3 reasons why the LA Rams can win Divisional Round vs. Buccaneers

Reason III: Rams have yet to play their best game

Throughout the 2021 NFL season, the LA Rams have now won 13 games, but they’ve always seemed to fall short of putting everything together in one gloriously dominating effort all at once. Now, that is not to say that the Rams have played poorly. In the Wildcard Round, the Rams defense smothered the Arizona Cardinals’ typically dangerous offense.

But even as the Rams defense, and special teams, put a very solid, if not nearly perfect effort on the football field. But as for the Rams offense? Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw just 13 of 17 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns. A solid and quite efficient effort. But this was a game that saw 38 rushes at the final buzzer. Clearly, the Rams rerouted their offense through the ground game to a significant positive effect.

I would expect that the Rams offense will be more interested in testing the Buccaneers’ secondary. WR Cooper Kupp has proven to not only be the best receiver in the NFL, perhaps for many years, but he is very resilient this season despite commanding double teams.

That will give other Rams receivers the opportunity for a big game. WR Van Jefferson has taken the lid off the Buccaneers secondary in the past, and will likely test their defense once more. But the Rams will be more than happy to get Odell Beckham Jr. involved in the offense in this game as well.

The Rams beat the Buccaneers twice before, so don’t expect them to roll over and play listlessly in this one. The Rams have a solid defense, a dangerous offense, and are very very hungry. Look for the upset in this one.