Buccaneers vs Rams Opening Odds and Betting Lines for Week 3

• The Los Angeles Rams (2-0) opened as 1.5-point favorites over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) on Sunday in Week 3 (Sept. 26th, 4:25 pm ET) 
• LA squeaked past Indianapolis in Week 2, while Tampa Bay beat up Atlanta
• Read below for analysis on which way the line will move ahead of kickoff

NFC heavyweights collide in Week 3 (Sunday, Sept. 26th) as the 2-0 LA Rams host the 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Los Angeles went on the road in Week 2 to take down Indianapolis, while the defending champs reeled off a second consecutive home victory by crushing Atlanta 48-25.

This the second meeting between the two clubs in the Tom Brady led Buccaneers era. Last year these two teams met under the lights in Tampa, with LA emerging as a 27-24 winner.

Buccaneers vs Rams Opening Odds

Odds as of  Sept. 19th at FanDuel.

The Rams opened up as a 1.5-point favorite, in a game that features a total of 53.5. Tampa Bay has won a franchise record 10 straight games coming in, while LA will enter this contest banged up, and potentially shorthanded.

Rams Rally Past Colts

After crushing the Chicago Bears in Week 1, LA found themselves in a tight affair in Indy. The Rams fell behind the Colts early in the fourth on Sunday, but went 58 yards on nine plays to pull back in front, and then marched 55 yards for the game winning field goal after LA had pulled even.

MAKE IT ✌️ FOR COOOOOOP!@CooperKupp finds the endzone again! pic.twitter.com/dfVS2RAi6N

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 19, 2021

Matthew Stafford threw for 278 yards and two scores in his second game as a Ram, while Cooper Kupp dominated Indy’s secondary. Kupp went for nine catches, 163 yards and two scores, giving him a stat line of 16-271-3 through two weeks.

Stafford appeared to injure the thumb on his throwing hand midway through the second quarter, but stayed in the game and didn’t miss a snap. Running back Darrell Henderson wasn’t so lucky though, as he exited the game in the final quarter with a rib injury and did not return.

Justin Lawler broke his hand and Darrell Henderson hurt his ribs, per McVay.

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) September 19, 2021

The third-year back was off to a fine start to the season, racking up 123 rushing yards, 46 receiving yards and two scores, but his status for next week is not yet known. LA already lost last year’s leading rusher Cam Akers in the preseason, but did acquire Sony Michel from New England before the season began.

Backup outside linebacker Justin Lawler was also injured, breaking his hand.

Bucs Rout Falcons

The Buccaneers meanwhile, have now scored 79 points through two weeks, with Brady passing for 655 yards and nine touchdowns. He lit up Atlanta’s defense for five scores on Sunday, tossing two each to Rob Gronkowski and Mike Evans, and another to Chris Godwin.

Tom Brady has 17 Pass TDs in his last 4 games 🔥 🔥

The last time he did that was during his 2007 MVP season 👀 pic.twitter.com/I8fl5El0ks

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 19, 2021

Gronkowski, who sat out the 2019 season remember, leads the NFL with four touchdown grabs, but it wasn’t just the offense that was racking up points.

https://twitter.com/Buccaneers/status/1439727150496718853

Tampa Bay’s defense returned two of Matt Ryan’s three interceptions for touchdowns, while sacking him three times. If there’s an area of concern for the Bucs though, it was to be on the defensive side of the ball, despite their two pick-sixes. The Bucs have allowed an average of 27 points through two weeks, and are yielding 400 yards to enemy offenses per game.

On the injury front, Evans went down with an ankle injury in the second half, but was able to return to the game. Wide receiver/kick returner Jaydon Mickens left with a hip injury and didn’t return, while shutdown corner Carlton Davis played through his hamstring injury.

Expect Tons of Tampa Bay Action

No matter who he plays for, there’s no one the public likes backing more than Brady. Throw in the fact that his team, the reigning Super Bowl champs, are catching points and riding a 10-game win streak, and you can bet the money is going to be flooding in on the Bucs.

Tom Brady has thrown for 4 touchdowns in 4 consecutive games dating to last season, tying 1984 Dan Marino for the second-longest streak of its kind in NFL history (Peyton Manning had a streak of 5 in 2004).

His 35 games with 4 Pass TD tie P. Manning for 2nd all-time (Brees 37). pic.twitter.com/JJAfuzfaUk

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 19, 2021

It also helps that Tampa Bay is 5-1 ATS during Brady’s tenure and are fresh off a blowout victory, while the Rams had to scratch and claw to get past Indy. Expect this line to move in the Bucs’ favor, and we could see them favored by kickoff.