NFC Game Of The Week
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams
Bucs: What a difference a full year can make. I say this because around this time in 2020, they were still trying to figure out what their identity was and for the first time in his career, Tom Brady was learning the ins and outs of a brand-new playbook after deciding to sign in Tampa last March. You watch the Buccaneers now, the quarterback looks much more in sync with his receivers and, I notice that they’re letting Tom control more of the offense and they’re catering to his style which is throwing the ball over the middle, using his tight ends and checking the ball down to his running backs along with sending guys in motion. I’ve been watching Brady for years now and at this point in his career, I think he throws the football better than he did say a decade ago which is saying something because in his first two games, he’s firing the ball quickly and he’s placing it exactly where it needs to be. This Tampa offense has so much fire power. You circle in on one guy and you must worry about another one of those weapons beating you . You try to eliminate Mike Evans then boom, you have Chris Godwin, or Antonio Brown and don’t forget old reliable (Rob Gronkowski). Or, they can run the ball with Leonard Fournette or Ronald Jones. When I look at their defense, there is a slight concern because the secondary is struggling once again. They allowed Matt Ryan to throw it all over the field on them in week two and this is prior to the two pick sixes they recorded. They make their first road trip of the season on Sunday to California.
Rams: They’ve been fun to watch so far. Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay have been the tandem I never knew I needed to see. When the Rams acquired the veteran quarterback from the Detroit Lions in the offseason, I was excited for this because for years, Matthew has never had a running game to lean on. Passing the ball has been no problem for number nine. Look at everything he did with the Lions and then some. Plus, he was throwing the football to a Hall of Famer named Calvin Johnson. Now, he’s in a system where he can rely on balance. He threw the football 26 times against the Bears in week one and threw it 30 times in week two in Indianapolis. If he were still a Lion, he’d have more than 40 pass attempts. See what a difference having balance can make? Okay, so I’m about to put myself on the spot here. Remember in the off-season I said I was worried about their offense because they didn’t have a true number one receiver? That’s Cooper Kupp now and I haven’t seen Stafford in sync with a receiver maybe since his days with Calvin. The chemistry between these two in two games has been remarkable. Just imagine how scarier the Rams offense would be with Cam Akers on the field. When Brandon Staley left to become the Chargers head coach, I was wondering who they’d get to replace him as the defensive coordinator. Enter Raheem Morris. I like what he’s done with the defense, but more so what he’s done with Jalen Ramsey. He’s not just using him as his normal cornerback spot. He’s been using Jalen all throughout the defense. I’ve seen him lined up at safety, covering tight ends in the slot and he’s also played in the box as a linebacker. Talk about versatility. Sunday, they return home for a huge showdown.
Bucs X-Factor: Vita Vea: He is the best pure nose tackle in our league at this moment. Vita is such a force in the middle of the Tampa Bay defensive line. Remember when I said every defense has that one guy who clogs lanes and because of him, everyone else is able to roam around freely to the ball? That’s the purpose Vita serves. He’s so powerful and even when teams think they have him double teamed, he’s strong enough to bulldoze his way through. A man his size shouldn’t be moving as quickly as he does. Look for him to create pressure on Stafford early on.
Rams X-Factor: Sebastian Joseph-Day: Not many know about him. He plays alongside Aaron Donald on that defensive line. Because of all the attention Aaron commands, Sebastian sees many one-on-one opportunities. That’s the benefit from being around anyone who’s at the top of their game at their position. He’s beyond active on this defensive line for the Rams. I’ve seen him punch the ball out to force fumbles, he gets his hands up to knock the ball down and he can rush the passer. From the interior, his first step gives him an edge against blockers.
Final Thoughts: What more could you ask for? Two undefeated teams this early in the season. Many are dubbing this an early preview of the NFC Championship Game and I can’t say they’re wrong. Coming into the year, I repeatedly said if there was one team that could challenge the Bucs in the NFC, it was these Rams. When they played last season, the Rams were the last team in the NFC to beat Tampa. This will be the best defense the Bucs offense has seen all year. What’s the key to defeating a Brady team? Hitting him early and getting him off his spot and the Rams have the defensive philosophy to do so. Look for them to collapse his pocket and force him to throw the ball on the run. This game comes down to who can apply pressure on the opposing quarterback more consistently (hence the title). Tampa had a rough time with Matt Ryan on Sunday. Just imagine what Stafford will do.
Prediction: Rams 31 Bucs 29
