The Bucs and Rams both enter Sunday’s Week 9 meeting at Raymond James Stadium in need of a win.

It’s certainly no stretch to call it a must-win for 3-5 Tampa Bay, which can’t afford to fall to 3-6 ahead of next week’s trip to Germany. It’s very much a similar situation for 3-4 Los Angeles, as the defending Super Bowl champions have fallen behind in the NFC West while looking nothing like they did a year ago.

So, the situation as it stands means the loser of Sunday afternoon’s 2022 NFC Divisional Round rematch will face a difficult climb back into the playoff picture. The Bucs enter the game as three-point home favorites despite having lost three straight games and five of their last six. The Rams are coming off of a 31-14 loss to the 49ers last week, marking their second loss to San Francisco this season. They’ve also dropped games to the Bills (31-10) and Cowboys (22-10). But does Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles see anything that tells him Los Angeles is vulnerable?

“I don’t think we’ve seen anything to give us an advantage,” Bowles said Friday. “We know we’re going to get the best Rams team we can face. We’re in the same boat – we’re both trying to win a ballgame. They’ve still got all their star players and high production, obviously, so it’s going to be a battle.”

The Last Two Super Bowl Champions Are Struggling In 2022

Rams WR Cooper Kupp and Bucs S Mike Edwards – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs and Rams are both struggling, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Tampa Bay is averaging 18.3 points per game, which is the 25th-best in the league. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is averaging 16.9 points per game, which is 28th-best. Bowles’ defense – by the numbers – is looking better than Raheem Morris’ Rams defense. The Bucs are allowing 18.9 points per game, which is good for sixth-best in the league. Morris’ group is allowing 22.4 per game, leaving them with the 17th-best mark in the league.

As Bowles mentions, though, Los Angeles is still a star-studded group. Offensively, Matthew Stafford is always a threat, while Cooper Kupp has proven capable of single-handedly beating the Bucs in the past. Kupp (686 yards, five touchdowns) certainly hasn’t been the problem for the Rams. Stafford (1,763 yards, seven touchdowns, eight interceptions) hasn’t had his best year, due in part to a shaky offensive line. But Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay has gotten the better of Bowles in their last three meetings, so this struggling offense still can’t be taken lightly.

Tampa Bay, of course, still has its own stars. Brady, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin face a tough test this week, of course, with an Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey-led defense coming to town. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich hasn’t shown that he can right the ship with this 2022 offense, and it’s hard to imagine anything changing against the Rams. But the Bucs simply have to get things going and find a way to win this game. Otherwise, they’ll really be in a hole with eight games remaining and a three-games-under-.500 record.

The NFC – And Especially The NFC South – Is Still There For The Bucs

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

Brady famously said earlier this season that he’s seen a lot of “bad football” around the NFL this season, and that hasn’t really changed through eight weeks. A few NFC East teams – the Eagles (8-0), Cowboys (6-2) and Giants (6-2) – have separated themselves from the rest of the conference. The Vikings find themselves at 6-1, and the Seahawks lead the NFC West at 5-3. The expected NFC powers – the Bucs (3-5), Rams (3-4) and Packers (3-5) – are all looking lost.

Bowles was asked Friday about those “top” teams struggling this season, and whether or not things are in flux with the conference.

“No, we don’t look at it like that. We look at it as wide open,” Bowles said. “We look at it as us just trying to win a ball game and try to get on a roll, and we’ll let everything else shake out at the end.”

Philadelphia, Dallas, New York and Minnesota may disagree that the NFC is wide open for the taking, but the point remains that teams like the Bucs, Rams and Packers can work their way back into the mix with a long season ahead. First, though, Tampa Bay needs to focus on the NFC South before it gets any ideas about the wider picture.

Right now, the Falcons (4-4) lead the division by a game, while the Bucs (3-5), Saints (3-5) and Panthers (2-6) are right behind them. This is a divisional race that could change by the week, and Bowles’ team is right there. But that means nothing if the wins don’t start stacking up.

The Rams (3-4) are third in the NFC West right now, trailing the 49ers (4-4) and Seahawks (5-3). Even the Cardinals (3-5) are still right there, too. But like the Bucs’ situation, the close division means nothing if Los Angeles doesn’t start winning.