NFL
NFL Week 3 Schedule: Bucs vs Rams, dates, games, times
Week 3 of NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the unbeaten Los Angeles Rams this Sunday in Los Angeles, most of the experts are calling this one for the Rams.
It is only week 3 of the NFL season, and we have already seen a number of exciting performances as well as significant injuries. The Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans kick off the week on Thursday Night Football on Sept. 23 (Kick-off 8.20 p.m. ET)
And in what is the highlight of the weekend, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Los Angeles Rams at the SoFi stadium on Sunday. While we have seen some interesting performances across the league, a raft of experts reckon this could be a sneak peek of the NFC Championship Game, with the Rams coming out as very slight favourites.
Highlight Game: Bucs vs Rams
Week 3 will be a rough one around the league overall, but the biggest game of the weekend for most is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday in LA. The bookmakers are calling this one for the Rams, but only just. One thing to bear in mind, other than what we've seen so far this season, is that the Rams ran out 27-24 winners in Tampa Bay, in Week 11 last season.
On Sunday, Sept. 19, the Rams notched up a win against the Indianapolis Colts. Aaron Donald, three-time NFL defensive player of the year, managed to get the best of Quenton Nelson, an All-Pro in each of his three NFL seasons. Donald has yet to get a sack against the Colts, but we could see his presence on Sunday. QB Stafford led the Rams on two late scoring drives, while PK Matt Gay's 38-yard field goal with 2:23 to play gave the Rams a 27-24 win over the Colts.
Bucs coming into the game off a win over the Falcons
The Buccaneers celebrated a 48-25 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon, with the Super Bowl champions recording a new NFL record, scoring at least 30 points in each of their last nine outings, with QB Tom Brady throwing five touchdowns against the rattled Falcons defense. That’s the eighth time the former Patriot has thrown five TDs in a game. What’s more, his nine TDs in two games is his career best for back-to-back matches, according to NFL Research.
Los Angeles Rams enter week 3 as favorites
Despite Brady's incredible game against the Falcons, Brian Sausa, author on PlayPicks, calls it for the home team: "The Rams are slight favorites in the Bucs’ first road game of the season. These two teams are quite similar in some ways but in what is virtually a toss-up game, we’re taking the Rams at home to handle business against a Bucs defense that hasn’t quite had the same bite to it early on. We’ve said it before, but Stafford is a perfect fit for Sean McVay and is the missing link in this offense. That combined with how Aaron Donald and this defense get after it at home, someone has to win at a packed-out SoFi before we take the other side."
Week 3 NFL Schedule
Thursday 24 September
Panthers vs Texans (8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 a.m. PT)
Sunday 26 September
Colts vs Titans (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Falcons vs Giants (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Chargers vs Chiefs (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Bengals vs Steelers (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Bears vs Browns (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Ravens vs Lions (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Saints vs Patriots (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Cardinals vs Jaguars (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Washington vs Bills (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
Jets vs Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET / 1:05 p.m. PT)
Dolphins vs Raiders (4:05 p.m. ET / 1:05 p.m. PT)
Seahawks vs Vikings (4:25 p.m. ET / 1:25 p.m. PT)
Buccaneers vs Rams (4:25 p.m. ET / 1:25 p.m. PT)
Packers vs 49ers (8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 a.m. PT)
Monday 27 September
Eagles vs Cowboys (8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 a.m. PT)