The Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers come into Week 9 in similar situations, trending in the wrong direction as the season progresses. The Rams are 3-4 and are trying to avoid being below .500 for the first time in Sean McVay’s tenure.
The Buccaneers are even worse at 3-5 after losing three games in a row, looking nothing like the contenders they were the last two seasons.
Here are six stats and facts to know ahead of Sunday’s matchup.
1
Rams are 3-0 vs. Tom Brady since he joined Bucs
Prior to signing with the Buccaneers, Brady had only lost to the Rams once in his career, and that was way back in 2001. After that, he won five straight games against them, including two in the Super Bowl.
But since 2020, Brady has been unable to take down Los Angeles. He and the Buccaneers have lost three straight to the Rams: one in each of the last two regular seasons, plus the divisional playoff game in January. With the Bucs, Brady has four touchdown passes and three interceptions.
2
Matthew Stafford has dominated Bucs in 2 games with Rams
Stafford has feasted on the Bucs defense in his two games since joining the Rams. In the regular-season win last year, he completed 27 of 38 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns, good for a passer rating of 134.0. In the playoff game, he completed 28 of 38 passes for 366 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with a passer rating of 121.2. He didn’t throw an interception in either game.
Those were two of his best performances since being traded to the Rams, racking up more than 700 yards with no interceptions.
3
Rams and Bucs have 2 worst rushing offenses in NFL
No teams have been worse at running the ball than the Rams and Buccaneers this season. The Rams are 31st in rushing yards per game (68) and yards per carry (3.3). The Buccaneers are even worse, averaging a league-low 62 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry.
Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr. and Leonard Fournette have been at the center of these teams’ struggles to run the ball, failing to get anything going on the ground. Neither team has leaned heavily on the run, either, ranking in the bottom two in rush attempts, but that’s largely because of their ineffectiveness.
4
Rams trying to hand Brady his first 4-game losing streak since 2002
Brady and the Bucs are currently riding a three-game losing streak into this game. It’s the first time Brady has lost three in a row since 2002, and it’s only the second time he’s done so in his career.
He’s only lost four games in a row once in his lengthy career, and that came in the same season when the Patriots fell to the Chargers, Dolphins, Packers and Broncos. The Rams would love to give him his second four-game losing streak ever.
5
Buccaneers have 4th-worst red zone offense and defense
Part of the reason the Buccaneers have played so poorly this season is the lack of consistency in the red zone. They’re only scoring touchdowns on 45.8% of their red zone trips, which is 29th in the NFL. Defensively, they’re just as bad in the red zone. They’re allowing opponents to score touchdowns 69.6% of the time, also 29th in the NFL.
The Rams rank 20th in red zone touchdown percentage (52.4) and third defensively (43.8%).
6
Brady has 3rd-lowest sack rate, Stafford has 10th-highest
The Buccaneers’ offensive line hasn’t been the dominant unit it was the last two years, which has had a negative impact on Brady’s performance thus far. He’s getting pressured pretty often, but he’s also getting the ball out quickly.
That’s why he has the third-lowest sack rate in the NFL compared to Stafford, who’s getting sacked 8.5% of the time, which is the 10th-highest rate of any quarterback. That would be the highest rate of his career.
