Rams 30-27 Bucs, late field goal gives Rams the win, summary: score, stats, highlights | NFL Divisional Round Playoffs
Rams v Bucs: headlines
"Utter lunacy" shouted the commentator at one point in this game's crazy, frenetic finale. And that's what it was. The Rams had turned up in Tampa and basically bossed Brady and Bucs from the off. The current Super Bowl champions couldn't get going on offense, harried constantly by the visitors defense, while they struggled against the Rams potent offense, with danger man and one of the true stars of this season Cooper Kupp a constant danger.
The scoreboard soon reflected the Rams dominance, as Blanton strolled in from 7 yards, then Kupp caught a huge pass for a 70 yard score. At half-time things looked bleak for the home crowd, with a measly field goal to show for their efforts.
In the second half it got worse, the gap widening to 27-3 as Stafford sneaked over from one yard. Most people thought it was over. Brady didn't. And despite still not firing on all cylinders he dragged the Bucs injury hit offense back into the game. A field goal and a Fournette touchdown made it 27-13 at the start of the fourth quarter. Then after a series of bizarre turnovers (Stafford forgetting to look at the snap for example) Brady produced a blitz of a drive to put Evans in with a 55-yarder and put them within touching distance. And then on 4th and one, nine yards out Fournette (who was immense) ran in to tie it. The PAT was good and a lot of people were thinking the momentum was going to carry the Bucs over the line in overtime...
But the Bucs comeback dream wasn't to be. Their defense opened up and allowed Cupp to run unmarked through the middle. Stafford found him and although he was tackled it was comfortable field goal range. Gay slotted over and the Rams went wild. They'll play the 49ers in the NFC Championship game on Sunday, Jan 30.
Truly a nail-biter of a second half
The Rams win it at the last minute!
The Bucs came back from a 24-point deficit but with seconds left in the game, Stafford makes two HUGE connections to Cooper Kupp to get far enough down the field for Matt Gay to get a comfortable field goal and the Rams will advance to the Conference Championship!
Gay 30-yard field goal is GOOD!!!!!
Gay comes in to try to win it for the Rams...
Huge pass to Kupp again for 44 yards!!
Stafford complete to Kupp for a gain of 20 and he gets out of bounds to stop the clock
Stafford runs it and is SACKED by Pierre-Paul, 2nd and 11
This game was never "over", even when the Rams were up 27-3. If anyone can come back from that, it's Brady, and they did. It's a tie game with 42 seconds left to play.
Succop PAT is GOOD!
BUCS TOUCHDOWN!
Fournette runs it in 9 yards
The ruling on the field stands that the Bucs were just short. 4th and1.
Looked like Fournette got the 1st down to put the Bucs at 1st and goal but it's under review
Two-minute warning
The Rams went from having a 27-3 lead to now making it a one-score game (27-20) and giving the ball back to the Bucs in good field position with 2 minutes left to play.
Akers FUMBLES the ball and the Bucs recover it. They'll get the ball back at the Rams 30.
The Rams are trying to survive on running the ball, and that's not getting them too far.
Brady makes a DEEP pass to Mike Evans 55 yards into the end zone to make it a 7-point game with 3:20 left int the half!
Succop PAT is GOOD!
BUCS TOUCHDOWN!!
Boom, Brady to Miller for a gain of 21 right off the bat
Hekker punts it 45 yards to Bucs 21. Bernard takes it a little bit to the 23 for 2 yards
Rams at 4th and 7 at their 34
Bucs get close but are held to 4th and 9. They go for it but it's in vain. Brady had time, but he throws it away and the Rams will take over at their own 31.
Take a look at this weirdness...
The field goal is NO GOOD, just short. The game stays a two-posession one with the Rams up 27-13.
They keep the ball on the ground and Akers runs it up 3 yards to the 29 to keep them within FG range.
Rams take a timeout after they get held to 3rd and 11 at the Bucs 32. They're in FG range.
Jefferson gets two big plays of 15 and 18 yards and the Rams are driving down the clock as much as they can. They're at 1st and 10 at the Bucs 49
Let me see if I can explain this flag.
It's on the Rams for Unnecessary Roughness but because it was a "dead ball foul" (happened after the play), it's a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot and it's the RAMS football.
The Bucs go for it on a deep pass and it's broken up but there's a flag on the play...
Brady fires a 13-yard pass to Gronk, then a gain of 6 by Fournette and an incomplete pass to Gronk with Scott all over him! Brings the Bucs to 3rd and 5 and Brady is SACKED for a loss of 10 by guess who? Von Miller, yet again. Bucs at 4th and 14.
The snap goes OVER STAFFORD'S head!!! The Bucs take the ball RIGHT back again!! Wow, the Rams are getting every opportunity to not mess this up, but keeping messing it up.
Miller strips the ball from Brady and recovers it right away! The Rams get the ball back again!
On the punts, Dardenran it to the Bucs 30 for 5 yards but was hit hard and injured on the play. His return is Questionable.
The crowd just git a lot noisier in Tampa. Rams went 3 and out reeeeeal quick and Bucs will get the ball back again.
End 3rd Quarter
The Rams have the ball at their 25 on 2nd and 10. Bucs made it a two-possession game just before the end of the 3rd.
With 12 seconds to go in the 3rd, the Bucs get their first TD of the day vs the Rams and it's Fournette who runs it into the end zone after the Rams turned it over.
Succop PAT is GOOD!
BUCCANEERS TOUCHDOWN!!
Brady pass to Johnson just short of the end zone sets the Bucs up for 1st and goal
And it's a good thing they took the risk! Brady throws for 16 yards to Scotty Miller! Bucs are at 1st and 10 at the Rams 13.
Sadly for the Bucs, they don't do anything with that opportunity. They're brought to 4th and 9 but this time they have to go for it.
Pinion kicked 63 yards to the Rams 2, out of bounds so the Rams got it at their 40. Stafford passes to Kupp and he FUMBLES it! It's recovered by the Bucs Murphy-Bunting who runs it for 10 yards! The Bucs get a lucky break!
Brady has yet to achieve a touchdown this game. The Bucs settle for a field goal at 4th and 11 with 3:02 left to play in the 3rd.
Succop 31-yard field goal is GOOD!
The Bucs get a little further down the field but are held to 4th down and 11 at the Rams 13. They choose not to go for it and attempt the field goal instead.
Here's that OBJ one-handed clutch catch!
7:07 to go in the 3rd quarter and the Rams are still in complete control of this game. They got down the field quick on their second drive on a 33-yard punt return to maximize and get the TD on a 1-yard run by Stafford.
Gay PAT is GOOD!
Buccaneers Nunez-Roches was injured on the play. Return is Questionable.
RAMS TOUCHDOWN!
Stafford takes it in for the TD!
They give it to Akers again but he is juuuust short. 3rd and goal.
Akers runs it up to about the 1-yard line. 2nd and goal
Wow! Stafford connects with OBJ and he maintains those feet in bounds and catches the ball with ONE hand! Rams are at 1st and goal.
Bucs go 3 and out. They punt it to the Rams 39 and Powell runs it back 33 yards! The Bucs did not need that.
Rams got the ball to start the second half but couldn't get far enough down the field, held to 4th and 5 at their own 49. They punt it away to the 5.
Stafford-Kupp connection for the TD, 70 yards
112 yards, an interception, and no TDs for Brady at the half
HALFTIME: Rams 20, Buccaneers 3
The Bucs kneel to run out the clock and that's halftime.
The Rams lead 20-3 at the half. Brady and the Bucs can't seem to get past the Rams defense and the Rams offense is dominating.
Ruling on the field (down by contact) is overturned. It's ruled a fumble, recovered by the Bucs.
Akers takes it further towards the goal but he's down short of the end zone. The ball comes loose but the play is dead. They'll review it to see if it's a Fumble. If it's a fumble, then it was recovered by the Bucs.
Akers doesn't get anywhere and they are at 2nd and goal
Rams at 1st and goal
Brady throw is PICKED by Scott!! Rams get the ball back AGAIN at the Bucs 31!
Brady bleeding
Brady was pretty angry... but all he got was a 15-yard penalty.
Two-minute warning
Brady is SACKED by Donald on the 7-yard line
With 2:19 left in the 2nd quarter, the Rams take a 17-point lead over the Buccaneers.
Gay 40-yard attempt is GOOD!
Akers and Stafford's team of receivers get the Rams to the Bucs 21 at 4th and 3 so they'll kick a FG
Brady is bleeding from the lip after a hit on the chin by Von Miller. That's where Brady got the Unsportsmanlike penalty after yelling at the refs for not calling it a late hit. Boohoo, Brady.
Missed FG by Bucs
Brady throws another pass under pressure and it's nearly picked but it's called incomplete. At 4th and 9, Succop attempts a 49-yard field goal attempt and misses.
Bucs make it into Rams territory but Brady's temper gets him in trouble with an Unsportsmanlike Conduct call to put them at 2nd and 17. No problem though, Fournette makes the grab and they get the 1st down at the Rams 31
Rams turn to go 3 and out. Bucs get another chance.
The Bucs go 3 and out real quick after a short gain by Fournette and two incomplete passes to Evans.
The Rams at 3rd and 20, Stafford connects a pass to Kupp who goes for 70 yards and a TOUCHDOWN! The Bucs get a penalty for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.
Gay PAT is GOOD!
Confirmed...Rams touchdown!!
RAMS TOUCHDOWN??
Flag on the play...
Stafford SACKED for a loss of 10, 3rd and 20 but.....
END 1st Quarter
Rams have the ball at their own 40, 2nd and 10
The Bucs get on the board with 32 seconds left in the 1st quarter.
Succop 45-yard field goal is GOOD!
Rams D holds them to 4th and 4 at the Rams 27 and they'll attempt a 45-yard FG
Von Miller is all over Brady but he's able to get it away to Gronk with a strike over the middle for a gain of 29 to the Rams 33
Stafford connects with backup TE Blanton and the Rams made that look easy! They get the first TD of the day and lead the Rams by 10 with 3:28 still to go in the 1st quarter.
Gay PAT is GOOD!
RAMS TOUCHDOWN!!!
Rams enter Bucs territory after Akers and some passes to Higbee and OBJ get them down the field and they're at 1st and goal
The Rams D came to play today. They take the Bucs to 3 and out and will give the Rams the ball back again.
The Rams take the early lead with a field goal in the 1st quarter with 8:01 to go.
Gay 26-yard field goal is GOOD!
A couple incomplete passes and the Rams go to 4th and goal to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown
Another deep pass 29 yards to Higbee gets the Rams to the 9-yard line at 1st and goal!
The Triple Crown king Cooper Kupp gets the Rams 17 yards down the field on a perfect pass by Stafford. Off to a good start.
After those two 1st downs, the Bucs try to throw it down the field but the Rams defense stops the passes and the Bucs will punt it away for a Touchback.
Fournette was out for over a month with hamstring issues, but he's back now to give the Bucs two 1st downs in a row.
Rams won the toss and deferred . Matt Gay kicks it off and it'll be the Bucs to start us off. Game time!
Cooper Kupp
The Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp has been the NFL's top receiver. In the Rams' game vs the Cardinals last week, however, he had a season low five receptions and 61 yards. Kupp has the ability to give the Rams a big offensive performance, and they'll need that tonight vs Brady and the Bucs.
Mike Evans
Since the Bucs lost their leading receivers Chris Godwin (for the season) and Antonio Brown (forever), all eyes will be on WR Mike Evans.
Luckily for Brady and the Bucs, Evans is just as talented a receiver. In the Wild Card game against the Eagles, he had nine catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. He's the only player to start his career with eight consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and he set a franchise record with 14 touchdown receptions, which is the second in the league behind the Rams' Cooper Kupp.
Bucs favorites to win it
Both the Rams and the Bucs are coming off blow-out wins in the Wild Card round.
The Rams upset the Cardinals and the Bucs beat the crap out of the Eagles. Matt Stafford will be looking to upset the Bucs after getting his first playoff win with the Rams last week. Meanwhile, Tom Brady will be looking to keep the Bucs' back-to-back Super Bowl dreams alive.
The Buccaneers are favorites to win the game, but Stafford has won two of the last three games when he started vs Brady. It could be an upset this week if the Rams can stop Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski.
NFC Championship is on the line
Has Tom Brady won his last Super Bowl?
Rams vs Bucs: Injury Report
Rams Injury Report
The Rams will be without key players OL Andrew Whitworth (Knee) and S Taylor Rapp (Concussion) for the game vs the Bucs. They were also dealt a blow with RB Buddy Howell (Hamstring), who is listed as Doubtful, which is going to hurt them on special teams.
They were able to activate WR Brandon Powell (Ribs), ILB Troy Reeder (Ankle), and WR Ben Skowronek (Back).
Buccaneers Injury Report
The Bucs just announced that OT Tristan Wirfs (Ankle) is officially Inactive for today's game vs the Rams, which is concerning for the team. They also have OLB Jason Pierre-Paul (Not Injury Related/Personal), and CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (Hamstring) listed as Questionable, potentially a blow as well.
Good news for the Bucs is they were able to clear C Ryan Jensen (Ankle),OLB Shaquil Barrett (Knee), RB Giovani Bernard (Hip/Knee), ILB Lavonte David (Foot), S Mike Edwards (Elbow), OT Josh Wells (Quadriceps), and perhaps most importantly for the team, RB Leonard Fournette. The Bucs need Fournette since Ronald Jones and WR Breshad Perriman will be Out and Cyril Grayson is Questionable vs the Rams.
How and where to watch Los Angeles Rams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kickoff time, TV channel, live stream for Sunday’s NFL Divisional Round playoff game.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Buccaneers vs Rams Divisional Round playoff game!
Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
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