If there’s one team that has had the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ number over the years, it’s the Los Angeles Rams.
Tampa Bay is 2-9 in its last 11 matchups against Los Angeles, with several of those losses turning into outright embarrassments, including last year’s 34-7 beatdown.
The Rams were already viewed as the Super Bowl favorites entering 2026. Now, after their latest blockbuster trade, they look even more dangerous. When the Buccaneers travel to Los Angeles for a Week 17 showdown, they'll be walking into a buzzsaw that could make for the toughest matchup on their schedule.
Rams’ trade for Myles Garrett is a nightmare scenario for the Buccaneers
While the trade allows Tampa Bay to avoid Garrett in its Week 2 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, it won’t spare them from facing him later in the season.
The Buccaneers’ Week 17 matchup with the Rams could carry major playoff implications, especially if Tampa Bay finds itself in another tight NFC South race as it did a season ago.
Every game matters down the stretch, and having to face a loaded Rams roster in one of the final weeks of the season is far from ideal. Not only will the Buccaneers have to account for Garrett, but they’ll also have to deal with a defensive front featuring Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske.
That trio could create serious problems for Tampa Bay’s offensive line and Baker Mayfield. Given the Buccaneers’ recent struggles against Los Angeles, it’s hard to feel optimistic about their chances. The challenge was already daunting, and Garrett’s arrival only makes matters worse.
But if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. If the Buccaneers want to prove they’re legitimate Super Bowl contenders, this is exactly the kind of game they have to embrace. The Rams are widely considered the team to beat in the NFC, making this a prime opportunity for Tampa Bay to prove the rest of the league, and to themselves, that they can hang with the best teams in the NFL.
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