TAMPA — A dreaded preseason scenario unfolded for the Bucs on Saturday night: Rachaad White left the game with a groin injury after his sixth carry in the offense’s first two drives.

White appeared to sustain the injury on his penultimate carry of the game when he ran outside the tackles for 12 yards. He was visibly in pain as he lined up for the next snap.

The fourth-year running back out of Arizona State rushed for 3 yards on the ensuing play before heading to the sideline, where he grimaced on the ground near the Bucs bench.

Head coach Todd Bowles had no immediate update postgame, saying that White will have tests Sunday.

Sean Tucker featured in White’s place in the first half and played well, breaking free for a 23-yard run that set the Bucs up at the Titans’ 2-yard line late in the first quarter. Tucker was held to no gain on first and second goal, but punched in the Bucs’ first touchdown of the preseason on third down. He played into the fourth quarter and finished with 50 yards on 13 carries.

Owen Wright, a second-year running back out of Nevada, had 87 yards on 18 carries. Wright, who signed with the team on July 31, started his Bucs career with a 15-yard carry, followed by a 7-yard run. He found the end zone on two separate carries afterward, but both scores were negated by holding penalties. Wright finally scored on a 15-yard rush late in the fourth quarter.

Bowles praised the run game, especially after the Bucs had built a lead in the second half. Tampa Bay averaged 4.3 yards per carry.

“When they know you’re going to run it, and you can still run it, that says a lot about those guys,” Bowles said. “That’s a sign of toughness.”

Quarterback Kyle Trask echoed the sentiment.

“They knew we were going to run the ball, but still they struggled to stop it,” said Trask, who played the entire first half. “That’s what you want to see ... down there in the trenches.”

The Bucs ran the ball 41 times for 178 yards, good for their most prolific rushing attack in a preseason game since 2017.

Still, the running back room is suddenly thin if White is unable to return ahead of their Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Falcons in Atlanta.

Josh Williams, a rookie from LSU, has not practiced in more than a week with an undisclosed injury.

Bucky Irving, poised to be the lead back after rushing for 1,122 yards a rookie last year, was a healthy scratch Saturday.

White is also an important pass blocker, likely figuring into new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard’s plans to protect Baker Mayfield’s blindside until All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs returns from a right knee injury.

Secondary soars

Saturday’s game gave the Bucs defense reason to feel good about the emphasis they’ve placed on forcing turnovers.

The Bucs had three interceptions, their most in a preseason game since 2021, and 10 passes defended, their most since also recording 10 in 2018.

Rookie cornerback Roman Parodie intercepted a Tim Boyle pass with less than two minutes left in the game and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown. Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk and linebacker Nick Jackson also had picks.

“It’s good to see them carry it over from practice to the game,” Bowles said. “We’ve been emphasizing it, and it fell in our favor tonight.”

Other injuries

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