I’ve had a day to process Sunday’s game, so let’s take a look at the 18-17 loss in Tampa. I’m not going to discuss the second half, so scroll down to yesterday’s post if you want my thoughts. Let’s see how the Rams fared with my keys to the game from Sunday morning, shall we?

Youth Is Served – I said the Rams needed to contain Josh Freeman, and they did a decent job on that front. Freeman had just 40 yards rushing, but he did throw for 212 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The biggest rookie impact of the game might have been from a personal favorite of mine, former Oregon Duck LeGarrette  Blount. Blount rushed for 72 yards on just 11 carries, and he probably broke 20 or 30 tackles in the process. He runs hard and he is tough to bring down, which is why I campaigned hard to the Rams to give him a look in the draft and in free agency after the draft. We didn’t have an answer for him, and I think he helped wear our defense down in the second half.

Runnin’ For The Record – SJ39 did his job on Sunday, so I can’t knock this one. Jackson rushed for 110 yards on 22 carries, and he caught 2 passes for 35 more. Oh yeah, and he is now the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. Passing Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk is no small feat, so congrats to him. Unfortunately, SJ39 apparently had surgery on his left ring finger this morning. He says he won’t miss a beat, but I will keep you updated throughout the week.

The Danario Effect – This one was a big fail. Danario Alexander had just one catch for six yards, and he didn’t make that catch until the fourth quarter. Let’s not all pile off the bandwagon after just one bad week. DX is a rookie receiver who has played just 2 NFL games, so he is going to be hit-or-miss for most of this season. He will have his moments, but don’t be shocked if he disappears for large chunks. The receiving corps in general had a rough day, as the leading receiver, Danny Amendola,  had just 29 yards. That’s not good enough as a group.

In other injury news, James Butler is dealing with a left knee sprain, while Darell Scott has an ankle sprain. Ron Bartell is dealing with a shoulder issue, and Fred Robbins is getting a CT scan on his toe. Obviously, we won’t know much more than this until at least Wednesday, so stay tuned.

Sunday is here again, and the Rams find themselves on the road this week as they look to push their record over .500 against the Tampa Bay Bucs. This is another very winnable game, but this team has to prove they can win on the road before we truly buy in to what they are selling. Much like the Rams, the Bucs have been a surprise in 2010, and also much like the Rams, Tampa still has a long way to go. Here are my keys to the game for the Rams this week.

Youth Is Served – We here in St. Louis know what it’s like to have a young QB under center, and Tampa is being led by second-year man Josh Freeman. I think Bradford’s accuracy as a passer is significantly better than Freeman’s, but Freeman is capable of changing the game with his athleticism. The Rams defense has to make sure they keep Freeman under control when he gets out of the pocket if they are going to win this game. If Freeman is contained, I think the Bucs will have a very difficult time moving the ball.

Runnin’ For The Record – SJ39 could very well become the franchise’s all-time leading rusher tomorrow, and if the Rams are going to win, he will do just that. I’m not sold on the Tampa defense just yet, and I think we will be able to run the ball. Steven needs to get his game established, because the Bucs secondary can force turnovers if they can sit back and play the pass.

The Danario Effect – At this point I don’t really know what to expect from WR Danario Alexander this week. I would like to think he can be a major factor like he was last week, but he won’t be sneaking up on the Bucs after four catches and 72 yards last week. He is certainly a big play threat, and I expect the team to have some specific packages ready for him much like they did last week. Let’s see if this guy is really as good as we think. It looks like Mardy Gilyard might not be able to go, so if he is sidelined it is even more important for DX to step up.

Bradford Depression? – As much as I loved watching the Mizzou Tigers take down the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night, I hope Sam doesn’t take the loss of his alma mater too hard. If Bradford is up all night sobbing in his hotel room, he might be a little sluggish Sunday morning. He needs to put the Sooners’ loss behind him and be 100 percent prepared for Tampa.

In case you couldn’t tell, that last one was a joke. But let’s be honest, it was excellent watching that Mizzou win. Anyway, I really like this matchup for the Rams, and I think we could make a statement this week by getting that road win. Let’s go with a 24-17 Rams victory this week for the prediction.