Gameday Tampa Bay
September 29th, 2019
Game 4
Bucs (1-2) at Rams (3-0)
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m.
TV: WTVT-TV Channel 13, DirecTV/NFL Sunday Ticket Channel 714.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network WXTB-FM 97.9 in the Tampa-St. Petersburg region; 97.9 FM ESPN Radio in Tallahassee (Transmisiones de radio en español en WTMP-FM 96.1 y WMGG-AM 1470 en Tampa); SiriusXM Channel 385.
Weather: Pleasant temperatures, per AccuWeather.com. Joe has been out in Los Angeles since Thursday and it’s been gloomy out here the entire time. That is expected to continue today with cloudy skies and a temperature at kickoff of 71, which should rise to 74 early in the third quarter. At game’s end, the sun just may make an appearance with a temperature of 72.
Odds: Per the Mirage in Las Vegas, Rams -9.5, O/U 48.5.
Outlook: This doesn’t look good for the Bucs and if the Bucs cannot pull off an upset, it’s just one more sign we may be talking draft by Halloween. Yet again. The Bucs are coming off a shameful loss to the inept Giants losing to a rookie quarterback in his NFL debut on the road. The Bucs had that game well under control at halftime until they wet the bed. If what some are suggesting, that the Bucs made little to no adjustments in the second half and ran easy-to-decipher defenses, that is just embarrassing after what Bucs fans were forced to stomach with the nonsense from disgraced former defensive coordinator Mike Smith. The problem Joe has and what scares the heck out of him is that the Bucs rush defense has been lights out. Absolutely fantastic. When a defense totally shuts down Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley in consecutive games, that is impressive as hell. So that gives Joe hope if not confidence the Bucs can contain arthritic Todd Gurley. But if the Bucs can let a rookie quarterback light their arses up, what do we expect the Bucs to do against Jared Goff on the road? Also what scares Joe is that the Rams have excellent corners. If they don’t rattle America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, then Jameis has to contend with Aaron Donald. Gulp. Joe hates to say it, but this game doesn’t look promising for the Bucs at all.
Trinkets: Bucs QB Jameis Winston passed for 380 yards and 3 touchdowns with one interception in Week 3, his fourth career game with 375 or more passing yards. He has 768 pass yards (384 per game) and 5 touchdowns vs. 2 interceptions in two career games facing the Rams. Jameis is looking for his third in a row against the Rams with 300 or more passing yards and 2 or more touchdowns. … RB Ronald Jones had 121 scrimmage yards (80 rush, 41 receiving) in Week 3, his first career game with 100 or more scrimmage yards. He has 75 or more rushing yards in 2 of his past 3 games. … RB Peyton Barber has 85 or more scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in 3 of his past 4 on road. … WR Mike Evans had 8 receptions for 190 yards and a career-high 3 touchdowns in Week 3. Evans became the first Bucs player with 3 receiving touchdowns in a single game since Jimmie Giles (October 1985). Evans has 8 games with 2 or more receiving touchdowns since 2014, fourth-most among active wide receivers. He had 10 receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown catch in the last meeting against the Rams. Evans is looking for his third in a row against the Rams with 9 or more catches and 100 or more receiving yards. … WR Chris Godwin has four receiving touchdowns in his past 4 games. … TE O.J. Howard has 4 touchdown catches in his past 5 road games. … LB Shaq Barrett had a career-high 4 sacks, 3 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles in Week 3. Barrett was the first Bucs defensive player with 4 or more sacks in a game since Simeon Rice (October 2003). Barrett leads the NFL with 8 sacks, tied with Mark Gastineau (8) for most sacks by a player in his team’s first 3 games of the season since 1982. Barrett is shooting to become the first player with 3 or more sacks in 3 consecutive games since 1982. … LB Lavonte David had a sack and a forced fumble in his last meeting against the Rams. … LB Carl Nassib had a sack and his first-career fumble recovery last week. … Rams QB Jared Goff passed for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions last week. In his past 8 at home, is 7-1 with 2,666 passing yards (333.3 per game) and 22 touchdowns against the 2 interceptions. … RB Todd Gurley had 2 rushing touchdowns in the two teams’ last meeting. Gurley is looking for his third game in row against the Bucs with a rushing touchdown. He has 12 touchdowns (10 rush, 2 receiving) in his last nine home games. Since 2015, Gurley leads all NFL running backs in yards (6,641) and touchdowns (57). … WR Cooper Kupp had a career-high 11 catches for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 3. He aims for his third in row with 100+ receiving yards and sixth-straight with at least 5 catches. Kupp has 3 receiving touchdowns in his past 4 home games. Kupp is shooting for his third straight NFC game with at least 115 yards receiving. … WR Brandin Cooks had 8 catches for 112 yards last week. He has 3 touchdown catches in his past four games. Cooks has at least 5 catches in 5 of his 6 career games against the Bucs. … WR Robert Woods has at least 70-yards receiving in 8 of his past 10 home games. … DT Aaron Donald had a sack and 2 tackles for loss last week. He has 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in his last seven home games. Since 2015, Donald is 1 of 3 players (Chandler Jones and Khalil Mack) with at least 50 sacks (51.5). … LB Clay Matthews had two sacks, two tackles for loss, a forced fumbled and a pass defended in Week. Matthews is 1 of 3 NFC players (Shaq Barrett and Danielle Hunter) with a sack in each of first 3 games this season. Matthews looks for his third game in a row with a forced fumble. … S John Johnson had a team-high 9 tackles and an interception last week. He is looking for his third straight game with a pick.
September 29th, 2019 at 12:31 am
Is it game day or just another opportunity for a Glazer owned franchise to embarrass the sport of football
September 29th, 2019 at 12:33 am
Oh no, not again
September 29th, 2019 at 12:51 am
33-13 rams.
September 29th, 2019 at 12:52 am
33-13 rams
September 29th, 2019 at 1:03 am
Just black it out and call it a day. I’m setting a tee time. I hope the haters get their fill.
If jameis makes it past the first qrt I’ll be shocked. If he throws less than 3 picks I’ll be even more shocked. Luv ya Jaboo but your oline is gonna get u killed. Looking at you Aaron Donald.
#PrayForJaboo
September 29th, 2019 at 1:05 am
24-21 Bucs on last second FG.
September 29th, 2019 at 3:09 am
Lol. Nice touch 87. Touché indeed
September 29th, 2019 at 4:18 am
Today in Cali against the LA Rams it just might be the beginning of the end for Jameis Winston as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer so it was said so it is written.
September 29th, 2019 at 4:59 am
The running game and JW will pull it out for us today.
September 29th, 2019 at 5:47 am
That is one skanky granny looking cheerleader.
Nasty.
September 29th, 2019 at 5:51 am
Rams can be beaten, but not if the Bucs play the way they did in Game 1 or Game 3. Yes they’re 3-0 and we’re a lowly 1-2, and yes we’re playing on their turf, BUT … the Rams haven’t exactly crushed their opponents.
Rams are a very BALANCED TEAM. Offense has bonafide passing AND rushing weapons, and their defense has been playing very solid football. Still, they’ve committed 5 turnovers in their 3 games, they’ve had NINE FG attempts in 3 games (of which they’ve made 7 FGs … just like the Bucs). Their offense has scored an average of 26 PPG, BUT the defenses they’ve played are ranked an average of #20 thus far this season in POINTS SCORED (Bucs are ranked #22 right now).
IF the Bucs can (1) win the TURNOVER BATTLE; (2) control the clock & win the TOP BATTLE, (3) score in the mid-20’s; and (4 ) play solid defense we MIGHT WIN. Make the bonehead mistakes we made in Games 1 & 3 and it’s ‘Hasta la vista baby’.
September 29th, 2019 at 5:52 am
if the Bucs win it will prove beyond any doubt that NFL games are fixed
September 29th, 2019 at 6:00 am
“Big arm,” Rams safety John Johnson said. “Probably the biggest we’ve faced. … A guy like him, you’ve got to get to him mentally because physically he can do it all.”
About Winston from the LARams
September 29th, 2019 at 6:03 am
The Headline from the LA Times:
Rams will try to neutralize Buccaneers’ Jameis Winston and his big arm
September 29th, 2019 at 6:04 am
“Los Angeles hasn’t lost to a non-playoff team since Week 2 of Sean McVay’s first season. And that Washington group is the only sub-.500 team to defeat the Rams in two-plus years. Since then, when the Rams really turned the corner and the winning culture took root, they’ve reliably beaten the teams they were expected to beat.”
September 29th, 2019 at 6:06 am
“The Rams face another former No. 1 overall selection at quarterback this week in Jameis Winston. If you’re scoring at home, that’s three of them in the first four weeks of the season (Cam Newton and Baker Mayfield).
According to star researcher Jake Temme, a win would make the Rams just the third team in the last 20 years to start 4-0 while facing that many No. 1 overall picks at quarterback, joining the 1999 Patriots and 2016 Broncos.
As the top selection from 2016, Jared Goff already has a sterling track record against his peers. He’s 7-1 career against No. 1 picks, with his only defeat versus Carson Palmer at the end of Goff’s rookie season.”
September 29th, 2019 at 6:08 am
“Unsure what to make of this Bucs defense? You’re not alone.
On the plus-side, they’ve been phenomenal against the run despite facing Christian McCaffrey and Matt Breida in the early schedule.
Tampa Bay also has the best pass rush win rate in the NFL and sack leader Shaq Barrett.
So how could they possibly fall victim to 300-yard passing performances from a wounded Cam Newton and rookie Daniel Jones making his first career start?
After fielding one of the worst pass defenses in history in 2018, Bruce Arians declared those issues “totally fixed” this summer.
Perhaps not.”
September 29th, 2019 at 7:13 am
“2 words
Clay Matthews”
Son of Kobe Faker
September 29th, 2019 at 7:27 am
@Dooshlarue…. sure beats Lorenzo though. What an embarrassment.
September 29th, 2019 at 7:53 am
With this pass rush and blitz, why the corners are still playing off coverage 5 to 8 yards is beyond me. Throw off the route with press at the line and make the qb scramble to find someone open. This is a winable game with good coaching.
OFFENSE coaching I have no faith in despife our head coach being one of the best….hes relaxing on his golf cart writting down descriptions of various Florida birds flying.around the area rather than coaching# disappointed.
September 29th, 2019 at 7:56 am
It would not surprise me if Matt Gay wins this game for us.
Then the Tampa Bandwagon Fans will get back on the Gay wagon.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:18 am
“It would not surprise me if Matt Gay wins this game for us.”
If he does win it, I would not be surprised to see Kobe Faker lead the Gay Pride Parade up Dale Mabry from Mons Venus to Tampa Stadium in his chartreuse drum major outfit.
I other words, I’ll bet Gay craps the bed.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:21 am
DooshLaRue Says:
“That is one skanky granny looking cheerleader.
Nasty.”
.
.
It just needs more paint.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:50 am
Upset special… Bucs win this one. Rams have looked very average. Take the points.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:06 am
As a Bucs fan since the beginning these are the games that I consider most winnable.
It’s just the way it is.
Accept it.
Go Bucs!
September 29th, 2019 at 9:22 am
40 year Bandwagon Fan here…I’ll leave the Gay Wagon to BB and his friend(s)…real or imagined. What a joke!
September 29th, 2019 at 9:29 am
“Mr Ghost
How can my Dad and I
Upload a profile picture?”
Son of Kobe Faker
September 29th, 2019 at 10:48 am
All I know is this:
If the Bucs have 1 more point than the Rams at the end of the 4th quarter, we will win.
September 29th, 2019 at 11:08 am
DooshLaRue Says:
“That is one skanky granny looking cheerleader.
Nasty.”
I wouldn’t kick her out of my bed. My wife might. Maybe lol
September 29th, 2019 at 11:51 am
The only positive I’ve taken from the Bucs the past decade is we can win any game on the schedule…see Steelers in Pittsburgh…Seahawks in their good years in Seattle…sadly that is balanced by the fact that we an also lose to any team…and it seems we can’t win at home. We may be the only team with a home field disadvantage. We CAN win this game.
Whatever…it’s too early to make serious pronouncements on this season…however it’s clear that this season will be affected significantly between 4PM and 11PM this afternoon/evening.
IF…we beat the Rams and Dallas takes out the Brees-less Saints that sets up an early season showdown in the NFC South next week in New Orleans….a place we have played pretty well.
Lose today and Saints win…the season is not over but it’s create a true mountain to climb.
September 29th, 2019 at 12:37 pm
After seeing the Browns come close last week, this game is winnable for us. Now granted, that d pass rush the browns has is superior, but we’re not bad ourselves!
Run D is great so hopefully Gurley wont factor much. The biggest thing is ruching Goff and our DB’s playing lights out to make up for last weeks 2nd half meltdown.
And of course we nee the good Jameis again, a 3rd in a row. He’s gonna be rushed like crazy but if we run it at Donald so much in the first half that we wear him down, we could win the 2nd half!
I see a close game as long as Good JW shows up again.
And of course we need some Gay kicks to be made!!!!!!!!!
September 29th, 2019 at 12:47 pm
Kobe, go to avatar.com and set it up.
September 29th, 2019 at 1:12 pm
Bucemup,
To your question about playing off instead of press. I don’t know the exact reason but there’s a few possibilities.
First, is to understand that it’s one receiver your able to play like you suggest.
The other receivers start with an advantage over the DB. I don’t believe our DB’S are able to win a majority of matchups if it’s even. Give a little advantage to the receiver and our guys aren’t good enough to make up the advantage yet alone win heads up consistently.
Another is, if the Bucs wanted to press with the bulk of the snaps , the coaches call press ..it’s not that simple. The offensive formation has to match up with the defense called. If a team is great at press match ups it’s a simple formation change by the offense that prevents the defense from executing their plan. Basically an oc can Eliminate at best and worse he can prevent a disignated reciever from getting matched up against press corners.
The type of coverage you advocate works, but it’s easy to scheme around and if your corners are average , rookies, physically limited, it isn’t going to work enough to win the majority of downs in a game. Majority is 95% .
Last , man is easy on QB’S. It plays to the QB’S advantage from the start. If a QB isn’t accurate or lacks timing ..then man works great. But more qbs come from college into the pros prepared to exploit man coverage than ever before.
There’s no learning curve to overcome. It wasnt the case 5 yrs ago certainly not 10. But things change.
September 29th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
77 – 3 Rams.
September 29th, 2019 at 2:30 pm
RAMS 34- BUC’S 21