AP Photo/Derek Gee

Tennessee Titans’ Jason McCourty (30) walks off the field with trainers after being injured during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nate Washington and cornerback Jason McCourty will be game-time decision for Sunday’s meeting with New Orleans.

Both Washington, who has a high ankle sprain, and McCourty, who is returning from a concussion, missed Friday’s practice. Linebacker Patrick Bailey also missed practice with a hamstring injury and is questionable. Linebacker Barrett Ruud remains out with a groin injury, while center Eugene Amano is probable after practicing fully for a second straight day on Friday.

Washington says he still hopes to play Sunday, even if he is limited to fewer plays.

McCourty must be evaluated by an independent doctor before he can be cleared to return.

By T.J. Doyle

– Newsdesk contributor

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Tampa Bay on Facebook.

Nov 27, 2011 – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6) hope to right the ship when they travel to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans (5-5) Sunday afternoon at LP Field. The Buccaneers are reeling, having lost five of their last six games, and sit three games back of the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South.

The Titans need to win to stay in the AFC South race, with the Houston Texans currently the team everyone is chasing. Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is expected to play Sunday, after leaving last week’s 23-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcon in the third quarter with a right elbow injury.

Here is everything you need to know about the game:

Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Tennessee Titans

Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN

Game Date/Time: Sunday, November 27; 1:00pm ET

TV Information: FOX (TV Distribution Map - the506.com)

Announcers: Dick Stockton, John Lynch

Radio: 620 WDAE AM (Tampa Bay), WGFX 104.5 FM (Tennessee)

For more on Tampa Bay, please visit Bucs Nation, SB Nation’s Buccaneers blog. For more on Tennessee, please visit Music City Miracles, SB Nation’s Titans blog. For coverage of Sunday’s Buccaneers vs. Titans matchup, please visit this StoryStream.

Read More: Matt Hasselbeck (QB – TEN), New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Tampa Bay on Facebook.

Do you like this story?

More In Sports

‘);
$(‘#ody-nextstoryslider’).append(‘Read More’);
return;
}
var _art,_right,wpElem;
var _beenzagged=(function(){
var _u = GEL.env.user;
return(_u.state || _u.yob || _u.zip )?true:false;
})();
var _laststate=(function(){
var _t = new GEL.util.Cookie(‘GCIONSN’);
var _closed = _t.getValue(‘lastNextStoryState’);
return _closed;
})();
if(!_beenzagged){
getContent();
var _slidestate=_laststate==’false’?'handle’:”;
_art=$(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article’);
_right=$(‘.ody-skin .ody-aside’);
wpElem=_art.height()>_right.height()?_art:_right;
var slider=GEL.widget.slider(wpElem,’ody-nextstoryslider’,{
close: ‘‘,
closeCallback: function(){
var _t = new GEL.util.Cookie(‘GCIONSN’)
_t.setValue(‘lastNextStoryState’,'false’)
},
direction: ‘right’,
handle: ‘‘,
openCallback: function(){
var _t = new GEL.util.Cookie(‘GCIONSN’)
_t.setValue(‘lastNextStoryState’,'true’)
},
offset: function(){
var offSet=$.waypoints(‘viewportHeight’)-($(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-article-bodytext’).height()-$(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-ob-taboola-wrapper’).height());
if(($(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-article-bodytext’).height()-$(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-ob-taboola-wrapper’).height())

The Tennessee Titans missed a chance to move closer to the AFC South lead,
but rookie quarterback Jake Locker(notes) showed he can produce when given the chance.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to make the most of this opportunity or they
could fall further back in the NFC South race.

With starter Matt Hasselbeck(notes) questionable after suffering an arm injury last
week, Locker could make his first NFL start Sunday when the Buccaneers try to
snap a four-game losing streak.

Trailing division-leading Houston by 1 1/2 games, Tennessee (5-5) lost more
ground to the idle Texans and dropped into a pack of four .500 teams in the
conference with Sunday’s 23-17 loss at Atlanta.

With the Titans down 23-3 late in the third quarter, Locker entered after
Hasselbeck was struck by a Falcons defender. The eighth overall pick finished 9
of 19 for 140 yards and a pair of TD passes to Nate Washington(notes), who caught a
career-best nine passes for 115 yards.

Locker helped Tennessee convert a season-high 57.1 percent (8 for 14) on
third downs.

“I thought he handled himself very well there, good pocket presence, and
good job in the huddle calling the plays and running the show,” coach Mike
Munchak said. “He checked protections, he is very comfortable doing that. You
may have noticed him at the line of scrimmage making some adjustments, he felt
very good doing those things.”

That’s a good sign for the Titans if Hasselbeck can’t go. Tests on Monday
did not reveal any structural damage to Hasselbeck’s right forearm and elbow,
and Munchak described it as more of a muscle strain.

“He’s been injured in the past. He’s a savvy vet,” Titans fullback Ahmard
Hall(notes) said. “I think it’s 13 or 14 years for Matt. He’s been there, done that.
He’ll be ready to go next week.”

Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris needs his team to be ready Sunday, and for
each of the next six weeks. Tampa Bay (4-6) has dropped five of six and is three
games behind South-leading New Orleans and two back of the Falcons.

“We’ve got six more (games),” Morris said after Sunday’s 35-26 loss in Green
Bay. . “… There’s still time to get hot. We can still finish with the same
record we had last year (10-6) if we get our minds right, go out and play hard,
fast, physical and smart.”

Third-year quarterback Josh Freeman(notes) hasn’t had the most impressive season -
he’s already been picked off 15 times – but he threw for a career-best 342 yards
Sunday with two fourth-quarter TD passes to help Tampa Bay rally from 14-0 down.

Freeman knows it’s going to take more of these types of efforts for the
Buccaneers to make a late-season push.

“You have to go out and approach every week from here on out as a much-win
situation,” he said. “You try to win them all, but right now it’s very crucial
that we go out and take advantage of every opportunity.”

LeGarrette Blount(notes) has made the most of his chances since the Titans cut him
last September, supplanting Cadillac Williams as Tampa Bay’s starter and running
for 1,548 yards in 21 games.

“It looks like he is doing a great job for them and it ended up being a
great fit for him last year with them picking him up and getting a chance to
play and he has taken full advantage of it,” Munchak said of Blount, who had a
54-yard TD and 107 rushing yards Sunday.

Munchak wishes his backfield was that opportunistic. One of the main reasons
the Titans are averaging a league-low 77.3 rushing yards is the play of Chris
Johnson. The three-time Pro Bowler is running for a career-low 3.2 yards per
carry after being held to 13 on 12 rushes Sunday.

“You go back to the last game (a 30-3 road win over Carolina on Nov. 13) and
I got 130 (yards) and everything was good,” Johnson said. “You come back to
this game and nothing is working. It goes back to the offense not executing, not
being consistent.”

Munchak is looking for better offensive line play, but that unit could be
without right tackle David Stewart(notes) after he suffered a calf injury Sunday.

Former Buccaneer Barrett Ruud(notes) (groin) is also questionable. Titans rookie
linebacker Colin McCarthy(notes), who forced a fourth-quarter fumble against Atlanta,
would be the likely replacement if Ruud can’t go.

The last time these teams met, Tampa Bay won 13-10 on Oct. 10, 2007, to snap
a five-game skid to the Titans franchise.

The Buccaneers have lost both games in Tennessee – 33-13 in their last visit
on Dec. 23, 2003 – after going 0-4 when playing in Houston.