Rams Tanking Shot At No. 3 NFC Seed
January 2nd, 2025
Sean McVay
Rams head coach Sean McVay is one smart guy.
The man with the astounding 7-4 record in the playoffs on top of a 80-51 regular-season record has a firm rule.
He always considers resting players in a meaningless game.
McVay routinely sits all starters and key players in preseason (smart!) and he plans to rest his starters Sunday in the Rams’ season finale against Seattle.
But wait! The Rams are 10-6 and need to win in order to make sure they keep the No. 3 seed.
If the Bucs win and the Rams lose, then the Bucs (9-7) will be the No. 3 seed.
Whatever team lands the No. 4 seed will host the loser of Sunday night’s clash between the Vikings and Lions. Each team is 14-2 and will fight to the death for the NFC North crown and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Joe suspects McVay prefers to face the banged up loser of that game as it hits the road for a cross-country trip — with a fully rested Rams team.
Will the strategy work?
Will the Rams win with Jimmy Garoppolo at QB?
Joe will take the No. 3 seed happily if it falls in the Bucs’ lap.
January 2nd, 2025 at 3:52 pm
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Need to beat the Saints first and hopefully keep injury free.
January 2nd, 2025 at 3:54 pm
Aloha pay here.
January 2nd, 2025 at 3:59 pm
Rams play Seahawks, not Cardinals.
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Rams play the Seahawks…
49ers plays the Cardinals…
Be better Joe
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:02 pm
I like the Bucs path to get to the NFC Championship if they get the 3 seed. Most likely opening against the Commanders then Divisional vs the Eagles who they seem to keep playing well against. Hopefully they can take care of business and the Seahawks can steal a win
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:06 pm
I agree…don’t look past the Saints….would like to take a good lead and then start firing it downfield to Mike over & over till her gets his yards…
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:12 pm
Focus on the Saints – we must win. Everything else will take care of itself
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:24 pm
Beat the Saints. Beat the Saints. Beat the Saints. Beat the Saints…….
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:24 pm
I hope the Bucs players don’t think about seeds, they need to focus on the Saints. Beat the Saints, period. Get Mike his 1k. Stop playing Zyon on extra points!
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:34 pm
Joe is Human ffs, relax and don’t throw stones in a glass house.
And of course, let’s beat the Saint’s damn it!
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:38 pm
I’m sure the players aren’t talking seeds. Can’t currently predict the opponent and it’s a home game. Gotta get there first. A loss to the Saints at home to miss the playoffs will blow this place up, don’t even wanna think about it.
I agree with Joe that it’s kind of a win win for the Bucs either way. Commanders come to town and I would argue they are the weakest team in the field or a battered team that just lost their bye is coming to town for a trench war. Would like our chances in either scenario.
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:40 pm
I like the Bucs chances vs any of the teams in the playoffs.
January 2nd, 2025 at 4:56 pm
Beat the Saints first.
One game at a time…
One game at a time…
One game at a time…
(And get Mike his 1,000 yards)
January 2nd, 2025 at 5:28 pm
So would we consider this game against the Slimy Saints a “trap game”?
January 2nd, 2025 at 5:41 pm
Rest easy. Any player that might read this story will not have their attention diverted away from Sunday’s game as a result. I’m not in the prediction business but I do expect the Bucs to win this game with relative ease. Despite CTB well chronicled record of not having his defense ready to play from one week to the next. Assuming they do win then the following week is when defensive-performance anxiety will rear its ugly head. Again
Secure Coen 2025
January 2nd, 2025 at 6:15 pm
I don’t know about all that. I do however think that they are covering up a Stafford injury. He couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn the last couple weeks.
January 2nd, 2025 at 7:06 pm
commanders would be good since bucs played them as well as eagles due to fact that bowles isnt good at game planning. the familiarity would help bowles
January 2nd, 2025 at 7:15 pm
Just beat the Saints.
Everything else will fall into place.
January 2nd, 2025 at 7:58 pm
Just win ,,, great for the team!!!! And great for Vinny considering I got Bucs to win division and Bucs to make playoffs ! I win both with a Bucs win,,,, so do it for the city of Tampa,,, do it for Coach Bowles , and most importantly do it for Vinny!!!
January 2nd, 2025 at 8:02 pm
This January is forecast to be very cold.
Tampa only makes the playoffs if it wins its division.
And, as a division winner, Tampa would play at home unless it advanced far enough into the playoffs that it had to play a higher seeded division winner at home.
And, the only team that is potentially a higher seeded division winner that plays outside in the cold is Philadelphia.
So, if the Bucs make it into the playoffs, fans should probably be rooting for Philadelphia to lose in the first round to the lowest seeded team, the Packers.
The Lions would then play the Packers in the Division Round. And, if the Bucs make it to the Division Round, they would play at home or in L.A.
January 2nd, 2025 at 10:35 pm
yeah we def don’t wanna wind up going up to a freezing cold philly, who is gonna be itchy and overdue for a win against us…
realistically we prolly want the redskins and the rookie qb coming back to tampa for the wildcard…
or minny, the traditional playoff chokers…
both qb’s are question marks with no playoff experience…
then again, all 4 teams are f’in good
January 2nd, 2025 at 10:59 pm
With a toss Bowles defense every game is a trap game without an offensive explosion
January 2nd, 2025 at 11:06 pm
The Bucs have had a chance to make the playoffs going into the last week of the regular season in every season Todd Bowles has been the HC. I think he is the only Bucs HC that has done that.
January 2nd, 2025 at 11:11 pm
For all intents and purposes, the Bucs start their playoffs, this Sunday against a team that’s owned them at home. That’s rite, the saints own the Bucs. They put up rookie starters and we get man handled. This is what the Bucs are up against.
January 2nd, 2025 at 11:13 pm
The Saints would like nothing more than to embarrass the Bucs! One game at a time, next game we have to beat the Saints. Too much projection about seeds and brackets. Lets get in the playoffs first.
January 2nd, 2025 at 11:45 pm
The last time we played them didn’t we put up 51 points?
January 3rd, 2025 at 9:38 am
Just beat the Aints and finish 10-7. That is more than fine by me, and then let the playoff cards play out as they may.
January 3rd, 2025 at 11:43 am
We win tomorrow I promise you we gits to the super bowl !!!! We gits this !!!!
January 3rd, 2025 at 3:19 pm
Saints.. that’s all that matters.
January 4th, 2025 at 10:31 am
Pewter Power Says:
January 2nd, 2025 at 10:59 pm
With a toss Bowles defense every game is a trap game without an offensive explosion
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Truer words never spoken.