Rams PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Buccaneers

The Rams notched their biggest win of the young season on Sunday when they beat the Buccaneers 34-24 at SoFi Stadium. They made the victory look easy, cruising in the final 25 minutes or so and never trailing once in the game.

Pro Football Focus handed out grades for each player who took a snap in the win, and we broke them down below on offense and defense. The defensive line received some high praise from PFF, as did the Rams’ offensive line for its performance against a good Buccaneers front.

Top 3 offense

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• RG Austin Corbett: 83.8

• WR DeSean Jackson: 82.4

• RT Rob Havenstein: 75.2

Three of the Rams’ five highest-graded players on offense were linemen, which is an indication of just how well the big men up front played against a good Bucs defensive line. Matthew Stafford was pressured 12 times in the game but he was hit just three times and sacked once. David Edwards and Andrew Whitworth combined to allow seven of the 12 pressures, with Havenstein giving up three, too. But all five starters had run-block grades of at least 63.1.

Top 3 defense

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

• DT Aaron Donald: 90.1

• DE A’Shawn Robinson: 83.6

• OLB Leonard Floyd: 79.5

When Tom Brady leads the team in rushing, you know the defensive line is going to get much-deserved credit. All five of the Rams’ highest-graded defenders were players in the front seven, led by Donald, Robinson and Floyd. Donald and Floyd had five pressures and one sack each, according to PFF, while Robinson earned an 83.9 run defense grade to lead the Rams.

Bottom 3 offense

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• TE Johnny Mundt: 61.7

• TE Tyler Higbee: 58.6

• WR Robert Woods: 57.8

Woods has not gotten off to the best start this season. He caught just three of his six targets for 33 yards, most of which came on a 20-yard reception. Woods added another drop to his season total and gained only 8 yards after the catch, though that’s not entirely his fault. The tight ends didn’t grade out particularly well, either, despite the fact that Higbee caught five passes for 40 yards and one touchdown. He did fumble it once, which weighed down his overall grade. Mundt wasn’t targeted but held up well in pass protection.

Bottom 3 defense

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• DE Michael Hoecht: 52.9

• S Taylor Rapp: 42.1

• S Nick Scott: 40.5

It was a rough afternoon for two of the Rams’ top three safeties. Rapp and Scott earned poor grades from Pro Football Focus, particularly in coverage where their grades were 41.4 and 45.3, respectively. Hoeched played 19 snaps and rushed the passer 14 times, but he didn’t generate a single pressure or record a tackle. The Rams need better play from their safeties, otherwise it might be time to give Terrell Burgess some reps back there after he was blanked on the snap sheet again.

Other notables

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

• QB Matthew Stafford: 73.8

• WR Cooper Kupp: 72.5

• CB Jalen Ramsey: 65.1

• RB Sony Michel: 63.2

• LB Kenny Young: 62.8

Stafford had the fourth-highest offensive grade on the team, his third straight game with a grade between 73 and 80. He currently owns a career-best 82.7 offensive grade this season, a trend that should continue as the year progresses. Kupp earned the sixth-best grade on offense for his nine-catch, 96-yard game with two more touchdowns. He’s the third-highest graded receiver in the NFL with at least 10 targets. Ramsey and Young both played relatively well, as reflected by their grades from PFF. However, PFF says Ramsey allowed eight catches on 10 targets for 75 yards, and Young gave up 12 catches on 12 targets for 95 yards. Michel stepped up in Darrell Henderson Jr.’s place, rushing for 67 yards on 20 carries, with another 12 yards receiving on three catches.

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