Rams-Buccaneers Capsule
LOS ANGELES (1-1) at TAMPA BAY (1-1)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT, Fox
OPENING LINE - Buccaneers by 4 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Los Angeles 1-1, Tampa Bay 1-1
SERIES RECORD - Rams lead 15-8
LAST MEETING - Rams beat Buccaneers 31-23, Dec. 17, 2015
LAST WEEK - Rams beat Seahawks 9-3; Buccaneers lost to Cardinals 40-7
AP PRO32 RANKING - Rams No. 25, Buccaneers No. 18
RAMS OFFENSE - OVERALL (32), RUSH (T28), PASS (32).
RAMS DEFENSE - OVERALL (9), RUSH (19), PASS (9).
BUCCANEERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (23), RUSH (21), PASS (T18).
BUCCANEERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (21), RUSH (8), PASS (27).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Non-divisional rivals meet for fifth consecutive season. Rams won past four, twice in Tampa. ... Series includes pair of NFC championship games (1979, 1999), both won by Rams. ... Los Angeles coach Jeff Fisher 8-1 all-time vs. Tampa Bay. ... Rams' 186 sacks since Fisher's arrival in 2012 are second most in NFL to Denver's 194. ... Case Keenum-led Los Angeles offense has yet to score touchdown, averaging league-low 234 yards per game. ... RB Todd Gurley off to slow start with 98 yards rushing on 36 attempts. He was third in NFL with 1,106 yards as rookie in 2015. ... Aaron Donald-led defense limited Seattle to three points and 67 yards rushing last week. ... Rams CB Coty Sensabaugh was with Tennessee year ago, when he intercepted Jameis Winston's first career pass and returned it for TD. ... Keenum had highest passer rating possible (158.0) against Bucs last season, going 14 of 17 for 234 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. ... Winston threw four interceptions and lost fumble in Tampa Bay's lopsided loss to Arizona last week. ... With Bucs RB Doug Martin sidelined with right hamstring injury, workload for backups Charles Sims and Jacquizz Rodgers figures to increase. ... Tampa Bay DE Robert Ayers left last week's game with ankle injury, creating more playing time for rookie Noah Spence, who had first career sack vs. Cardinals. ... Tampa Bay's defense has not forced turnover through two games. ... Fantasy tip: If Tampa Bay struggles to run without Martin, look for Winston to try to get ball downfield - a lot - to WRs Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. Young QB attempted 52 passes against Arizona, targeting Evans (six catches, 70 yards, one TD) 17 times. Evans had nine receptions for 157 yards, but no TDs against Rams last year.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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