The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their fifth straight game on Sunday, falling to the Tennessee Titans at LP Field in Nashville. The Titans scored a go-ahead touchdown with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. They took the 20-17 lead on a fourth and goal play which broke the backs of a Bucs defense which had held Matt Hasselbeck in check for most of the day. Hasselbeck moved around in the pocket and was able to buy time, finding an open Damian Williams in the back of the end zone for the score.
Looking to respond on the subsequent possession, Josh Freeman would throw his first interception of the day on a terrible throw down the middle in traffic. Freeman hit Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy right in the chest, and Tennessee would quickly add a Rob Bironas for a six point lead. The Titans would try and wind the clock down with running back Chris Johnson, who had his best game of the season, rushing for 190 yards on 23 carries.
After the pick, Freeman nearly drove the Bucs down the field for a winning score but their drive stalled on the edge of the red zone. Freeman hit mike Williams on two 23 yard completions to move the Bucs to the 25 yard line, but on fourth and one, Freeman would fumble on a QB sneak - putting the ball on the ground before he even dove into the pile to try and convert the first down. The Bucs would turn it over on downs, and lose their fifth straight game in what is the most trying stretch of Raheem Morris's tenure.
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