FELLAS FOUN THIS INFO ON THE NETAs surprising as it may sound, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be happy to take on the Super Bowl champs from two years ago in a Monday Night Football showdown.
The Bucs were one of only three teams to beat the St. Louis Rams straight up (SU) last season and they're 3-0 against the spread (ATS) versus the Rams over the last two years.
Tampa Bay hosted the Rams last year in the Sunshine State and sent them packing with a 24-17 cash-snatching performance as a 10-point road 'dog.
St. Louis will visit Raymond James Stadium in hopes of capturing its first SU and ATS win, after a 2-0 start. The squad is in danger of going 0-3 SU for the first time since 1987.
The Rams haven't won a game SU since last year's NFC championship game, nor have they covered the number since their win over the Green Bay Packers the previous week. That makes for an ugly 0-7 SU run and painful 0-8 ATS stretch, which includes this year's preseason.
The Rams have been outscored 39-47 in their two losses, while moving the ball for just 339.5 yards.
The Tampa Bay defense is coming off a dominating performance in Week 2, as the Bucs shutout the Baltimore Ravens 25-0 as a 4 1/2-point 'chalk' .The Buccaneers defense contributed nine points against the Ravens to help Tampa Bay pull to an even 1-1 SU and ATS mark.
The Rams ground attack has stumbled to a measly 62 yards per game on average this season.
Last year, Tampa Bay held Rams star RB Marshall Faulk to a paltry 55 yards on 12 carries. Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp dominated on 'D', as he sacked St. Louis QB Kurt Warner twice. The defense also picked off Warner on two occasions.
That game will no doubt be on Warner's mind, as he's thrown for only one touchdown pass in two games and turned the ball over three times in Week 2. He's been sacked a total of four times.
I don't watch a lot of MNF anymore, but it seems that TB is pretty dominant on Monday Night. Hope not tonight though.
Thanks T-Bone!
MC