Who’s the fluke and who’s for real: St. Louis Rams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview
No one gave the Buccaneers or the Rams much of a chance to do anything this year, but both have shown, at least so far, that rebuilding plans don’t always take five years. The Buccaneers are at a respectable 3-2 while the Rams have already won as many games
as they did in their two previous seasons at 3-3. The Rams have only played one bad game all year, losing 44-6 in Detroit a couple of weeks ago, while the Buccaneer’s two losses were both blowouts, both at home; 38-13 loss to Pittsburgh and 31-6 to New Orleans.
This game’s hard to figure out. Both teams are surprises, but the Rams are 0-2 on the road, while the Buccaneers are 1-2 at home. This week may tell us a lot about these two teams.
It’s no secret why the Rams have improved this season. The emergence of the number one overall pick in Sam Bradford has rejuvenated the Rams franchise and given them what looks like a bright future. Bradford has thrown for 1,357 yards this season with seven
touchdowns. He does have eight interceptions already, but let’s face it, he is a rookie so that’s normal.
Steven Jackson is having an MVP-like season, rushing for 507 yards and two touchdowns so far. The Rams’ offensive numbers aren’t off the charts, but they’ve made some big plays when they needed them. They’re 28th in points per game (17.2) and
20th in yards per game (315) but that doesn’t tell their story.
You can’t overlook the improvements on the Rams defensively. Minus one bad game against the Lions, the Rams have held all their opponents to 17 points or less. They’re 11th in the league with 18.8 points allowed per game. That has kept most of
their games close, and it is a testament to the improvements on defence.
James Laurinaitis leads the Rams with 33 tackles and is doing what a middle linebacker is supposed to be doing, leading the defence. The Rams have also gotten an unexpected pass rush, from James Hall, who is already at six sacks on the season. The defence
has kept them close in games and is why they pulled off a big upset last week over the San Diego Chargers.
The Buccaneers are still searching for their identity. They’ve looked impressive in some games, but their defence seems to have fallen apart. They’re ranked 31st in the league against the run, and that’s bad news considering they’re facing Steven
Jackson this week. The Rams will look to continue using Jackson to keep the pressure off Bradford.
Josh Freeman will look to rejuvenate the Buccaneers’ offence, as Cadillac Williams is averaging just 2.5 yards per rushing attempt. Tampa Bay’s 27th in rushing with 91 yards per game. Freeman will look to Kellen Winslow who leads the team with
24 receptions for 257 yards. Mike Williams leads the team in receiving yards with 283 on 23 catches and three touchdowns. Freeman has shown improvement this season, but the Buccaneers’ offence has yet to take the next big step. They’re 29th in the
league with 16 points per game.
Both teams have improved this season, but the Rams seem to have improved just a little more. Steven Jackson is the big difference maker in this game. He’s the best offensive talent on either team and his performance will decide the game. Odds are, he will
have a big day, so expect a close victory for the Rams, who would be over .500 for the first time in three years with a win on Sunday. Kick-off is at 1:00 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.
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