Five Most Important Players In Rams At Buccaneers

We are down to just eight teams vying for the Lombardi Trophy. Four in the AFC. Four in the NFC. Among them, is the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the seven-time champion, Tom Brady.

Standing in the Bucs way towards another NFC Championship game appearance are the NFC West champion, Los Angeles Rams. Now, when these two teams get together, there will be no shortage of start talent. From Brady to Rob Gronkowski and Matt Stafford to Aaron Donald and Odell Cooper Kupp.

With that said, who are the MOST important players entering this divisional round matchup?

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Honorable mention: Cooper Kupp, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Antoine Winfield Jr., and Cam Akers/Sony Michel

5. Rob Gronkowski (TE – Buccaneers)

A number of players could have landed in this spot but ultimately it goes to Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski. In the prior meeting with the Rams, Gronkowski injured his ribs which ultimately cost him a large chunk of the season. However, when he has been healthy, and he has been for a few weeks, he doesn’t look all too different than the guy who dominated the league for the better part of 10 years with the Patriots. This includes his play in the passing game as well as his elite blocking ability. Something the Bucs will need both of this weekend against a stout Rams defensive front. Not only will he need to have an elite day blocking, he will have to have a big game in the passing attack. At the very least, he will need to make a few high-pressure plays much like he did when he, Brady, and the Patriots defeated Aaron Donald and the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

4. Matt Stafford (QB – Rams)

As they have acknowledged themselves, the Rams have gone all in to win a Super Bowl. Part of that process included trading Jared Goff to the Lions in a package that landed them veteran Matt Stafford. For years, Stafford has put up elite numbers but hasn’t found success with the Lions. Much of the blame for that lack of success was put on the organization and rightfully so. Now in Los Angeles, there are no more excuses to give if Stafford fails to get the job done. Stafford had a fine first season with the Rams, however, entering the playoffs, he had thrown just eight touchdowns in four games while matching that total in interceptions. He had a clean game against Arizona, however, he was asked to throw the ball just 17 times. Back in September, Stafford had perhaps his best game of the season and will likely have to match that if the Rams want to win this game.

Who will win this #DivisionalRound matchup in the NFC?#GoBucs #RamsHouse #FPC

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3. Aaron Donald (DL – Rams)

When it is all said and done, Aaron Donald will likely be considered one of the greatest defensive players of all time. He is arguable the best of the past decade and boringly great. By that, I mean, he is so consistent that his greatness becomes an afterthought. In this game, he will need to be the Rams’ best player if they have and shot to win. If Donald is their best player, it likely means the defensive line of the Rams is winning their battles against the Buccaneers offensive line which, of course, throws off the entire rhythm of the offense. Fortunately for the Bucs, they have gone to more of an uptempo which should help negate some of what Donald can do, however, that may not be enough. Rams fans hope that will not be enough.

2. Tristan Wirfs (T – Buccaneers)

The health status of second-year tackle Tristan Wirfs has all of Buc nation holding their breath. Wirfs was in a walking boot following an ankle injury he suffered during the Bucs win over the Eagles. In a draft ripe with high-end offensive line talent, the Bucs struck gold with Wirfs in the first round. He was immediately called on in his rookie season to start for what would be the eventual Super Bowl champions. He has exceeded that in his second year, earning his first of what will likely be several All-Pro nods. When it comes to this game, if he is in there, it provides a massive boost to the Bucs offense who will have to combat the likes of Aaron Donald and Von Miller. Even at less-than-100-percent, Wirfs would have a tremendous impact on this game.

1. Tom Brady (QB – Buccaneers)

This one is quite obvious. The 44-year-old Brady is not only the greatest quarterback of all time, he is still the best quarterback in the league today. Don’t let an AP vote fool you. As great as the Rams defense can be, Brady is the ultimate equalizer. Since taking over the Bucs, the team has nearly matched its franchise postseason win total from the prior 44 years. During this stretch, the Bucs have averaged over 30 points a game in each, including scoring 31 in Sunday’s wild card victory over the Eagles. Yes, the Bucs offense has talent, but Brady is the driving force and will need to be once again on Sunday.