It’s been a tough stretch for the Bucs, losing three of their last four games. While their schedule has been one of the toughest in the league during this span, good teams should find a way to beat other good teams occasionally. There’s no doubt that the Bucs are facing a formidable opponent this week in the Rams—possibly even a Super Bowl contender. My post may come off as defeatist, but that’s how I cope with the disappointment of a team that started strong. Let’s break down what it will take for the Bucs or the Rams to secure a win in Week 12.
BUCS WIN IF…
Bucs on Offense: The hope is for the Bucs to establish a strong running game to control the clock and grind out yards. However, the reality is that this may be a challenge.
Yes, the Rams’ defense is more vulnerable against the run than the pass, but they’re not as weak as the Bills’ run defense. Sean Tucker had a great day on the ground last week, but his best career performances have come against defenses that were struggling at the time. For example, last year’s game against the Saints came at a time in which the Saints were unable to stop anyone on the ground for several games, and the Bills were in a similar situation last week. While I believe in Tucker and Rachaad White, we aren’t the kind of offense that can consistently control the game on the ground. A solid running game is crucial, but even getting to 3rd and 3 after some successful runs doesn’t guarantee first downs. We need to focus on passing early to get Baker Mayfield into a rhythm, especially since we’ll likely need to score at least 28 points—possibly even in the upper 30s.
I’d love to see some early play-action passing down the field, like we did on the first drive against the Bills last week. The focus shouldn’t be solely on run-to-pass ratios but rather on what’s working. Baker needs to be efficient on third downs this week, and it would be great to see early-season Emeka Egbuka make a comeback, as he seems to have hit a rookie wall recently.
Bucs on Defense: Our defense has struggled recently, and now they face an offense that excels at exploiting weaknesses. Coach Bowles has historically had trouble slowing down Sean McVay’s offenses, even with better personnel. The Bucs will likely try to blitz quarterback Matthew Stafford, but he has the highest quarterback rating in the NFL against the blitz, with 23 touchdowns and 0 interceptions—so that strategy may not be effective. If we switch to a conventional defense with our front four rushing while playing a soft zone behind them, it’ll likely give Stafford all day to find open receivers.
If the Rams have success, we might shift to a cover 2 or cover 4 defense, allowing them to run effectively with Kyren Williams. All of this to say, our players need to step up and make plays if they want to slow down the Rams and keep the game close. If they don’t, it could be a long night.
RAMS WIN IF…
Rams on Offense: Essentially, the Rams should be able to do whatever they want on offense, just be cautious of a few unexpected blitz packages. The Bucs will likely have their three defensive linemen and two outside linebackers in on first downs, so the Rams should throw on early downs, similar to what the Patriots and Bills have done. Once they establish control, they can start carving up the Bucs’ defense with Williams and Corum. It should be a productive day for their offense.
Rams’ wide receiver Puka Nacua – Photo by: ESPN
I’m predicting Puka Nacua will go over 86.5 receiving yards, Stafford will throw over 2.5 touchdown passes, and Kyren Williams will exceed 13.5 receiving yards.
Rams on Defense: The Rams should expect the Bucs to attempt to establish their running game early. If they can shut that down, they’ll be able to pressure Baker throughout the game, especially if the Bucs are forced to play from behind.
I’m taking Baker to throw over 0.5 interceptions, as the Bucs will need to keep up on offense.
FINAL WORD
I’m not a big bettor, but I’m looking to earn a little extra holiday money with this game. It doesn’t get to be more of a gimme game than the Bucs at Rams. In addition to my player bets mentioned above, I also took the Rams and teased the points down just in case the Bucs score a late touchdown that could make it a one-score game. The worst-case scenario is the Bucs surprise me, and I’ll view it as if I paid for a Bucs victory. That’s a win-win situation for me at this point.
Prediction: Rams 37, Bucs 27
Thank you to the New York Post for the headline picture!
