Los Angeles Rams At Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Matchups Revisited

What a wild game that was. The Rams quadrupled their 2016 scoring output in their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the team has finally obtained a 2-1 record. Many players were instrumental to securing a victory but here's how our matchups to watch played out.

WR Mike Evans vs. CBs Troy Hill/E.J. Gaines

Gaines was inactive again for this game. Troy Hill and Trumaine Johnson did their best but Mike Evans proved to be the type of WR that can take over a game. It's why has built up a hype around him as one of the best young receivers in the NFL. Evans finished the game with 10 catches for 132 yards and one touchdown on 13 targets. Hill and Johnson were the two leading tacklers for the Rams with 11 and 9 respectively. Johnson added two passes defensed. It may sound odd but considering the shootout of a game, Evans could have done much more damage. Not ideal but it got the job done.

DE Robert Quinn vs. LT Donovan Smith

Guess who's back? Back again. Robert Quinn is back and he's starting to regain his 2013 form. Somewhat quiet for the majority of the game, Quinn struck when the Rams needed him most. After taking the lead to go up 24-20, Quinn whipped Smith on a move off the edge and reminded everyone how great he's been at forcing fumbles. Ethan Westbrooks and a gang of Rams scooped it up and took it to the house for a TD. It was a jaw dropping, game winning type of play. As a defensive end, all it takes is that one rush and Quinn delivered in best way possible.

RB Charles Sims vs. Rams LBs

Sims was known as a better receiving back than a rusher entering this game. Not much dispelled that notion even though Sims had a 1 yard rushing TD. Rams LBs and S Maurice Alexander were all very active but weren't able to put the clamps on Sims as a receiving threat. Sims had over 110 yards from scrimmage with the one score but much like Evans, could have done much more damage on screens in a shootout type game. The Rams will have to tighten up their defense of receiving type backs as Arizona RB David Johnson and Buffalo RB Lesean McCoy lurk on the schedule.

Gerald McCoy vs. Rams interior OL

Early on in the game McCoy looked determined to ruin the Rams and Todd Gurley's day by being his normal disruptive self. As the game wore on, the Rams seemed to make a concerted effort to double team him nearly every play. It didn't pay off immediate dividends but eventually Gurley was able to find yards and the end zone. Tim Barnes, Rodger Saffold, and Jamon Brown struggled to open up consistent running lanes but played key roles in keeping Case Keenum pretty clean all game, just getting sacked once with two QB hits.

WR Kenny Britt vs. CB Vernon Hargreaves

For the first time this year, Kenny Britt was not the Rams leading receiver. This didn't materialize into the matchup I thought it would. Britt ended the game with four catches for 38 yards on six targets but also had a costly fumble that led to a Tampa Bay score. Hargreaves was one of the few bright spots for the Bucs defense and they look like they found themselves a nice young corner. Britt flashed the inconsistency we've seen all too often.