Monday Night Football should be an excellent showdown of playoff contenders as the Los Angeles Rams (6-3) will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3). Tom Brady and the Buccaneers will play host at Raymond James Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 P.M Eastern.
The Rams come into this one having won two of their last three, including a 23-16 win over the Seahawks last week. Los Angeles will likely use that game as a blueprint on stopping the high-octane offense of the Buccaneers. If it does go into a shootout, though, Jared Goff and company have the firepower to keep things interesting.
The Buccaneers have also been riding high as of late, winning four of their last five. Their lone clunker was a 38-3 embarrassment at the hands of the New Orleans Saints; however, they rebounded nicely last week with a 46-23 win over the Panthers. Tampa Bay will look to keep it rolling against the Rams Monday night.
As the home team, the Buccaneers are the favorites in this one. They are currently -210 to win while the Rams sit at +176. The spread features the Rams +4.5, and the over/under for total points is 48.5.
By The Numbers
Offensively, the Buccaneers hold the advantage. They rank sixth overall in scoring, averaging 29.6 points per game. The Rams fall to 19th overall, averaging 24 points per game.
Defensively, it is the Rams who hold the edge. They currently rank second in the league in points allowed per game at just 18.7. They are incredibly tough on opposing passing games, as they allow only 199.7 passing yards per game (third in the NFL).
Tampa Bay’s defense has impressed as well. They rank eighth in points allowed at 22.6. In terms of passing yards allowed, they rank ninth overall, allowing just 223.7 passing yards per game.
Rams Look For Signature Win On The Road
The Rams are competing for the top spot in arguably the best division in football with both the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. With every game imperative in the divisional race, it would be extra sweet to get a win over another playoff-bound team in the Bucs.
Leading the way for the Rams is Jared Goff. On the season, he has thrown for 2,447 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Cooper Kupp (53 receptions, 577 yards, two touchdowns) and Robert Woods (42 receptions, 469 yards, four touchdowns) have been his two best weapons.
Defensively, the Rams have been led by Micah Kiser (42 tackles), Aaron Donald (nine sacks), and Darious Williams (four interceptions). Throw in the likes of Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, and others, and L.A.’s defense is solid top to bottom.
Bucs Look To Get It Done Against Another Elite Defense
The Buccaneers know that they are going up against one of the best defenses in the game, but they also know that they have one of the best offenses to match up with them when they’re firing on all cylinders.
Under center, the veteran and future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Brady leads the way. On the season, he has thrown for 2,739 yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Brady has an embarrassment of riches surrounding him offensively. Mike Evans (40 receptions, 514 yards, eight touchdowns), Chris Godwin (34 receptions, 412 yards, two touchdowns), and Rob Gronkowski (29 receptions, 374 yards, four touchdowns) lead the way. Now, they get to throw Antonio Brown into the mix who, last week, seemed like he never skipped a beat.
On the ground, Ronald Jones leads the way. On the season, he has rushed 143 times for 730 yards and five touchdowns. He also has 26 catches for 124 yards, showing versatility out of the backfield.
Taking The Rams And The Points
Monday night’s game is one of the toughest to predict this week. Both teams have shown that they can light up a scoreboard and shut down an opposing team’s offense at any point. The question boils down to who will blink first.
With the teams relatively evenly matched, I am inclined to take the points and run. After the Rams opened at +3, early money on the Bucs has pushed it out to Rams +4.5. At that spread, I will put my money on Jalen Ramsey and the defense to slow down Tom Brady and the Bucs enough to keep it close. Take the Rams +4.5.
