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Buccaneers vs Rams: Five Game-Changing Players

By Bailey Adams

Dec 17, 2015 St. Louis, MO, USA; The Tampa Bay Buccaneers line up the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2015 St. Louis, MO, USA; The Tampa Bay Buccaneers line up the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 29, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jacquizz Rodgers (35) against the Cincinnati Bengals in a preseason NFL football game at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 29, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jacquizz Rodgers (35) against the Cincinnati Bengals in a preseason NFL football game at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Jacquizz Rodgers

The Bucs will be without Doug Martin for the next three weeks, meaning Charles Sims will slide into the starter role. The injury suddenly gives Jacquizz Rodgers an expanded role as he will now be the No. 2 running back. Rodgers, who signed with Tampa Bay before week two, rushed for 29 yards on two carries against the Cardinals.

Sims will get the majority of carries this week, but Rodgers will have to fill in as the backup at times to switch up the pace. In those times, he will have to be effective if the Bucs want to get the offense going. He was limited to just five games last year, but in 2014, he played 16 games with the Falcons and rushed for 217 yards and a touchdown on 58 carries (3.7 yards per carry).

He has also proven himself to be a viable option as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 156 passes for 1,114 yards and five touchdowns over his five years in the league. If he can get going on Sunday either on the ground or through the air, it will take a lot of pressure off of Sims and the rest of the Buccaneer offense.

Of course, Los Angeles has one of the toughest defensive lines in the NFL, so Rodgers won’t have an easy task. But if he can find some sort of running room or get open out of the backfield, getting by without Martin won’t be as hard of a task. The Bucs aren’t going to ask him to do a whole lot, but if he plays a solid supporting role or even breaks out, he has a chance to change Sunday’s game in a big way.

Next: Can the Buccaneers Offense Survive Without Doug Martin?

Who do you think will change the game on Sunday, Bucs fans? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @ThePewterPlank.

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