The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped their third straight against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12, 34-7. The Rams dominated all phases of the game, cruising to an early 21-0 lead. Matthew Stafford layered the football to all areas of the field and threw three touchdown passes on Sunday Night Football. Late in the first frame, Cobie Durant stripped a bobbled catch and returned it 50 yards for a pick-six. To add insult to injury, Baker Mayfield exited the game with a left shoulder injury and did not play the second half, standing on the sideline with his arm in a sling as Teddy Bridgewater took over under center.
Offensive Overview
Overall, Tampa Bay's offense totaled just 193 yards of offense, outgained by the Rams who generated 333. The Bucs did surpass the 100-yard rushing mark in the Sunday Night clash, as Sean Tucker amassed 42 yards on the ground and Rachaad White, 38. Baker Mayfield completed nine of 19 pass attempts and ran the ball four times for 19 yards in two quarters, including two key scrambles on third down for conversions. On the final play of the second quarter, Mayfield heaved a Hail Mary pass and fell to the turf subsequently gripping his left shoulder. Emeka Egbuka posted three receptions and 32 yards, adding to his rookie season totals. He currently leads all rookies with 749 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns, while ranking tied for third in receptions (48).
Mayfield was often under duress, making it a challenge to get vertical shots downfield. The Bucs operated out of a short-to-intermediate game, with quick passes in the flats to Tez Johnson and Egbuka, and darts over the middle of the field when the opportunity presented itself. Johnson scored his fifth touchdown of the 2025 campaign on a 14-yard pass from Mayfield in the second quarter, trimming the Bucs' deficit to 21-7. Bridgewater took over in the third quarter and completed eight of 15 pass attempts for 62 yards.
Defensive Outlook
Yaya Diaby posted the only sack of the night on Stafford, extending his team-high season sack total to 5.0. Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr. led the Bucs with eight tackles each and Tykee Smith notched his 12th pass defensed of the year, the sixth-most in the league this season. Stafford finished the game completing 25 of 35 attempts for 273 yards, three touchdowns and a 122.7 rating. He started the game off completing his first 12 attempts and Puka Nacua became his go-to target. Nacua racked up seven receptions for 97 yards and Davante Adams accumulated five receptions for 62 yards, including two touchdowns. Adams showcased his ability to generate leverage off his savvy release package and short-area acceleration, while Nacua showcased his yards-after-catch capability. In the second quarter, tight end Colby Parkinson caught a touchdown off Stafford's five-yard no-look strike to the back of the end zone, which provided the Rams with a 21-0 lead.
