Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs LA Rams is the only matchup of NFL Week 3 that pits two undefeated teams against one another. Considering how strong these teams look, it’s not surprising that many believe this is going to be the matchup of the NFC Championship Game.
The big question is, who’s going to win the battle of Los Angeles? Judging by what odds are saying right now, it’s going to be the Bucs. Focus on the word “now” because the same wasn’t the case when the odds opened a few days ago. Before bettors started pouring money on the Buccaneers, the oddsmakers saw the Rams as two-point favorites.
Buccaneers vs Rams Odds (NFL Week 3, 2021)
All odds are per DraftKings as of September 23.
Moneyline
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -130 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +110 |
Spread
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers -1.5 | -110 |
| Los Angeles Rams +1.5 | -110 |
Over/Under
| Over 55 | -110 |
| Under 55 | -110 |
Where and When to Watch
- Date: Sunday, September 26
- Time: 04:25 PM EDT
- Location: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA
- Watch:CBS
Home Turf, New QB for the Rams
In 2020, the Rams went all the way to the NFC Divisional Playoffs, where they lost to the Packers. If they won, they would’ve played against the Bucs in the NFC Championship Game. The two didn’t meet in the postseason, but we did see them playing one another in Week 11 of the regular season.
The game was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, with 15,730 fans in attendance. For the COVID era, that wasn’t such a bad number. After all, the Rams had no fans at all in their stadium that season. Despite having the fans to cheer them on, the Bucs ended up losing that game 27-24.
This time, the game is played on the Rams’ turf. In fact, the 2021 NFL season is the first in which the Rams have the fans in attendance of their new home venue, SoFi Stadium. That’s where they’ve played one game already this season. In Week 1, they beat the Bears 34-14 in front of 70 445 fans.
Speaking of that game, it marks the debut of the Rams’ new quarterback, Matt Stafford. The 33-year-old signal-caller was superb in his first game as a Ram, going 20/26 for 321 yards and three touchdowns.
He also did okay in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, completing 19 of his 30 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.
Can Brady Outsmart the Rams’ Defense?
With 61 points scored, the Rams’ offense is the third-best in the NFC. Still, their strongest weapon isn’t the offense but the defense. No surprise, as arguably the best defensive tackle Aaron Donald is a Ram. Then, there’s also Jalen Ramsey, one of the league’s top cornerbacks.
Knowing how powerful the Rams’ defense is, the Bucs need to be concerned about what’s going to happen on Sunday. Or, should they? After all, they have the most productive offense in the league, which scored 79 points in two games.
Led by legendary Tom Brady, with his BFF, Rob Gronkowski, back at an elite playing level, the Buccaneers look capable of destroying almost any defense in the NFL. The question is whether they can score enough points against the Rams to grab a win?
They might, although this is bound to be a very, very close game. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we saw it going to overtime.
Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers win, but fail to cover the spread. As a result, the Under hits.