ESPN’s NFL analyst Mina Kimes sees LA Rams falling to Bucs

While the LA Rams (3-4) are struggling, so too are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5), which makes the Rams Game 8 rather compelling football to watch. Powerhouses who faced off twice in 2021, once in the regular season, and once in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, the Rams and Buccaneers are no strangers  Now, these teams face off once more, each trying to get back on track with some form of positive momentum. But it won’t be easy, because both teams are desperate.

If you are following the historic parallels of this season to the LA Rams 2019 season, then you may view the upcoming contest with the Buccaneers as a high-scoring affair in which the LA Rams will lose (The LA Rams lost to the Buccaneers by the score of 55-40 in 2019).

But if you are more interested in how well the Rams have played against the Bucs since signing quarterback Tom Brady, well the story is a bit brighter. The Rams have gone undefeated against the Brady-led Buccaneers, winning the last three contests in which these two teams have faced one another, including the post-season game won by the Rams in Tampa Bay last year.

Kimes likes Brady to bounce back in this one

ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes is going with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in this one, but I’m not so sure.  Despite the Rams traveling to Tampa Bay, the Rams actually match up with the Buccaneers rather well. Neither the Buccaneers’ nor the Rams’ offenses are anything to write home about, as neither is among the NFL’s Top-20 scoring offenses (out of 32 teams).

On the other hand, both defenses are playing well this season. Ironically, the Buccaneers’ run defense is not very good, currently ranked 24th in the NFL in yardage. Of course, that means very little to the LA Rams rushing attack that has struggled to gain 100 yards per game, let alone from one rusher.

But the Rams have some tricks up their sleeve. For starters, the Rams may have focused on Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee in the passing game, but the Rams’ offense has Allen Robinson, Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Jacob Harris, Brandon Powell, and Tutu Atwell on the roster. If they are players who are so precious as to take up a roster spot, shouldn’t the Rams make use of them in the offensive scheme?

The Rams have had great success getting explosive pass plays against the Buccaneers, and the team has a number of receivers who can deliver long receptions in this one. As broken as the 49ers never fail to make the Rams appear in the past, the Buccaneers seem to bring out the best of this team.

Am I saying that the Rams can pull off the upset?

Yes, I think I am. How?  I’ll share those thoughts in upcoming articles.