The 2-0 Rams square off against Tom Brady and the 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, continuing a series of games that have traditionally been competitive and played at critical moments in a season. Ahead of the contest, theRams.com takes a look at a few of the notable Rams-Buccaneers matchups through the years.
1999 NFC Championship Game: Rams 11, Bucs 6
"The Catch" – a 30-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Rick Proehl – gave the Rams the lead for good and sent them to their second Super Bowl in franchise history.
Proehl finished the game with six catches for 100 yards for St. Louis in addition to that breakthrough moment in a defensive battle. It also happened to be his first touchdown of the season.
Week 11, 2021 season: Rams 27, Bucs 24
This thriller of a Monday Night Football contest was clinched by then-Rams rookie safety Jordan Fuller's interception with just under two minutes to play.
Fuller had two overall against Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, who finished 26 of 48 for 216 yards and two touchdowns in addition to the pair of picks. Wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods had big games for the Rams offensively in the victory – Kupp had 11 catches for 145 yards, Woods 12 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.
Then-rookie running back Cam Akers and rookie wide receiver Van Jefferson also scored their first NFL touchdowns.
Week 16, 2000 season: Bucs 38, Rams 35
The rematch of the 1999 NFC championship game also marked another tight Monday Night Football game in series history, as Tampa Bay edged St. Louis on a 1-yard run by running back Warrick Dunn with 48 seconds left.
Marshall Faulk had his third, four-touchdown game of the season – the first player in NFL history to achieve the feat – while wide receiver Torry Holt had nine catches for 165 yards and one touchdown.
1979 NFC Championship: Rams 9, Bucs 0
Of the Bucs' four NFC championship game appearances, the Rams have been their opponent twice. This was the first meeting, a shutout victory for the Rams and yet another defensive battle that they won thanks to kicker Frank Corral's three field goals.
Most notable of all, Rams defensive end and future Hall-of-Famer Jack Youngblood played through this game – and the entire 1979 playoffs – with a broken leg as the Rams reached their first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Week 14, 1992 season: Rams 31, Bucs 27
Trailing 27-3 at halftime, the Rams outscored the Bucs 28-0 in the second half to earn the comeback win.
Rams quarterback Jim Everett threw all three of his touchdown passes after halftime and finished 25 of 38 for 342 yards overall in addition to those scores. Defensive backs Darryl Henley and Todd Lyght each recorded an interception against Bucs quarterback Vinny Testaverde in the victory.
