Amid an unpredictable NFL season, a new leader has emerged atop the NFC after Week 12.
Behind a dominant 34-7 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Los Angeles Rams improved to 9-2. Their win, combined with Philadelphia’s stunning loss earlier Sunday to Dallas, moves the Rams ahead of the Eagles for now in the NFC standings in the race for the conference’s top playoff seed.
Tampa Bay fell to 6-5 while producing a season low for points and yards, with just 193.
Matthew Stafford threw for 273 yards and picked apart the Buccaneers, completing 25 of his 35 passes, to add momentum to his Most Valuable Player candidacy and continue the best Rams’ start to a season since 2018.
Stafford hasn’t just been prolific this season, but surgical. With three more touchdown passes Sunday, the 37-year-old has thrown 27 touchdowns since his last interception, tied for the longest such streak in NFL history. He is attempting to join Roman Gabriel (1969), Kurt Warner (1999 and 2001) and Marshall Faulk (2000) as the only Rams to win league MVP honors.
Stafford connected with receiver Davante Adams for two touchdowns. The first opened the scoring on “Sunday Night Football,” before the Rams made it 14-0 after Cobie Durant ripped a reception away from Tampa’s Cade Otton and returned the interception for a touchdown for 50 yards.
By halftime, the Rams led 31-7 and the Buccaneers had lost starting quarterback Baker Mayfield after he appeared to injure his left, non-throwing shoulder twice, including on the half’s final play on a long heave that was intercepted. Mayfield was replaced by Teddy Bridgewater; the severity of the injury is unknown.
Mayfield had his left shoulder first checked in the second quarter after taking a hard hit on a scramble, and grimaced later in the drive after throwing a touchdown pass to Tez Johnson. He walked to a medical tent without moving the left arm. The Buccaneers set up the touchdown behind a flurry of successful runs, and ultimately finished with 123 yards on the ground, but the running attack was never able to be utilized after the Buccaneers fell behind so much, and so quickly, leading the team to chase faster scores through the air.
Mayfield finished 9-for-19 passing for 41 yards, and his own nascent MVP candidacy, which put him among the favorites when Tampa started 5-1, has faded as the team has since lost four of its last five.
Receiver Puka Nacua had seven catches for 97 yards to lead the Rams, who face Carolina (6-5) on the road next week. Tampa, meanwhile, next faces Arizona (3-8).
