Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes, Cobie Durant returned an interception for a score and the Los Angeles Rams moved alone atop the NFC with a 34-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night at Inglewood, Calif.
Davante Adams had two TD receptions, Colby Parkinson added another and Puka Nacua had seven receptions for 97 yards as the Rams (9-2) earned their sixth consecutive victory.
Stafford completed 25 of 35 passes for 273 yards and now has 25 TD passes with no interceptions over his past eight games. Kobie Turner and Jared Verse each had two sacks for Los Angeles.
The Rams led 21-0 less than five minutes into the second quarter after just two possessions and were in control at halftime with a 31-7 lead.
Baker Mayfield completed 9 of 19 passes for 41 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Buccaneers (6-5) before departing at halftime with a left shoulder sprain, head coach Todd Bowles said after the game. Bowles said Mayfield will have an MRI on Monday to determine the injury’s severity.
Teddy Bridgewater replaced Mayfield and completed 8 of 15 passes for 62 yards in the second half.
Tampa Bay was outgained 333-193 while losing its third consecutive game. The Buccaneers dropped into a first-place tie in the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers, who play Monday night.
The Rams went 80 yards on 10 plays during their opening drive, scoring on Stafford’s 1-yard TD pass to Adams. On the Buccaneers’ ensuing drive, Durant ripped a pass out of the arms of Tampa Bay tight end Cade Otton, returning it 50 yards to the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
On its second possession, Los Angeles went 72 yards in 12 plays and scored on a 5-yard reception by Parkinson for a 21-0 lead with 10:46 remaining before halftime.
The Buccaneers cut the deficit to 21-7 on Mayfield’s 14-yard TD pass to Tez Johnson, while the Rams answered when Adams caught a 24-yard TD pass with 3:10 left before the half for a 28-7 advantage.
Los Angeles made it 31-7 on a 40-yard field goal from Harrison Mevis with 1:02 left in the second quarter. Mevis added a 52-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter for his first two field goals in three games with the Rams after replacing Joshua Karty.
–Field Level Media
