of 15 for 76 yards, leading the team to a field goal in four full drives.
Player to Watch
Tampa is where kickers go to ruin their career. Since 2009 the Bucs have cycled through eight placekickers, tied for the most in the league in that span. The newest to try his luck is Chandler Catanzaro, who signed a three-year free agent deal in the offseason to become the Bucs fourth kicker in three seasons.
And once again Bucs fans will get anxious when it’s time to kick the football. Catanzaro missed two kicks in his Bucs debut, pushing an extra point attempt wide and misfiring on a 53-yard field goal attempt. But he got another chance late in the fourth quarter and nailed a 26-yarder to give the Bucs a win in their preseason opener.
Free ATS Pick
Being a former linebacker, and a good one during his playing days, Mike Vrabel wasn’t happy about his team’s performance on that side of the football in last week’s loss to Green Bay. And now making his home coaching debut, you can expect the Titans to go all out to get him his first victory.
Mariota will get more playing time and we likely see Corey Davis for the first time. Last year’s top pick staggered through an injury-plagued rookie season and will be a key piece in the new offensive scheme. The Bucs struggled defending the pass last week and could be without two defensive backs, giving the Titans chances downfield. Look for LaFleur to open the playbook a little more and the Titans will take advantage to get the cover win.
NFL Odds: Titans 23, Buccaneers 17
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