After a pair of losses to top AFC contenders in Weeks 10 and 11, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will get back to intra-conference competition in Week 12 as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the NFC West-leading Rams on Sunday, November 23 at Highmark Stadium. It’s a nationally-televised prime-time game on NBC and kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.
The Buccaneers’ 44-32 loss in Buffalo on Sunday, in a game where the lead changed hands nine times, coupled with the Carolina Panthers’ comeback overtime win in Atlanta has reduced Tampa Bay’s lead in the NFC South to a half-game. Meanwhile, the Rams outlasted the Seattle Seahawks in perhaps the biggest game in the conference in Week 11, in the process taking over first place in the West. The Rams have won five games in a row, in the process dispatching such contenders as Baltimore, Jacksonville, San Francisco and Seattle.
Tampa Bay’s offense ran for 202 yards and generated 367 yards and six scoring drives in Buffalo, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Josh Allen’s six combined scores. The Bucs’ defense and special teams came up with three takeaways, including the first career interceptions for both rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish and third-year linebacker SirVocea Dennis. Third-year running back Sean Tucker got a chance to shine and responded with 140 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.
The Rams’ offense came out firing against Seattle, taking each of their first three drives inside the Seahawks’ 10-yard line and opening up a quick 14-3 lead. After that, it became a matter of holding on, as Seattle eventually outgained the Rams, 414 yards to 249 but saw Sam Darnold through four interceptions in a 21-19 final that improved L.A.’s record to 8-2. Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes for the Rams and now has an incredible 27-2 touchdown-interception ratio on the season.
The Buccaneers and Rams met five times between the 2019 and 2022 seasons, playoffs included. Los Angeles won three of those contests, including a high-powered NFC Divisional Round playoff contest in 2021, but the Bucs have the most recent victory, a last-second 16-13 win in Tampa in 2022.
