If I told you that the Rams would put up 40 points yesterday against the Buccaneers you would think that was a guaranteed win for the Rams right?
After blowing a big lead last week, I was sitting early in the second quarter with a weird feeling in my stomach. We knew exactly who the Rams were, a team that can score extremely fast, but what type of team is the 2019 Buccaneers?
The Bucs are just as explosive with threats all over the field, so explosive in fact, they put up a franchise-record 55 points against the defending NFC champs. The Bucs, led by arguably the best game of Jameis Winston’s career, went toe to toe with the Rams and in fact, never gave up the lead.
Aside from an ill-timed interception, Winston played lights out against the Los Angeles defense, as he was helped out by breakout wide receiver Chris Godwin. The Penn State product who put up career highs in receptions and yards, and is well on his way to a massive pay day if he keeps this pace up.
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Running back Ronald Jones put up 70 yards and a touchdown as he looks to be phasing out Peyton Barber as the lead back for the pewter and red. Even red zone threat Cameron Brate caught a touchdown as Winston slung four of them on the day.
The offense played a phenomenal game, but the biggest factor that led to the Bucs’ rewriting history and leaving LA.. with a win was the play calling by offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. Leftwich took shots all game and, unlike last week kept the gas pedal pressed all the way to the floor.
Even after Winston threw an interception Leftwich knew he couldn’t afford to slow down, and kept the faith in his quarterback. The Bucs attacked the middle of the field, found a weakness in the Rams’ secondary and exploited it. Jameis made quick decisions, helping the offensive line keep reigning Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald quiet for most of the game.
The Bucs defensive unit did struggle, but came up big when it mattered the most and the game was on the line. Shaq Barrett was a difference-maker for the fourth straight game, he delivered the knockout punch late in the forth with the Rams down by eight.
Coming off the edge Barrett had a strip-sack that was eventually scooped up by former Rams’ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Suh topped out at almost 19 mph on the return all the way back for a touchdown.
The game ended 55-40, which if you are keeping score at home is what they call a Scoragami. Meaning that score (55-40) has never happened before in the NFL. Thanks to Leftwich, the Buccaneers went stride for stride, punch for punch, and eventually toppling the Rams on the road.
A game full of emotions, this was one they needed to win; this could be on of those games that is looked upon as the one that started a run. If the Bucs can keep building on this and continue to get there weapons going, this team will be hard to outscore. Not very many teams can put up 55 points, and with a little more help in the defensive secondary, the Bruce Arians-led Bucs just might find themselves in the playoff picture.