It will be an offensive-minded coach in Sean McVay against a defensive-minded coach in Todd Bowles when the Los Angeles Rams visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. In the previous matchups against Bowles and the Buccaneers in recent years, the Rams’ offense has had no issues moving the ball.
They’ve gone over 400 yards of total offense in all four meetings with the Bucs when Bowles was leading the defense.
Rams have faced Bucs four times since Todd Bowles arrived in 2019, and they've topped 400 yards of total offense all four times. They're 4-for-4, and everyone else in that span is 10-for-59 in getting 400+ yards vs. Tampa Bay, getting there in just 17 percent of games.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) November 2, 2022
The first time the Rams squared off against the Buccaneers with Bowles calling the defense in Tampa Bay, it was a 55-40 game in favor of the Buccaneers. Los Angeles had 518 total yards in the loss and they’ve continued to have success at moving the ball versus Tampa Bay in recent meetings.
In the four matchups between the Rams and the Buccaneers since 2019, Los Angeles is averaging 441.5 total yards and 32.8 points per game. The Rams have also strung together three straight wins over the Buccaneers, including last year’s 30-27 victory in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Through the first eight weeks of this season, the Rams are averaging only 297.4 total yards (third-fewest in the NFL) and 16.9 points per game (fifth-fewest in the NFL). Injuries on the offensive line and the lack of chunk plays have caused the offense to trend downward thus far.
It’s well-documented that Bowles runs an aggressive defensive scheme that tends to blitz often. McVay seems to excel against Bowles’ blitz-heavy scheme and the Rams are hoping that remains true in Week 9.
