The Buccaneers are in a tough place right now. They have lost two straight games coming out of their bye week and have lost three of their last four games which has seen a 5-1 record suddenly become 6-4.
Things don’t get any easier either as they travel to Los Angeles to play the Rams on Sunday Night Football. The Rams are currently sitting at 8-2 and are arguably the best team in the entire NFL. To break down this primetime matchup, we chatted with Evan Craig of Turf Show Times to get some answers on what has made the Rams so dangerous this season.
1. The Rams have been one of the NFL’s best teams as of late. What has been the main reason or reasons for such success this season?
“As of late, the Rams have found ways to play more complete games, which is something they greatly struggled with to begin the year. L.A. has jumped out to double-digit leads in each of their last four games against the Jaguars, Saints, 49ers and Seahawks, though the Seattle game wound up being more of a grind than it should’ve been. Either way, the team is figuring out how to play the full four quarters, and that has contributed to some of their recent dominance.
Overall, this is a very strong roster across the board, with almost every position carrying its weight. The defense has been spectacular with all its young guys up front, and the run game has been more balanced with second-year back Blake Corum getting more touches behind Kyren Williams. I genuinely believe this is the best supporting cast Matthew Stafford has had with the Rams, and he won a Super Bowl in his first year. Special teams is the only part of the roster that gives me pause, but this team has every bit of what it takes to be a title contender.“
2. How has the Davante Adams addition worked out for Los Angeles?
“Davante Adams has been a great addition to this offense so far, though his yardage and reception totals leave plenty to be desired. He has just one 100-yard receiving performance, which came against the Titans in Week 2, and his highest reception total is six, a number he’s reached in two games this season.
Despite that, Davante is a touchdown machine. In the last four games, Adams has 7 touchdown receptions, including a 1-yard score on his lone catch against Seattle last week, which also happened to be his 1000th career reception. At this stage of his career, or at least how the Rams have utilized him, Adams isn’t going to put up a ton of yardage, yet he’ll always be a red zone threat. He has been a solid addition to the offense and the ideal partner-in-crime for Puka Nacua.“
3. Who is one underrated player on the Rams who could make a big difference in this game?
“Veteran tight end Colby Parkinson is not exactly underrated, since he hasn’t done much in his Rams career aside from his production in the last month, but that might change soon.
Primary TE Tyler Higbee was placed on IR this week, so any of the other tight ends like Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson could be in this spot here. I’m giving the nod to Parkinson because he’s had 2 touchdowns in the previous two games, part of which I attribute to my article from a month ago stating that it’s time to give up on him. He’s gradually come along, and with the team’s tendency to use larger personnel on offense, expect him to get more looks beginning with Sunday’s game.“
4. When looking at this matchup, what is the X factor positional battle that will go a long way in determining the winner?
“The secondary for the Rams just got weaker after defensive back Quentin Lake was placed on IR this week. Lake has been outstanding this season and is a defensive captain, often calling out signals for the defense. His being out is a big loss for the defense. Los Angeles does have cornerback Roger McCreary, whom the team acquired at the deadline from the Titans, and CB Josh Wallace to help try and fill the gap.
However, with Lake out, the Rams have to figure out a plan in a hurry, or the defense is going to be hurting for the next month. This is one area that Baker Mayfield and TB’s wideouts should exploit to have the best chance at an upset.“
5. The Rams are currently a home favorite. What is your score prediction for this game?
“Last week, I predicted a shootout between the Rams and Seahawks and that never materialized. L.A.’s defense mostly held Seattle in check and forced Sam Darnold to throw 4 interceptions. So, I’m predicting a lower-scoring game this week between these two NFC contenders. The Rams have been rock solid on defense all year long, and I think it’ll be too much for Baker Mayfield and an injury-riddled Bucs offense to handle. Matthew Stafford and Co. do just enough to pull out a win in a gritty one.
Rams 20 Buccaneers 13”
Thanks so much to Evan for doing this!
