Saturday, 4 a.m.
One team is bad. The other one is sad.
Together, they get to decide which is which.
The L.A. Rams compare disappointments with the Tampa Bay Bucs Sunday, a drag race between two stalled cars. The Rams have lost three of their last four. The Bucs have lost five of their last six. The Rams have scored fewer than 14 points four times. The Bucs haven't stopped anyone lately.
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The teams met in last year’s division playoffs -- a 30-27 Rams win -- and the Rams won the Super Bowl.
All of that is history of two teams trying to walk like they used to walk.
The Bucs seem tired, old, slow. They lack energy and imagination. But the Rams aren't much better.
One thing in Sunday's game: Can anyone cover Cooper Kupp? Just a hint, a few plays may be aimed in his direction, not that the Bucs might notice. (They didn't in last year's meeting).)
Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford has a lower quarterback rating than Tom Brady. The Bucs' defense has been better than the Rams.
But will that make a difference? Probably not.
Prediction: Rams 24, Bucs 17.
In other NFL games:
L.A. Chargers 26, Atlanta 23.
Miami 30, Chicago 17.
Green Bay 31, Detroit 14.
New England 37, Indianapolis 24.
Baltimore 24, New Orleans 23.
And in college games:
Temple 29, USF 17.
Texas A&M 21, Florida 13.
FSU 24, Miami 23.
Alabama 27, LSU 21.
Georgia 28, Tennessee 27.