Rams-Bucs Game Previews

[RamBill]

Game Notes for 12/17: Buccaneers at Rams
Posted Dec 14, 2015

Matt Segal

View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Game-Notes-for-1217-Buccaneers-at-Rams/429e843d-a8f5-42a0-bc7b-fbe861f35813

LINKS: FULL MEDIA RELEASE / GAMEDAY GUIDE

THE GAME
Who: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) at St. Louis Rams (5-8)
When: Thursday, Dec. 17 -- 7:25 p.m. CT
Where: Edward Jones Dome / St. Louis, Mo.

TELEVISION
Network: NFL Network
In St. Louis: KPLR-11
Talent: Ian Eagle (pbp), Trent Green (analyst) and Evan Washburn (sidelines)

RADIO
Network: Rams Radio Network
In St. Louis: WXOS-101.1 FM
Talent: Steve Savard (pbp), D’Marco Farr (analyst) and Will Witherspoon (sidelines)

WATCH ON-LINE
NFL.com/GamePass

DIGITAL MEDIA
StLouisRams.com
Facebook.com/Rams
Instagram: @StLouisRams
Twitter: @StLouisRams, @MylesASimmons and @DaniKlup


THE LAST GAME
Score: St. Louis Rams 21, Detroit Lions 14
Date: Sunday, Dec. 13
Location: Edward Jones Dome / St. Louis, Mo.
"Five Takeaways" from Myles Simmons

SERIES NOTES
Regular Season: St. Louis leads 12-8
Last Meeting: Rams 19, Buccaneers 17 / Sept. 14, 2014 in Tampa, Fla.

DID YOU KNOW?
Running back Todd Gurley, who rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns in last Sunday's win over Detroit, needs just 25 ground yards against Tampa Bay to become the first Rams rookie to reach the 1,000-yard mark since Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis in 1993.

OPPONENT SNAPSHOT
Primary Owner: The Glazer Family
General Manager: Jason Licht
Head Coach: Lovie Smith
Founded: 1976
Super Bowl Titles: None
Playoff Appearances: 10
2014 Record: 2-14
2014 Playoffs: None

FORMER BUCS IN ST. LOUIS
Chief Operating Officer & Executive VP of Football Operations Kevin Demoff worked in the Bucs' personnel department from 2005-08.
Offensive Assistant Jeff Garcia played quarterback for the Bucs from 2007-08.
S Mark Barron was drafted by the Bucs in 2012 and spent the first 2 1/2 seasons of his career with Tampa Bay.

FORMER RAMS IN TAMPA
Head Coach Lovie Smith was the Rams defensive coordinator from 2001-03.
Cornerbacks Coach Gill Byrd was an assistant with the Rams in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
Offensive Line Coach George Warhop was an assistant with the Rams from 1996-97.
Tight Ends Coach Jon Embree played for the Rams from 1987-88.
Senior Defensive Assistant Larry Marmie was an assistant with the Rams from 2004-05.
DE Kourtnei Brown attended Training Camp with the Rams in 2014.

RAMS WITH FLORIDA TIES
CB Eric Patterson is a Tampa native.
CB Janoris Jenkins is from Pahokee, Fla., and played at the University of Florida.
DB Lamarcus Joyner played at Florida State and CB Marcus Roberson played at Florida.

BUCS WITH MISSOURI TIES
DE Jacquies Smith played at the University of Missouri.

 

[RamBill]

James Brown, Tony Gonzalez, Bill Cowher, Bart Scott, and Boomer Esiason break down the ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup between the Buccaneers and Rams as well as Saturday’s tilt between the Jets and Cowboys.

Watch Rams-Bucs Preview

 

[RamBill]

Nick Wagoner previews Rams-Bucs. He talks to Bernie.

Listen to Wagoner/Bernie Talk Stadium News/Rams

Preview starts at 4:50

 

[RamBill]

7 things to watch: Rams vs. Buccaneers
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ed584417-d8c9-5f18-b2f8-6526489dc637.html

FAMOUS JAMEIS

He has thrown for 3,059 yards, already a franchise rookie record. With 18 TD passes, he’s one shy of the Bucs’ rookie mark. Throw in the won-loss record — the 6-7 Bucs already have four more wins than in the entire 2014 campaign — and it has been a very solid debut for No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston. He has shown good leadership skills at quarterback and hasn’t been afraid to throw into tight windows. Winston has extended plays with his legs, and the Bucs have been pretty good on third-down conversions (42 percent).

MARTIN MARCHING

In the prior two seasons, Bucs RB Doug Martin missed Rams games with injuries. When the teams met in 2012, Martin’s rookie season, he gained a modest 62 yards on 18 carries. But rest assured the Rams aren’t taking the league’s second-best rusher (1,214 yards) lightly. Martin has more runs of 20-plus yards (13) than anybody in the league and leads the NFL with 537 yards after contact. “Once he gets out there in the open field, it’s a tough time getting him down,” Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said.

ANOTHER BIG TARGET

Rams CB Trumaine Johnson did exemplary work on Detroit’s Calvin Johnson last week, limiting the player known as Megatron to one catch for 16 yards. He faces another big challenge in Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, who at 6-5, 231 has the frame to post up effectively for 50-50 balls and the catch-radius to grab anything thrown in the same area code. With 889 yards, he’s well on his way to his second straight 1,000-yard receiving season since entering the league as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 draft.

OTHER OPTIONS

The Bucs’ other big target in the passing game, Vincent Jackson (6-5, 230), will miss Thursday’s game with a knee injury. That could mean an expanded role for Adam Humphries, an undrafted rookie from Clemson who caught his first career TD pass last week vs. the Saints. The Bucs don’t throw a ton to their TEs, but Cameron Brate and Austin Seferian-Jenkins do have 5 TD catches between them. Charles Sims, once a teammate of Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey at West Virginia, is a threat out of the backfield (36 catches, 3 TDs).

MIGHTY McCOY

Not only will this game showcase two of the game’s top running backs in Doug Martin and the Rams’ Todd Gurley, it features two of the top defensive tackles in Gerald McCoy and the Rams’ Aaron Donald. A three-time Pro Bowler, McCoy went third overall in the 2010 draft behind former Oklahoma teammate Sam Bradford and fellow D-tackle Ndamukong Suh. “The whole premise in that defense is trying to create a pass rush with four guys, and Gerald McCoy ... can create some havoc,” Rams offensive coordinator Rob Boras said.

DISRUPTIVE DAVID

The other headliner on the Tampa defense is weakside linebacker Lavonte David. A sideline-to-sideline player, David does a little bit of everything for the Buccaneers, with a team-high 118 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, 12 pass breakups, three interceptions, and a partridge in a pear tree. “He’s kind of like Alec (Ogletree) in that he just comes up with the ball,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’ll force a fumble or make an interception or just make a big play when they need it.”

MAKING HIS CASE, PART III

Case Keenum gets his third Rams start and second since suffering a concussion in Baltimore. Keenum’s numbers weren’t great in the win over Detroit but he did put together a pair of clutch drives in the second half. He’ll face a Tampa defense under coach Lovie Smith, the former Rams defensive coordinator, that isn’t complex but plays fundamentally sound and doesn’t give up big plays. The base of the Tampa scheme remains the Cover 2 zone. There isn’t much blitzing. The idea is to keep the play in front and rally to the ball.

 

[RamBill]

Rams notebook: CB Jenkins expected to play vs. Buccaneers
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ef55239e-a353-59b0-9dcc-5691c1bec15f.html

After sitting out last week’s win over Detroit with a concussion, it appears Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins is ready to return to the lineup.

Jenkins, in his fourth and arguably most consistent season with the club, was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice at Rams Park and is listed probable for Thursday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Edward Jones Dome.

“He’s been cleared (from the concussion protocol) and he was full practice today,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, adding, “That’ll help, yeah.’’

Also listed probable after full workouts Wednesday were running back Todd Gurley (rest), wide receiver Kenny Britt (shoulder) and tackle Rob Havenstein (calf). Reserve cornerback Eric Patterson is questionable; he hasn’t practiced since suffering an ankle injury against Detroit.

Defensive end Robert Quinn (back) and offensive lineman Andrew Donnal (knee) have been ruled out.

The Buccaneers have ruled out veteran WR Vincent Jackson (knee) and former University of Illinois DT Akeem Spence (ankle). Jackson is the team’s third-leading receiver with 33 catches for 543 yards and three touchdowns this season. Spence has started seven of the eight games he’s played in 2015.

Linebacker Bruce Carter (ankle) is doubtful after sitting out practice all week. The Bucs list G Logan Mankins (ankle), DE George Johnson (calf) and ex-Mizzou DE Jacquies Smith (hamstring) as questionable, with DT Gerald McCoy (hand) and LB Lavonte David (ankle) as probable.

David leads the team with 118 tackles and three interceptions. McCoy paces the Bucs with seven sacks and 14 quarterback pressures.

COLOR RUSH

Thursday marks the final installment of the NFL’s Color Rush Series and will feature the Rams in yellow and the Buccaneers in red.

Fisher isn’t a huge fan of the Rams’ look, saying, “I’m just glad it’s not baseball, where I have to wear the uniform as well.”

But in a quick survey of the locker room, the players are looking forward to the change.

“At first, I really wasn’t sure,” linebacker and special teams captain Daren Bates said. “But after seeing them in person with the cleats and all, I think they’re going to look pretty good out there. Nationally televised game, wearing something new, I think it’ll help add a little excitement to the game.”

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson added: “Can’t wait to get out there Thursday to let the world see us in them. It’s fun, it’s something different and I love them.”

Linebacker James Laurinaitis has been campaigning for a return to the Rams’ old blue and white uniforms and isn’t sure about this look.

“I think we wanted to look like West Virginia for Tavon (Austin),” Laurinaitis kidded.

Center Tim Barnes, the ex-Mizzou player, has also taken a wait-and-see approach.

“It’ll be interesting to see,” he said. “I think people are going to enjoy seeing something different. It’ll be fun. It’ll look a little different on the big guys, always does, but we’ll have fun with it.”

Johnson added: “The big guys, they don’t care about the swag. But for the playmakers, this is something we get excited about.”

Defensive end Williams Hayes called Color Rush a “pretty cool concept,” but isn’t overly excited.

“I won’t lie to you, I’m not big on uniforms and stuff like that,” he said. “I’m not one of those look-good, play-good guys. I just want to strap it up and go.”

DONALD HONORED

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald was named NFL Defensive Player of the Week after reaching career bests in sacks (3) and quarterback hits (6) in the team’s 21-14 win over the Detroit Lions last weekend.

It’s the second such honor for Donald, who also won after the team’s season-opening overtime win over Seattle in Week 1. The second-year pro from the University of Pittsburgh was a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie and appears headed for another such honor. With a career-high 11 sacks, he leads all NFL defensive tackles and is fifth overall among the league’s defensive linemen.

WELKER MILESTONE

With his lone catch Sunday, an 11-yarder early in the fourth quarter, Wes Welker became just the 20th receiver in NFL history with 900 career catches.

“Considering we won the game and I think it was a key catch in the game, I think it was pretty important,” the 12th-year pro said.

Asked if getting to 900 catches was something he thought about when signing with the Rams, Welker said it was not a factor.

“No, not at all. I just wanted to play; I wasn’t worried about how many catches I had in my career or anything like that,” he said. “I wanted to try and help a team win and I’m thankful the Rams gave me the opportunity.”

Welker, who spent the bulk of his career with New England and Denver, said it was good to see the Rams respond with a win after losing five in a row.

“It was good to see a lot of guys growing up and making big plays for us,” said Welker, 34. “Even when bad stuff happened, guys kept playing hard. That’s what this league is all about: making plays when it counts.”

RAM-BLINGS

Following Wednesday’s practice, Fisher said that WR Stedman Bailey is out of intensive care but still in the hospital and could be out of the hospital in a week or so.

Later Wednesday, Bailey tweeted:

“Just got a nice first jog around the hospital in physical therapy. First time doing more than walking in 3 weeks. #Godspeed.”

• Following their Dec. 27 game in Seattle, the Rams will remain on the West Coast to prepare for the season finale Jan. 3 against San Francisco. They’ll practice in Napa Valley at the facility used by the Oakland Raiders during training camp.

• The lawsuit and arbitration filed by former Rams equipment manager Todd Hewitt has been dismissed. Hewitt’s dismissal of all claims against the Rams ends more than four years of litigation.

• On Wednesday, ex-Missouri WR Marcus Lucas signed with Chicago’s practice squad and San Diego’s practice squad added former Rams’ DB Matt Daniels.

 

[RamBill]

Nick Wagoner joined Kevin Wheeler to talk about the Rams/Bucs game, getting Gurley going again, these teams matching up weakness vs. weakness, and the feel of these two teams going into today.

Listen to Wagoner Talk Rams-Bucs