The Los Angeles Rams could have had one of the worst breakdowns in a playoff game since the Atlanta Falcons choked a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl. The Rams held a 27-3 lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their Divisional Round showcase. That was when they fumbled four times and somehow allowed Tampa Bay to tie the game up with a minute remaining in regulation. Luckily, there was some miscommunication on the Buccaneers side and Cooper Kupp got wide open on the final drive of the game. It set up a final second field goal attempt to win the game.
Rams Barely Make It Out Alive
Looking at the Rams first. They did everything well except hold onto the football. Matthew Stafford had 366 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and Cam Akers took 24 carries for 48 yards against one of the best run defenses in football. The problem was that they attributed to three lost fumbles. Although, Stafford’s wasn’t really his fault, the center snapped the ball before he was looking.
Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham were the difference makers in the game. Kupp lost a fumble but still saved the day in the end. He had nine receptions for 183 yards and a long 70-yard touchdown. Beckham had six catches for 69 yards but was still effective in third down situations.
Los Angeles had a strong day defensively as well; they were just continually put in poor situations due to turnovers. They still had three sacks on Tom Brady. We saw them force a fumble on one of those sacks. Then Nick Scott picked him off right before halftime. Los Angeles gets to walk into a showdown with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship now. A game that they get home field advantage.
Buccaneers Started Too Cold
The Buccaneers had an atrocious first half. The second half saw everything bounce their way. Tom Brady ended with 329 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Leonard Fournette led with 13 rushes for 51 yards on the ground as well. As for receiving totals, it was really just Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski. They combined for 204 of Brady’s yards and had a touchdown.
As for their defense, I think it’s safe to say they played relatively well. Recovering four fumbles throughout the game definitely helps you have a sturdy night. They also had two sacks on Stafford in this game. They just had too many miscommunication errors on the back end, especially with Kupp. Now, the Buccaneers look ahead to a future that may not include Tom Brady, Gronkowski and potentially even Lavonte David. This team has a lot of questions to answer during the offseason now that they won’t be going back-to-back.
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