4 players to watch in Rams vs. Buccaneers

It’s a clash of two premier teams in the NFL in Week 3 with the Los Angeles Rams hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Both teams remain undefeated on the season and both are receiving love as favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Most people will be tuned in to see Matthew Stafford against Tom Brady in a matchup of two quarterbacks that are playing at a high level right now. Even with Brady playing for what seems like an eternity, this will be the first time he gets to suit up for a game in Los Angeles.

Besides the Stafford and Brady matchup (that isn’t really a matchup because they aren’t defending each other), there are other players that will need to step up for Los Angeles to extend their winning streak to begin the season. In what could be a possible NFC Championship preview, let’s take a look at a few players on the Rams that are worth keeping an eye on in Week 3 versus the Buccaneers.

Brian Allen

Brian Allen was one of the names I discussed in Week 2 as a player to watch against the Indianapolis Colts. It's safe to say that Allen has passed all of the tests thus far with flying colors. The analysts over at PFF.com seem to like what Allen has done this season as he's received a 78.5 overall grade and he's only allowed one sack in 111 offensive snaps. Allen was nearly perfect against the Colts in Week 2, not allowing a single sack or committing a penalty versus one of the premier interior defenders in DeForest Buckner. But after facing Buckner, Allen will be tested again by a gigantic human being in Vita Vea. Vea is a large reason why (figuratively and literally) the Buccaneers have an impenetrable run defense, but he is also a capable pass rusher due to his uncanny strength. Even though Allen won't be the only guy standing in front of Vea, it will be interesting to see if Allen can hold up for another week against one of the most dominant interior linemen in the NFL. Fans of the Rams would be pleasantly surprised to see Allen have another stellar performance in Week 3.

Jordan Fuller

The last time we saw the Rams and Buccaneers square off, it was Week 11 of the 2020 season. Los Angeles emerged victorious with a narrow 27-24 win after Matt Gay nailed a 40-yard field goal with a little over two minutes remaining that would be the final score of the game. But it was an interception --- his second in the game --- by Jordan Fuller on Brady that would seal the game with under two minutes to go. There will likely be plenty of discourse surrounding Fuller and Brady since both of them were selected 199th overall in their respective drafts. So I will refrain from adding more to the chatter and talk about how great Fuller has been for the Rams. There's a reason why Fuller was voted a team captain this season as he's evolved into a reliable safety on the backend of Los Angeles' defense. Through the first two weeks, Fuller has tallied 18 combined tackles and he's deflected one pass. In a game where one turnover could determine the victor, Fuller will be vital in trying to force Brady to make a rare mistake on Sunday.

Robert Woods

Cooper Kupp has quickly become Stafford's go-to target in the passing game for the Rams. Much has been made about Stafford and Kupp's supposed breakfasts together as Kupp has garnered a massive 38.2% target share through two weeks. Kupp has turned his increased usage into 16 receptions, 271 yards, and three touchdowns. While propping up Kupp for his performance thus far, don't forget about Robert Woods. Kupp's target share isn't going to stay near 40%, so it's only a matter of time before Woods becomes more involved in the offense again. This is a perfect week for Woods to have an explosive outing as the Buccaneers will likely center their attention on at least attempting to contain Kupp. With Tampa Bay's defense forcing opposing teams to air the ball often, Woods is in store for a productive showing at SoFi Stadium in Week 3.

Sebastian Joseph-Day

I could sit here and say that the guy wearing No. 99 for the Rams is someone you might want to focus on in Week 3. It goes without saying that the Buccaneers are going to be aware of where Aaron Donald is at all times, which makes Sebastian Joseph-Day that much more important every week. The best way to make life tough on a quarterback like Brady is to collapse the pocket and give him nowhere to step into when he surveys the field. If Brady has a clean pocket to work with consistently on Sunday, the secondary of the Rams is going to have their work cut out for them. So besides Donald creating pressure from the interior, Los Angeles could use some push from Joseph-Day. Joseph-Day was fantastic in Week 2, recording nine combined tackles, two quarterback hits, and one sack against the Colts. The Rams would love to get another disruptive game from the third-year interior defender out of Rutgers in Week 3 against Brady and the Buccaneers.

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