Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Los Angeles Rams & Game Pick (2021)

Sep 25, 2021 - 10:28 AM

Two NFC juggernauts will go at it Sunday in Los Angeles as both the Rams and Bucs come into the season with Super Bowl aspirations. Behind two veteran quarterbacks and defenses that are amongst the best in the league, many are expecting a great game and potential NFC Championship preview.

Let’s take a closer look.

View our Pick of the Day in the BettingPros mobile app (free!) >>

Details

• Opening Line: Rams -2, O/U 54
• Current Line: Rams +1.5, O/U 56
• Last meeting: November 23, 2020, Rams 2, Buccaneers 24

Overview

For the first time since early last season, the Buccaneers will likely be without All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown who is dealing with COVID-19 issues ahead of Sunday’s matchup. Fear not, however, as Brady’s litany of targets runs deep as Mike Evans, Gronk, and Chris Godwin all will still suit up.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Bucs could also be without defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, as he deals with a nagging arm injury and was held out of practice this week.

Like the Bucs, the Rams also come into this matchup 2-0 and Sean McVay is feeling confident after two strong efforts from new quarterback Matthew Stafford. One injury to keep an eye on as kickoff approaches, however, is Stafford’s workhorse Darrell Henderson Jr., who was kept out of practice Wednesday with a rib injury.

Heading into this game, Ram’s defensive tackle Aaron Donald is just 1.5 sacks away from becoming the team’s all-time leader in sacks; a feat he’ll accomplish in just 113 games should he get there Sunday.

Check out all of our NFL game previews and picks for the week >>

Trends

• The Buccaneers are 4-0 to the Over over their L4 as favorites
• The Buccaneers are 5-1 ATS in L7 following games where they rushed for less than 90 yards
• The Rams are 4-0 to the Over in L4 September games

Bottom Line

Though the sample size is small, through two games the only team in the NFC with a greater point differential than the Rams; is the Bucs. This offense has shown no signs of slowing down from where they ended 2020, and I see no reason for that to stop here.

With one of the best offensive lines in the league defending Brady, I look for them to neutralize Donald and for Evans to be the primary target for an AB-less Buccaneers offense.

Pick: Bucs -1.5

Bet $10, Win $200 if Your Team Scores a TD >>

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts

Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including How to Bet on Sports — or head to more advanced strategy — like 10 Tips to Become a Sharper Sports Bettor — to learn more.

Johnny Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Los Angeles Rams & Game Pick (2021) appeared first on BettingPros.