Gambler Sees Bucs Passing Game Succeeding
September 23rd, 2021
Handicapper expects big game.
Joe was listening to a podcast from The Ringer called “The Ringer Gambling Show” where Joe learned a lot about the Rams defense.
Former Bucs coach Raheem Morris is the new Rams defensive coordinator. And his defense, while undefeated, is off to a shaky start.
Ben Solak, talking to co-host Warren Sharp, explained how Raheem’s defense is not a good matchup against the Bucs.
Sharp noted that thus far the Rams have faced off against place-setting Bears quarterback Andy Dalton and brittle Carson Wentz. And against both embattled quarterbacks, the Rams defense struggled to get off the field.
Facing Dalton, Sharp points out, the Bears had seven drives start in Chicago territory and ended in Los Angeles territory. The Bears punted once on eight drives.
Against Wentz, the Rams allowed Indianapolis seven drives to begin in Indianapolis real estate and end in Rams territory.
Solak noted that the Rams were the last NFL team to force an opponent on a three-and-out this season.
Solak explained the Rams defense is made to bend not break. That they will virtually allow a team to march down the field with dink-and-dunk passes but once it enters the red zone, they better start banking on field goals.
Solak doesn’t believe this strategy will stop the Bucs. Solak said no quarterback the past 20 years has feasted on short passes more than Tom Brady. And when the Bucs get in the red zone, it will be a matchup nightmare for the Rams.
“If you have Mike Evans and Gronk in the red zone, you just can’t match up with one Jalen Ramsey,” Solak said. “I don’t think the Rams defense is going to be able to take any wind out of the sails of Tampa Bay.”
Of course, the podcast was likely recorded without the knowledge that furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing receiver Antonio Brown will possibly miss the game after testing positive for The Sickness.
But Joe thinks Solak is onto something. If the bungling Bears can move the ball on the Rams, and the Colts with brittle Carson Wentz can move the ball, surely the Bucs with Brady and his ridiculously deep trough of receivers ought to be able to move the ball on Raheem’s defense.
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:06 am
This game will come down to who has the ball last with time on the clock
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:11 am
No it wont, bucs by 14
September 23rd, 2021 at 1:23 am
Bucs: Better Coach. Better QB. Better WRs. Better OL. Better RBs. Better DL. Better LBs.
Rams: Home field and Donald and Ramsey are clearly better players than their counterparts on the Bucs.
This may come down to turnovers. Is RoJo going to rise to the occasion in the city where he played college football? Will Tryon be ready to step in for JPP?
There’s a guy playing on a whole different level right now, and that is Mr. Lavonte David. He’s covering up mistakes in front and behind him, hitting hard
and binding the Defense like super glue. Just no splash plays. Basically, the story of his career. Watch him this week.
September 23rd, 2021 at 2:08 am
Ramsey is very good, so I’m not disputing that, but Evans ran over him last year getting into the endzone. Now, if Brady will throw it anywhere near Ramsey, I don’t know, but I’d fully expect Evans to win those one-on-one battles.
September 23rd, 2021 at 2:17 am
Bucs 34-Rams 23
September 23rd, 2021 at 2:44 am
So, he’s saying Rams will play Tampa 2 vs Bucs which means we can run the ball & throw short passes. As long as we don’t have turnovers, we can control the clock. We’ll see how they actually play defense though…..
September 23rd, 2021 at 6:09 am
ModHairKen … I agree with you; good chance that this game will come down to turnovers.
Rams beat the Bears handily 34-14, but lost the TOP by 10 mins (35 to 25) AND let the Bears run on them convincingly (26 runs for 134 yds & 2 TDs). Rams did it with a BALANCED attack (23 runs, 26 passes, 1 sack allowed for a 46% run-pass ratio), no turnovers, very few penalties (4) and an excellent 3rd/4th down conversion rate (7-for-12). And oh ya, Stafford played great (20-for-26 for 321 yds & 3 TDs, producing 34 pts in only 50 plays total.
Rams squeaked by the Colts 27-24, winning by a Matt Gay FG in the last 2 mins. Rams did it again with a BALANCED attack (29 runs, 30 passes, 1 sack allowed for a 48% run-pass ratio), very few penalties (3). But in this game the Rams fumbled once & Stafford was intercepted once (both teams made 2 TOs), and the Rams were only 3-for-1- in 3rd & 4th down conversions. Again a low play total though (Rams 60 plays).
That game sounds a lot like the Rams 27-24 win over us last season (both teams committed 2 TOs) & penalties were low, except that the Rams attack last year focused much more-so on the pass vs run (28% run-pass ratio). Rams run game was very ineffective (20-for-37 yds) but their passing game was very good (39-for-51 for 376 yds, 2 TDs but 2 INTs). Good enough to win, and they did control the clock (33 mins to 27 mins).
Stafford’s very good with the short stuff especially, and their OLine has only given up 2 sacks this year. WR Kupp (16 catches in 21 targets) & TE Higbee (6 catches in 7 targets) never come off the field. I still think we’ll see more of a balanced attack from them this year than we did last year, and that the game will be close.
September 23rd, 2021 at 7:24 am
100 yard game for Godwin.
September 23rd, 2021 at 7:37 am
It’s on the defense to rise this week. I just really wish we could actually jam the w.r.’s at the line… sometimes FCOL😂😂🤨
SAY IT WITH YA CHEST
20-0 till it ain’t so
Go Bucs
September 23rd, 2021 at 8:39 am
The first two games, against mediocre teams, were closer than they should have been. This week against a strong team, I expect the Bucs to flip the script and kick ass!
September 23rd, 2021 at 8:42 am
If the Bucs had looked like last year’s defense in our first two games I would favor the Bucs. We will score plenty of points. Not sure our defense will handle the Rams. Gonna favor the home team. I think the Rams will grind our defense down. The only way we win is for Brady to win in a shoot out. Gonna favor LA in close game or the Bucs in a pass happy shoot out. Slight edge for the home team on this one. Long trip across country and defensive struggles make me favor the Rams. Hope I am wrong and Bucs win a shoot out.