Rams vs. Buccaneers: Running Blog

TAMPA, Fla. -

Fourth Quarter

- Three and out again for the Rams. Not a good way to finish this thing off.

- Tampa takes over at its 31.

- More big plays from Tampa puts it in good shape at the Rams’ 6 as Jackson has a 46-yard catch and run.

- Three straight incompletions made it fourth and goal at the 6.

- The Rams got yet another stop on fourth down pinned deep when Doug Martin caught a short pass from Freeman and was dropped for a gain of 3, 3 yards short of the end zone.

- The Rams offense takes over at its 3. They need a solid, time-consuming drive here to help put this one away with 12:08 to go.

- Who else but Jackson to get it done and possibly go over the 1,000 mark for the season?

- He ripped off runs of 6, 19, 7 and 2 yards but a third and 1 pass fell incomplete and the Rams punted it away from their 37.

- Jackson needs 15 more yards to get to 1,000 for the season.

- The Bucs take over at their 16.

- Big interception on a deflection for DE Eugene Sims. Rams take over at Tampa’s 39.

- Jackson loses 2 on first down.

- A screen lost 5 and the Rams will punt. Not a good drive there, had a chance to get 3 more and potentially make it a three-possession game.

- Tampa dinking and dunking its way down the field for a first down to the Rams’ 29.

- Defense gets another stop.

- Rams can milk this one out now, a chance for Jackson to get his 17 yards.

- They can’t quite run out the clock. Two Jackson runs netted 7 yards and made it third and 3 with 2:15 to go.

- Jackson stopped for no gain.

- Tampa gets it back under the two-minute warning.

- A sack for Williams Hayes on first down.

- Freeman overthrows on second down.

- Rams get it back at Tampa’s 31 and can run it out.

- That will do it. Rams win it 28-13 and improve to 7-7-1 on the year. They have won four of five.

Third Quarter

- The Rams get it first and start from their 20.

- On the first play, Bradford hit a wide open Kendricks over the middle. He caught it and raced 80 yards for a TD with help of a terrific block by Amendola that took out two defenders.

- The Rams lead 21-6.

- On third and 4 from their 26, Freeman fired an interception into the arms of rookie CB Trumaine Johnson, who made a great read and break on the ball for the pick, the third of the day for the Rams.

- The Rams have it back at Tampa’s 30.

- Richardson runs for 6 on first down to the 24 and gains 1 on second to make it third-and-3.

- Bradford hits Amendola for 8 and a first down to the 15.

- He follows with 10 more to Givens for a first down at the 5.

- Two plays later, Bradford hit Austin Pettis for 5 yards and a touchdown. Rams lead 28-6.

- Tampa gets it back at its 21.

- Four plays into the drive, the Bucs strike back as Freeman hits a wide open Mike Williams for 61 yards and a touchdown.

- Rams lead 28-13 with 8:50 to go in the third.

- They start from their 6 after another special teams penalty.

- Rams go three and out after a holding penalty wiped out a 10-yard run by Jackson.

- Hekker’s punt goes 57 yards and the Bucs start from their 31.

- Tampa worked its way down the field with big passing plays as Williams continues to make big gains with 20 and 16.

- At the Rams’ 5, the Bucs had two plays to get a first down to the 4 and the Rams shut them down, including a fourth-down sneak by Freeman that came up well short.

- Rams get it back at their 5.

- They go three and out again, punting from their 8 after a third down incompletion for Gibson.

- Tampa starts again from the Rams 43 after yet another bad special teams penalty, this time unsportsmanlike conduct.

- Freeman’s deep shot for Jackson fell incomplete on first down.

- Rams defense gets a three and out and they get it back at their 18.

- At the end of three, the Rams lead 28-13.

Second Quarter

- After a 13-yard strike to Givens to the 31, Bradford fired deep for Amendola on a double move but Tampa CB Danny Gorrer didn’t bite and made the interception in the end zone.

- Tampa takes over at its 20.

- A 5-yard sack by Kendall Langford pushed the Bucs back to their 25 after a first down.

- On third and 15, Freeman was pressured and floated a pass toward the left sideline. Rookie CB Janoris Jenkins jumped on it and took it 41 yards for a touchdown.

- It’s Jenkins’ fourth touchdown of the season and third pick-6.

- Greg Zuerlein’s extra point makes it 7-3 Rams with 11:46 to go in the second quarter.

- Tampa starts again from its 20.

- Buoyed by a 15-yard facemask penalty and an offsides penalty, the Bucs got into Rams territory but stalled with an incompletion on third and 3 at the 31.

- Barth hit again, this time from 49 yards out to make it 7-6 Rams with 5:56 to go in the second quarter.

- Rams go three and out from their 20. Tampa gets it back at its 36.

- The Bucs moved into Rams territory on a 13-yard completion to Mike Williams.

- On first down from the Rams’ 49, Freeman fired over the middle for Jackson but LB James Laurinaitis dropped deep and stepped in front for an interception.

- The Rams get it back at their 35.

- Jackson ripped off a gain of 12 on first down to the St. Louis 47. After a 2-yard run, Bradford hit TE Lance Kendricks for 19 yards down the left sideline.

- At the two minute warning, the Rams have it at Tampa’s 32.

- On third and 10, Bradford stood strong in the pocket and hit Gibson for 13 yards and a first down to Tampa’s 19.

- Two plays later, Bradford found Kendricks for 13 yards to the 5.

- On the next play, Jackson lowered his head and snaked his way for a touchdown. The Rams lead 14-6 with 32 seconds to go.

- At the end of the first half, the Rams lead 14-6. They’ll get the ball first to open the second half.

First Quarter

- The Rams won the toss and elected to defer.

- The Bucs methodically worked their way down the field, led by WR Vincent Jackson, who has three catches for 38 yards on the possession.

- A 6-yard sack by DE Chris Long with the ball at the Rams’ 12 pushed Tampa back and ultimately forced a field goal.

- Connor Barth converts for the Bucs, who take a 3-0 lead with 5:22 to go in the first.

- The Rams start their first drive from the 20.

- On second down from there, Danny Amendola caught a pass in the flat, was hit and fumbled and the Bucs recovered but the recovery wasn’t for long as the ball came loose again.

- Rams LG Robert Turner recovered to give the Rams a new life and first down at their own 5 because of the possession change.

- A nice, methodical drive of their own with a 20-yard completion to Gibson and 14 to Givens were the keys.

- The Rams have a second and 7 at Tampa’s 44 at the end of the first quarter.

- At the end of one extremely fast quarter, the Bucs lead 3-0.

Pregame Notes

- Greetings from Raymond James Stadium where the Rams and Bucs cling to the thinnest of playoff hopes but both look to rebound from disappointing losses last week.

- Temperatures here are hovering in the 50s but you’d think it’s frigid by how the locals are reacting. They are all bundled up, guess they aren’t used to mild temps.

- One quick roster note, CB Quinton Pointer has been brought back to the active roster. He takes the spot vacated by G Harvey Dahl, who was placed on injured reserve earlier this week.

- On the inactive front, no major surprises.

- Here’s the list: QB Austin Davis, RB Terrance Ganaway, DT Matt Conrath, T Joe Barksdale, WR Steve Smith, TE Cory Harkey and LB Sammy Brown.

- The Rams are wearing white tops on blue pants today.

- CB Cortland Finnegan was questionable entering today but is active and expected to play.

- It’s been announced that Shelley Smith will start for Dahl at RG but don’t be shocked if Chris Williams gets the start or at least splits time.

- The Bucs inactives are CB LeQuan Lewis, RB Michael Smith, G Roger Allen, WR Chris Owusu, WR David Douglas, DT Corey Irvin, DT Matthew Masifilo.

- Stay tuned for updates throughout the game.