Game Ball: RB Bobby Rainey filled in for injured starter Doug Martin in terrific fashion, providing much of the Bucs' offense with 144 yards on 22 carries. He ripped off 24 yards on his first run, beginning a game-opening touchdown drive, and later set up the team's second TD with a tough 10-yard run down to the one-yard line. Rainey ran decisively all evening, often making quick cuts at the line of scrimmage to dart through small seams and get to the second level of the Rams' defense.
Play of the Game: WR Austin Pettis' leaping 27-yard catch just after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter converted a third-and-nine and put St. Louis in position for Greg Zuerlein's game-winning field goal.
Turning Point: Leading by one point late in the third quarter, the Bucs got a long kickoff return from Chris Owusu to get into scoring territory. Rainey's 18-yard run on a draw play got the ball down to the Rams' 12, and two more Rainey runs – the second a six-yard gain on a similar draw play – made it third-and-seven at the nine. The Bucs tried to catch the Rams off guard with another run, also a draw to Rainey, and while there was a little room to run there ultimately wasn't enough to score or convert the third down. The Bucs tried a field goal, instead, and it was blocked. Three alternating field goal drives followed to leave the Rams on top at the end.
It Was Over When: Rookie WR Mike Evans was slow to get up after a catching a 29-yard pass at the Rams' 32-yard line with eight seconds to play. Without any remaining timeouts, the Bucs had to attempt a clock-killing spike before time ran out, which would have given rookie K Patrick Murray a chance to try a game-winning 50-yard field goal. There is no guarantee Murray would have made the kick, but he never got the chance, as Evans' shakiness caused the clock to stop due to an injured player and the officials to execute a 10-second runoff that ended the game.
