Matthew Stafford, Rams want to make a statement against Tom Brady’s Buccaneers

A 12 months up to now, Tom Brady modified environment after 20 seasons in New England and gained a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay.

This 12 months, Matthew Stafford, who carried out his first 12 NFL seasons in Detroit, is trying to duplicate Brady’s achievement collectively along with his new group, the Rams.

On Sunday, Brady and the Buccaneers go to Stafford and the Rams at SoFi Stadium. The Bucs and Rams are the one two teams throughout the NFC that had been throughout the playoffs last 12 months and are 2-0 in Week 3 this season.

That’s the Buccaneers’ first freeway race this season. Tampa Bay enters the game with a 10-game worthwhile streak, courting once more to last season’s Super Bowl run.

The Buccaneers lead the NFL in scoring with a median of 39.5 elements per recreation and have scored 30 or further elements in each of their last 9, making them the first group in NFL historic previous to take motion. The Rams are second throughout the league with 30.5 elements per recreation.

“Every recreation is crucial, nonetheless there are video video games that positively actually really feel further important and I’d say that may be a form of video video games,” Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski instructed reporters this week. “You may need such a bitter fashion. They bought right here in proper right here and beat us in the last few minutes with a worthwhile self-discipline goal [last season]. They’ve a very secure group. They’re 2-0 so there could also be way more hype. I get a bit of little bit of a itch from a few of these video video games. It’s going to be an important one.”

Every Brady and Stafford play successfully. Brady leads the NFL by 9 touchdown passes and led the Bucs to TDs in 7 of their 10 journeys to the crimson zone. Stafford has thrown 5 TD passes in two video video games and has a passer rating of 127.0.

The Buccaneers may battle to extend that 30-point streak in direction of a secure Rams safety that accomplished first throughout the NFL in every elements and yards allowed in 2020, and is led by defensive kind out Aaron Donald and cornerback tandem Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams.

Tampa Bay has experience in safety, with edge rusher Shaquil Barrett and inside linemen Devin White and Vita Vea, nonetheless has awarded 27 elements per recreation this season, along with 342 passing yards per recreation.

One downside going by means of the Buccaneers is COVID-19 related. Recipient Antonio Brown examined constructive on Wednesday, making him a question mark for the game as he needs two damaging assessments 24 hours apart. Whereas Brown is second on the group with 138 receiving yards, Tampa Bay is deep in receiver, with Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson chasing excessive targets Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

For the Rams, Stafford’s favorite purpose was in depth receiver Cooper Kupp, who has 16 receptions for 271 yards and three TDs throughout the first two video video games. Kupp works fairly a bit exterior the slot, which suggests he faces Tampa Bay corners Ross Cockrell and Mike Edwards.

“They merely kind of have a system that works slightly properly for them,” Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis instructed reporters regarding the Rams’ passing assault. “They’ve confidence of their performs and the way in which they conduct them. It’s a great deal of quick throws, getting the ball out of the quarterback’s fingers, handing it to the playmakers and letting them play. That’s what makes them dangerous, they take the ball to their playmakers and permit them to play the ball.”