For 50 years, Monday Night Football has given us a reason to look forward to the start of the workweek. The iconic broadcast showcases the best the NFL has to offer. From armchair Quarterbacks to pitcher and wing deals, from Cosell to Levy, all our rowdy friends are here for Monday Night. And in Week 11 of the 2020 Season, that means the Los Angeles Rams taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Revenge on the mind?

A legitimate playoff matchup awaits us on Monday Night with a subplot of revenge perhaps? Clearly, that would be second to tying the Seahawks for the division lead in the mind of the Rams. Nevertheless, the Rams did recently lose a Super Bowl to Tom Brady and his then Patriots. Now one might argue it wasn’t so much Tom Brady that beat them as it was playing slightly better bad football. Regardless, Goff watched Brady hold the Lombardi Trophy, that might make a victory here all the sweeter.

Buccaneers Keys to Victory: Need a strong night from the D

In the last two weeks we’ve seen Tampa Bay’s offense put up 49 points, Weighted 46-3. So we’ve seen Tampa both score and not score. So their key to this game is to be defensive. Stop Goff and this high-powered Rams offense and rely on the offense looking more akin to the 46-point performance they had vs the Panthers and less like the 3 point performance vs the Saints. The defense that is 8th best in points per game (22.6) will have their work cut out for them but if they can keep Goff in check. Tom Brady can take it home.

Ram’s Keys to Victory: Pressure Brady

The Saints published the blueprint on how to pressure Brady and disrupt his rhythm. If they can do that to Brady they’ll have an easier time Monday Night. Even if Brady does get some balls downfield, Jalen Ramsey will be out there lurking. Before the bye, he held Seattle’s DK Metcalf to just 2 catches on 4 targets. Wilson was sacked 6 times in the game and picked off twice. It will be interesting to see if Ramsey is covering Mike Evan’s or Chris Godwin. But even still there’s Gronk and AB to worry about.

The Rams defense has to be a nightmare to Tom Brady and disrupt his rhythm. He has too many weapons to be allowed to comfortably live in the pocket. LA’s defense is allowing 18.7 points per game. Good enough to make them second-best. Their Secondary has 8 interceptions. They are the league’s best. The key is in their D.

Final Word

For all the take about Defense I think we are still going to see some points scored in this one. A back and forth slug fest is just what the doctor ordered on the Monday before Thanksgiving. I know WWE Survivor Series was Sunday night, but that’s exactly what we are in store for Monday Night. With all these heavyweights on one field who will survive the other?

Im inclined to take the points on the Rams here as their D is good enough to boost them to a win, and certainly good enough to keep it close. I think they come away with the upset in this one however.

FINAL: Rams 31, Bucs 21

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