Divisional match-up discussion: Rams @ Bucs

[Defense5599]

The Rams have bet their whole season on Stafford cuz they don't have no one behind him.

This is going to sound pretty bad of me, but if Suh could bring out his former self and take out Stafford's knee, that would greatly increase the Bucs chances of winning. Same deal with Janssen taking out Donald's knee.

[Tnbandwagoner]

When was the last time we scored on defense? We need one of those. In the first quarter, please.

My name is tnbandwagoner and I approve this message.

[Doooshnzl]

The Rams have bet their whole season on Stafford cuz they don't have no one behind him.

This is going to sound pretty bad of me, but if Suh could bring out his former self and take out Stafford's knee, that would greatly increase the Bucs chances of winning. Same deal with Janssen taking out Donald's knee.

This shit is just wrong. I fan as hard as anyone on this board and I'm certainly no angel, but to wish injury on an opponent is crossing a line. You just lowered your already piss ant status on this board to very near Bootz/Lugz status.

[IchabodCrane84]

The Rams have bet their whole season on Stafford cuz they don't have no one behind him.

This is going to sound pretty bad of me, but if Suh could bring out his former self and take out Stafford's knee, that would greatly increase the Bucs chances of winning. Same deal with Janssen taking out Donald's knee.

Wow.

I can't believe you don't know how to spell our center's name.

[real bucs fan]

Well, like the Saints and KC games last playoffs, we have a chance for redemption. Rams are the only team of the Brady on the Bucs era that have beaten us that we haven’t returned the favor on. Now would be the perfect time. Won’t be easy, Rams are probably better than us on both sides of the ball now with all of our injuries, but we’re at home, we have a playoff D rounding into form, and we have the goat. Onward!

[13F11B]

To be honest when you get to this round of the playoffs every team should be nervous about the next game. The teams left are all good. It will come down to injuries (which all the teams have) and a few key plays.

[Pirate Life]

The Rams have bet their whole season on Stafford cuz they don't have no one behind him.

This is going to sound pretty bad of me, but if Suh could bring out his former self and take out Stafford's knee, that would greatly increase the Bucs chances of winning. Same deal with Janssen taking out Donald's knee.

Fuck that. We're not the Saints.

[King Bootz]

When was the last time we scored on defense? We need one of those. In the first quarter, please.

When it actually mattered? Week 2 vs the Falcons. Edwards had 2 pick 6s. Only other defensive TD was Adams late pick 6 against the Panthers 2 weeks.

[Defense5599]

This is going to sound pretty bad of me, but if Suh could bring out his former self and take out Stafford's knee, that would greatly increase the Bucs chances of winning. Same deal with Janssen taking out Donald's knee.

This shit is just wrong. I fan as hard as anyone on this board and I'm certainly no angel, but to wish injury on an opponent is crossing a line. You just lowered your already piss ant status on this board to very near Bootz/Lugz status.

I never said I wished injury. I just said if it happened. That being said, I probably shouldn't have posted that in the first place. I apologize.

[Buc2]

To be the best, you gotta beat the best.

Go Bucs!

[Dread]

The Cards didn't offer up much competition last night. So I don't if it was moreso the Rams playing great or the culmination of the Cards tailspin to end their season. Again, the Cards are a team that lost 6 of their final 7 games. That's bad regardless of excuses.

The Rams were getting whatever they wanted on offense averaging over 10yds on 1st down through the first 3 quarters. Stafford only had 17 attempts all game. smh...

Needless to say the Bucs need to play better than what we saw from the Cards last night. The Rams have also dominated the Cards historically under McVay, similar to how the 49ers have dominated the Rams. Outside of the Cards week 4 win in LA they haven't beat the Rams since McVay arrived. I think that week 4 game was the combo of the Cards peaking and the Rams having a bit of a hangover after beating the Bucs a week earlier.

Hopefully the Bucs can turn the tables this time and send the Rams home to prep for their offseason.

Bucs just can't get down big early like we did in week 3. We have Brady and we're playing at home so if it's a close game in the 4th quarter I like our chances.

[BLT]

Wirfs confirmed to have a high ankle sprain.

Next man up.

[Buc2]

Wirfs confirmed to have a high ankle sprain.

Next man up.

Normal healing span is 6 weeks to 3 months depending on the severity of the soft-tissue damage. We've seen the last of Wirfs this season.

[King Bootz]

Meanwhile Ian "Chris Godwin sprained his MCL" Rapaport says Wirfs has a good chance to play this Sunday from his car...

[Nobody]

My guess is the next major soft tissue injury that Rapaport suffers will be his first.

How is what he (and so many others) does qualify as “reporting?” These guys (overwhelmingly) aren’t athletes, never were, and they don’t understand the games they’re covering except at the most superficial level possible…

Sports journalism is such a racket.

[Dread]

Wirfs confirmed to have a high ankle sprain.

Next man up.

Normal healing span is 6 weeks to 3 months depending on the severity of the soft-tissue damage. We've seen the last of Wirfs this season.

All depends on the severity of the sprain, which we are all just speculating on.

Wirfs is also an Olinemen and doesn't need to cut on that ankle. But as a RT he needs to be able to anchor on his right foot/ankle when getting pull rushed and that is something he was unable to do when he tried to re-enter Sunday.

We'll see, modern rehab, wearing a brace for added support, and something to mitigate the pain all combine to go a long way.

There seems to be a concentrated effort from the Bucs to atleast give off the impression that Wirfs will play, I can only assume in hopes to throw the Rams off the scent of that weakness so they don't scheme up too many things specifically to attack the RT. But no DC at this level isn't aware of opposing injuries so who to knows.

[Dread]

My guess is the next major soft tissue injury that Rapaport suffers will be his first.

How is what he (and so many others) does qualify as “reporting?” These guys (overwhelmingly) aren’t athletes, never were, and they don’t understand the games they’re covering except at the most superficial level possible…

Sports journalism is such a racket.

It's just access journalism like everything else.

Journalists are parrots for whoever give them insider access.

[King Bootz]

Even if Wirfs plays, he'll need to do better than he did against the Rams week 3. The entire Oline will. Oh and the Rams have added Von Miller

[Dread]

Even with a 100% healthy Oline (which it won't be) this can't be a game Brady throws it 50+ times again like week 3.

I'll be interested to see how Morris gameplans for the Bucs. Assuming it's a close game and he can't just sit back in zone like they predominantly have done on defense this season I'm curious if he'll play more m2m against the Bucs passing game. He's got a lockdown CB in Ramsey he can have follow Evans and then double Gronk. Basically play single high cover-1 with those two caveats.

Blitzing Brady is suicide and playing zone is slow death b/c Brady will just checkdown until he figures out what your doing in your zone and then he dices you up b/c he knows where the windows will be.

Press man (often w/ 2-high safeties) has been by far the most effective defense against Brady, but it requires an elite 4 man pass rush (which the Rams have) and the ability to match-up in the back end, which the Rams can if they double Gronk. The Rams don't have a LB or Safety who can play Gronk 1v1 imo.

[Sdbucs]

The Rams beat us earlier this season by consistently hitting short routes and dump offs.

Make Stafford try to beat us deep

[Digital_Damage]

Meanwhile Ian "Chris Godwin sprained his MCL" Rapaport says Wirfs has a good chance to play this Sunday from his car...

Report is they are being held out all week to see if they can go game day... so not good.

[Dread]

The Rams beat us earlier this season by consistently hitting short routes and dump offs.

Make Stafford try to beat us deep

Umm, I remember Djax having his only good game of the season vs the Bucs. He had a 75yd TD on a 3rd and 10 play that put them up 21-7, then a 40yd play on 3rd & 5 that put them inside the 10yd line, which they scored the next play to go up 28-14.

The Bucs defense was terrible on 3rd down in that game allowing the Rams to convert 10 of 15.

Looking at the play by play I see alot of "Cockrell" and "Delaney", which IIRC CD3 had a quad injury going into that game and that was the game he aggravated it and had to miss time.

So having our full trio of CD3, SMB, and Dean will be a big difference from that last time we played these guys.

[King Bootz]

The Rams beat us earlier this season by consistently hitting short routes and dump offs.

Make Stafford try to beat us deep

You want a guy with a big arm to beat us over the top with his big arm? No thank you.

[real bucs fan]

The key for a Bucs victory is getting after Stafford. He’s taken some good shots lately and if we can hobble him we can slow that O down. Offensively we need to run it down their throats and for Brady to do his best surgeon impression. Quick accurate strikes.

[King Bootz]

The key for a Bucs victory is getting after Stafford. He’s taken some good shots lately and if we can hobble him we can slow that O down. Offensively we need to run it down their throats and for Brady to do his best surgeon impression. Quick accurate strikes.

Yep. If people remember, we hardly pressured him in week 3. The only sack was very Michael Strahan/Brett Favre-esq late in the game when the Rams had no business passing. Other than that, Stafford got what he wanted.

On the other hand, the Rams harassed Brady early and often. Donald was all in the backfield. Strip sack, PBU, TFLs.

It's not surprising but the team that plays better up front will win the game.

[King Bootz]

This shit is just wrong. I fan as hard as anyone on this board and I'm certainly no angel, but to wish injury on an opponent is crossing a line. You just lowered your already piss ant status on this board to very near Bootz/Lugz status.

I never said I wished injury. I just said if it happened. That being said, I probably shouldn't have posted that in the first place. I apologize.

No, you said it would increase our chances of winning. If we have to resort to those measures just to try to win, we have no business being on the same field with that team. And I don’t believe we have to rely on targeting guys knees to win.

[Digital_Damage]

The betting line keeps flip flopping around.

TB -3 one minute.
LA -3.5 the next.

The action has to be unreal.

[Noles1724]

The betting line keeps flip flopping around.

TB -3 one minute.
LA -3.5 the next.

The action has to be unreal.

I don't bet sports but I would think this would be a game to avoid.

[Digital_Damage]

On interesting line is BUF, KC

KC -2.5, that is crazy....

[Digital_Damage]

The betting line keeps flip flopping around.

TB -3 one minute.
LA -3.5 the next.

The action has to be unreal.

I don't bet sports but I would think this would be a game to avoid.

With that kind of flopping, it means that some big bets are getting placed on both sides push the line around.

[King Bootz]

On interesting line is BUF, KC

KC -2.5, that is crazy....

I think last I saw the Packers were the biggest favorite this weekend at -5.5.

All 4 of these matchups are going to be very close.

[Digital_Damage]

Juice is a -5 at MGM right now.

[Grahamburn]

The betting line keeps flip flopping around.

TB -3 one minute.
LA -3.5 the next.

The action has to be unreal.

I don't bet sports but I would think this would be a game to avoid.

Crushing the Rams to cover and playing the money line. Hoping I'm wrong, of course, but I'm not optimistic for this one. Couldn't believe they opened as an underdog at -3.

[Digital_Damage]

On interesting line is BUF, KC

KC -2.5, that is crazy....

I think last I saw the Packers were the biggest favorite this weekend at -5.5.

All 4 of these matchups are going to be very close.

They expect GB to slaughter SF, -6 -10

[Digital_Damage]

I don't bet sports but I would think this would be a game to avoid.

Crushing the Rams to cover and playing the money line. Hoping I'm wrong, of course, but I'm not optimistic for this one. Couldn't believe they opened as an underdog at -3.

The juice just went up to -10, looks like they are trying to control the impact.