MNF PREVIEW: LOS ANGELES RAMS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

BY ADAM GREENE

The triumvirate of terrific NFL Prime Time games concludes as the Los Angeles Rams make the trip across the country to face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (-4, O/U: 48)

Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.

Kickoff: Nov. 23, 8:15 p.m. EST

Broadcast: ESPN

THE HISTORY

There might be too much history in this game. For the early part of the 2000s, this was the premier rivalry in the NFC, with the Rams boasting the Greatest Show on Turf offense and the Buccaneers fielding an historically good defense. The Rams of that era sent five players to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and counting (Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Orlando Pace and Aeneas Williams). The Bucs have seen Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks enshrined so far with Ronde Barber and John Lynch possibly joining them next year. Both teams won Super Bowls in that span, with the Rams having to get past Tampa Bay to get theirs in an epic 11-6 slugfest in the 1999-2000 NFC Championship. Expect to see some highlights of that one Monday night.

But that wasn’t the first time the Rams and Bucs met up in the NFC title game. The first was in on Jan. 6, 1980 with LA winning a similarly low scoring game 9-0. Los Angeles would go on to lose the Super Bowl, their first as a franchise, to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  

But that’s not all the history you have to deal with in this game thanks to Tampa Bay’s quarterback, Tom Brady. Brady has faced off against the Rams twice in the Super Bowl, winning both. He has a 6-1 record all time against the Rams, regardless who’s quarterbacking or coaching them. 

In spite of all that, this will just be the 26^th meeting all time between the two franchises since 1977. The Rams hold a 16-9 advantage in the overall record and had won five straight over the Bucs until last season. Bruce Arians Bucs took down Sean McVay’s Rams last year to the tune of 55-40 with Jameis Winston throwing for 385 yards, four touchdowns and a single pick. Ronald Jones rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown. Chris Godwin caught 12 passes for 172 yards and two scores.

Jared Goff threw for 517 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. Robert Woods hauled in 13 catches for 164 yards. Cooper Kupp had nine catches for 121 yards and a TD.

And, for what its worth. McVay is 2-1 against Arians, with both victories coming in a 2017 sweep of the Arizona Cardinals.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (6-3)

Los Angeles comes into this game after an emphatic 23-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks that they desperately needed. Two weeks before, they’d been humiliated by the Miami Dolphins in a complete meltdown loss, 28-17. The Rams defense forced three Russell Wilson turnovers, including two interceptions. Goff threw for 302 yards with no TDs and no picks and Josh Reynolds caught eight passes for 94 yards.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-3)

Like the Rams, the Bucs too had a bounce back game last week in a 46-23 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The previous week they were completely dominated by the New Orleans Saints, 38-3. Against Carolina, Brady threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Jones rushed for 192 yards and a TD. Chris Godwin caught six passes for 92 yards. Mike Evans had six catches as well for 77 yards and a touchdown.

THE PICK

This line seems overly friendly to the Bucs. LA is a lot like New Orleans, which is why they’ve had some epic games in the Sean Payton vs Sean McVay era. While Tampa Bay did pass all over Los Angeles last year, that’s a big reason why McVay brought in Brandon Staley as his new defensive coordinator. That, and the Rams’ talent on the defensive side of the ball, is what I think will make the different. Rams 31, Bucs 23

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