Badly needing to break their four-game losing streak ahead of a trip to San Francisco, the Bucs did just that on Sunday afternoon with a 20-6 victory over the Titans at Raymond James Stadium.

The defense dominated, shutting down the Tennessee run game while repeatedly getting to the quarterback. Meanwhile, the Baker Mayfield-to-Mike Evans connection did the work for the offense as Tampa Bay got its first win since Oct. 1, improving to 4-5 on the year. It was also the Bucs’ first win at home since Sept. 17. 

It initially looked like a bad start for the Bucs, with Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis leading his offense right down the field on the opening drive. But a third-down sack by Vita Vea forced the visitors to settle for a 38-yard Nick Folk field goal, making it only a 3-0 deficit for Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneer offense started slow, though, with its first drive ending on a deep ball interception thrown by Baker Mayfield. Two three-and-outs followed for Mayfield and the offense, but the defense kept Tennessee grounded with a flurry of tackles for loss and sacks by Shaq Barrett and Devin White.

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

After the defense forced another Ryan Stonehouse punt, the offense finally went to work. Passes of 15 and 16 yards from Mayfield to Mike Evans got the offense into Titans territory, then Rachaad White did the rest. Mayfield got the ball to White in space, and the second-year running back took it 43 yards for a touchdown. With Chase McLaughlin’s extra point, it was suddenly a 7-3 lead for Tampa Bay.

Neither offense really got into another gear from there, with the first half ending with the Bucs in front by a score of 7-3. Todd Bowles’ defense held the Titans in check for the first half in a big way, limiting them to 89 total yards and just 32 yards on the ground. Through the first two quarters, Derrick Henry had just 12 carries for seven yards — an average of 1.7 yards per carry.

Out of halftime, the Bucs looked like they were in position to get some separation after a 43-yard pass from Mayfield to Evans set up 1st & Goal at the Tennessee 8-yard line.

But on 2nd & Goal, Evans dropped a wide-open touchdown in the end zone. After a Mayfield miss on third down, Tampa Bay had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by McLaughlin. That extended the lead, but it was still a one-possession game.

The Buccaneer defense kept the clamps on the Titans offense on its first drive of the second half, though. Tackles for loss by both Lavonte David and Calijah Kancey helped the unit get off the field, and that opened up another opportunity for the offense going the other way.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

The offense took advantage of that opportunity, and it saw Evans come through with a big redemption drive. A 27-yard catch got Tampa Bay into Tennessee territory, then Mayfield found Evans for a 22-yard touchdown on 3rd & 3 to put the Bucs up 17-3.

The Titans finally got something going offensively on their next possession, largely because of some help from a soft unnecessary roughness call on Anthony Nelson. But once the drive got down inside the red zone, Tennessee stalled again. Another Calijah Kancey tackle for loss on second down and an incompletion on third down forced another Folk field goal, which cut the Bucs’ lead to 17-6 with 12:54 to go.

A few penalties on the Tennessee defense moved the chains for the Buccaneer offense on its next possession, which allowed for some much-needed burning of the clock. Not only that, but it helped get the drive inside the red zone. But on 3rd & 9 from the 17, Mayfield missed Cade Otton to force Tampa Bay into a field goal try. McLaughlin nailed it from 35 yards out, making it a 20-6 lead with 7:01 left.

Titans QB Will Levis – Photo by: USA Today

The Titans really didn’t put up much of a fight from there, with rookie Markees Watts nearly getting to Levis on a 2nd & 10 and forcing a throw to none other than Antoine Winfield Jr., who easily brought down his first interception of the season.

The Titans did eventually get the ball back, but still couldn’t manage much of anything even after a short Jake Camarda punt. Yaya Diaby got to Levis for a sack on third down and one final deep ball attempt intended for DeAndre Hopkins fell incomplete. With that, the Bucs just had to put the finishing touches on a 20-6 victory.

Tampa Bay’s defense was the story of the game, bouncing back from its hideous performance in Week 9 by holding Tennessee to 209 total yards and just 42 yards on the ground. Derrick Henry totaled just 24 yards on 11 carries for a 2.2-yard average. DeAndre Hopkins had just three catches for 27 yards on eight targets as well. Vita Vea, Shaq Barrett, Devin White and Yaya Diaby all registered sacks, while Lavonte David and Calijah Kancey tallied two tackles for loss each.

Baker Mayfield finished the day 18-of-29 for 278 yards and two touchdowns to one interception, with Mike Evans being his No. 1 target to the tune of six catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. The run game didn’t really get going as Rachaad White ran for 51 yards on 20 carries (2.6 avg.). But White did have the big 43-yard touchdown catch-and-run that sparked the Tampa Bay offense early.

The Bucs (4-5) will now hit the road again for the first of two straight away games, traveling west to take on the 49ers (6-3) in San Francisco. Kickoff is set for 4:05 p.m.