Buccaneers vs Rams Week 3 2021: Final Score 34

Final2021 Week 3

SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CASun, Sep 26, 2021, 4:25 PM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Los Angeles Rams, Week 3 2021

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Away

Los Angeles Rams

HomeWon

Scoring by quarter
Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Buccaneers	0	7	10	7	24
Rams	0	14	17	3	34

TB 24LAR 34 Final

Passing leader
Tom Brady
TB · QB
28.7PPR pts
41/55, 432 YDS, 1 TD, 1 RUSH TD
Top fantasy scorer
Cooper Kupp
LAR · WR
30.6PPR pts
9 REC, 96 YDS, 2 TD
Buccaneers leader
Giovani Bernard
TB · RB
20.1PPR pts
0 YDS, 9 REC, 51 REC YDS, 1 REC TD
Defensive playmaker
Kenny Young
LAR
1 SACK, 10 TKL

Rams 34, Buccaneers 24: Los Angeles beats Tampa Bay

Los Angeles led 14–7 at halftime after a 14-point second quarter and outscored Tampa Bay 20–17 after the break to win 34–24. Tampa Bay outgained the Rams 446–407, but the Rams averaged 6.5 yards per play.

The Buccaneers went 6-for-13 on third down, while the Rams finished without a giveaway.

The two teams meet again in Week 17 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

+0.2 yards/play LAR 6.5 · TB 6.3
+21% third-down rate LAR 67% · TB 46%
+0:20 time of possession LAR 30:10 · TB 29:50

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Rams Won

Los Angeles won the efficiency, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Buccaneers vs Rams
Buccaneers	Stat	Rams
6.3	Yards per play	6.5

46%	Third-down conversion	67%

29:50	Time of possession	30:10

Other team stats
446	Total yards	407

71	Plays	63

0	Turnovers	0

Scoring Summary

The Rams scored four touchdowns and two field goals; the Buccaneers scored three touchdowns and one field goal.

Scoring plays, Buccaneers vs Rams
Time	Team	Play	TB	LAR
1st quarter
No scoring
2nd quarter
12:22	LAR	Matthew Stafford → Tyler Higbee, 6-yard TD Takes leadMatt Gay XP	0	7
4:03	TB	Chris Godwin 2-yard TD run Ties gameRyan Succop XP	7	7
0:51	LAR	Matthew Stafford → Cooper Kupp, 2-yard TD Takes leadMatt Gay XP	7	14
3rd quarter
14:02	LAR	Matthew Stafford → DeSean Jackson, 75-yard TD Extends leadMatt Gay XP	7	21
9:57	TB	Tom Brady 1-yard TD runRyan Succop XP	14	21
7:23	LAR	Matthew Stafford → Cooper Kupp, 10-yard TD Extends leadMatt Gay XP	14	28
3:09	LAR	Matt Gay 48-yard FG Extends lead	14	31
1:14	TB	Ryan Succop 26-yard FG	17	31
4th quarter
8:14	LAR	Matt Gay 26-yard FG Extends lead	17	34
1:10	TB	Tom Brady → Giovani Bernard, 7-yard TDRyan Succop XP	24	34

Fantasy Points: Buccaneers vs Rams, Week 3 2021

Fantasy leaders

Cooper KuppLARWR30.6 PTSWR3
Matthew StaffordLARQB29.5 PTSQB3
Tom BradyTBQB27.7 PTSQB4
DeSean JacksonLARWR21.0 PTSWR9

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	CMP/ATT	Pass YDS	TD	INT	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	Rate	Start/Sit
Tom BradyTBQB	27.7	QB4	41/55	432	1	0	3	14	1	103.0
Matthew StaffordLARQB	29.5	QB3	27/38	343	4	0	2	-2	0	134.0	Start/Sit →

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	POS	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	TGT	REC	Rec YDS	Rec TD	Start/Sit
Cooper KuppLARWR	30.6	WR3	WR	—	—	—	12	9	96	2	Start/Sit →
DeSean JacksonLARWR	21.0	WR9	WR	—	—	—	5	3	120	1
Chris GodwinTBWR	19.6	WR13	WR	1	2	1	7	6	74	0
Giovani BernardTBRB	19.1	RB12	RB	—	—	—	10	9	51	1
Mike EvansTBWR	18.6	WR16	WR	—	—	—	10	8	106	0	Start/Sit →
Tyler HigbeeLARTE	14.0	TE9	TE	—	—	—	5	5	40	1	Start/Sit →
Sony MichelLARRB	10.9	RB27	RB	20	67	0	4	3	12	0
Rob GronkowskiTBTE	9.5	TE17	TE	—	—	—	7	4	55	0
Tyler JohnsonTBWR	9.3	WR50	WR	—	—	—	6	3	63	0
Van JeffersonLARWR	8.2	WR59	WR	—	—	—	6	4	42	0
Cameron BrateTBTE	7.5	TE22	TE	—	—	—	5	4	35	0
Robert WoodsLARWR	6.8	WR64	WR	1	5	0	6	3	33	0
Leonard FournetteTBRB	6.4	RB40	RB	4	8	0	3	3	26	0
Scotty MillerTBWR	3.1	WR96	WR	—	—	—	3	2	11	0
O.J. HowardTBTE	2.1	TE39	TE	—	—	—	1	1	11	0
Ronald JonesTBRB	1.1	RB65	RB	5	11	0	—	—	—	—
Jaelon DardenTBWR	1.0	WR116	WR	—	—	—	1	1	0	0
Jake FunkLARRB	0.6	RB72	RB	1	6	0	—	—	—	—

Fantasy Usage

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Snap Share

Chris GodwinWR70 snaps96%
Mike EvansWR61 snaps84%
Rob GronkowskiTE45 snaps62%
Tyler JohnsonWR34 snaps47%
Giovani BernardRB33 snaps45%

Target Share53 targets

Giovani Bernard19%, 10 targets
Mike Evans19%, 10 targets
Rob Gronkowski13%, 7 targets
Chris Godwin13%, 7 targets
Tyler Johnson11%, 6 targets
Other25%, 13 targets

Carry Share13 carries

Ronald Jones38%, 5 carries
Leonard Fournette31%, 4 carries
Tom Brady23%, 3 carries
Chris Godwin8%, 1 carries

Los Angeles Rams

Snap Share

Robert WoodsWR57 snaps88%
Cooper KuppWR53 snaps82%
Van JeffersonWR50 snaps77%
Tyler HigbeeTE49 snaps75%
Sony MichelRB48 snaps74%

Target Share38 targets

Cooper Kupp32%, 12 targets
Robert Woods16%, 6 targets
Van Jefferson16%, 6 targets
DeSean Jackson13%, 5 targets
Tyler Higbee13%, 5 targets
Other11%, 4 targets

Carry Share24 carries

Sony Michel83%, 20 carries
Matthew Stafford8%, 2 carries
Robert Woods4%, 1 carries
Jake Funk4%, 1 carries

View full usage tableHide full usage table

Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
Player	SNAPS	SNAP %	TGT	TGT %	CAR
Chris GodwinTBWR	70	96%	7	13%	1
Robert WoodsLARWR	57	88%	6	16%	1
Mike EvansTBWR	61	84%	10	19%	0
Cooper KuppLARWR	53	82%	12	32%	0
Van JeffersonLARWR	50	77%	6	16%	0
Tyler HigbeeLARTE	49	75%	5	13%	0
Sony MichelLARRB	48	74%	4	11%	20
Rob GronkowskiTBTE	45	62%	7	13%	0
Johnny MundtLARTE	31	48%	0	0%	0
Tyler JohnsonTBWR	34	47%	6	11%	0
Giovani BernardTBRB	33	45%	10	19%	0
Cameron BrateTBTE	33	45%	5	9%	0
Scotty MillerTBWR	32	44%	3	6%	0
Leonard FournetteTBRB	26	36%	3	6%	4
DeSean JacksonLARWR	21	32%	5	13%	0
Jake FunkLARRB	14	22%	0	0%	1
O.J. HowardTBTE	14	19%	1	2%	0
Ronald JonesTBRB	12	16%	0	0%	5
Jaelon DardenTBWR	3	4%	1	2%	0
Ben SkowronekLARWR	2	3%	0	0%	0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

PPRHalf PPRStandard

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

Biggest overperformer+12.6DeSean Jackson21.0 PTS vs 8.4 xFP
Biggest underperformer−8.7Sony Michel10.9 PTS vs 19.6 xFP
Highest expected volume26.1 xFPTom Brady28.7 PTS scored

Usage and expected fantasy points
Player	PTS	xFP	vs xFP	Snap%	Usage	Rte%	Pass att	Car	Car%	Tgt	Tgt%
Tom BradyTB · QB	28.7	26.1	+2.6	100%	55 att	—	55	3	23%	0	0%
Cooper KuppLAR · WR	30.6	20.2	+10.4	82%	32% tgt	—	0	0	0%	12	32%
Sony MichelLAR · RB	10.9	19.6	−8.7	74%	83% car	—	0	20	83%	4	11%
Matthew StaffordLAR · QB	29.5	18.0	+11.5	100%	38 att	—	38	2	8%	0	0%
Giovani BernardTB · RB	20.1	16.8	+3.3	45%	19% tgt	—	0	0	0%	10	19%
Mike EvansTB · WR	18.6	16.8	+1.8	84%	19% tgt	—	0	0	0%	10	19%
Rob GronkowskiTB · TE	9.5	13.5	−4.0	62%	15% tgt	—	0	0	0%	8	15%
Chris Godwin Jr.TB · WR	19.6	12.4	+7.2	96%	13% tgt	—	0	1	8%	7	13%
Robert WoodsLAR · WR	6.8	10.7	−3.9	88%	16% tgt	—	0	1	4%	6	16%
Tyler JohnsonTB · WR	9.3	10.1	−0.8	47%	11% tgt	—	0	0	0%	6	11%
Van JeffersonLAR · WR	8.2	10.1	−1.9	77%	16% tgt	—	0	0	0%	6	16%
Cameron BrateTB · TE	7.5	8.4	−0.9	45%	9% tgt	—	0	0	0%	5	9%
DeSean JacksonLAR · WR	21.0	8.4	+12.6	32%	13% tgt	—	0	0	0%	5	13%
Tyler HigbeeLAR · TE	15.0	8.4	+6.6	75%	13% tgt	—	0	0	0%	5	13%
Leonard FournetteTB · RB	6.4	7.6	−1.2	36%	31% car	—	0	4	31%	3	6%
Scotty MillerTB · WR	3.1	5.1	−2.0	44%	6% tgt	—	0	0	0%	3	6%
Ronald JonesTB · —	1.1	3.2	−2.1	16%	38% car	—	0	5	38%	0	0%
Jaelon DardenTB · WR	1.0	1.7	−0.7	4%	2% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	2%
O.J. HowardTB · TE	2.1	1.7	+0.4	19%	2% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	2%
Jake FunkLAR · RB	0.6	0.6	0.0	22%	4% car	—	0	1	4%	0	0%

Team totals: Buccaneers 54 targets and 13 carries; Rams 38 targets and 24 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Tom Brady

TB · QB · 28.7 pts on 26.1 expected

41 of 55 passing for 432 yards, 1 touchdown; 3 carries for 14 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 26.1 expected.

Matthew Stafford Ran hot

LAR · QB · 29.5 pts on 18.0 expected

27 of 38 passing for 343 yards, 4 touchdowns; 2 carries for -2 yards.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 18.0 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Matthew Stafford →

Giovani Bernard

TB · RB · 20.1 pts on 16.8 expected

10 targets (19% of the team's), 9 catches for 51 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 16.8 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (10).

Mike Evans

TB · WR · 18.6 pts on 16.8 expected

10 targets (19% of the team's), 8 catches for 106 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 16.8 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (10).

Start/Sit: Mike Evans →

Cooper Kupp Ran hot

LAR · WR · 30.6 pts on 20.2 expected

12 targets (32% of the team's), 9 catches for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 20.2 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Trend: Season high in targets (12).

Start/Sit: Cooper Kupp →

Sony Michel Volume, no payoff

LAR · RB · 10.9 pts on 19.6 expected

4 targets (11% of the team's), 3 catches for 12 yards; 20 carries (83% of the team's) for 67 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 19.6 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Trend: Season high in carries (20).

Chris Godwin Jr. Ran hot

TB · WR · 19.6 pts on 12.4 expected

7 targets (13% of the team's), 6 catches for 74 yards; 1 carry (8% of the team's) for 2 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 12.4 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

DeSean Jackson Ran hot

LAR · WR · 21.0 pts on 8.4 expected

5 targets (13% of the team's), 3 catches for 120 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 8.4 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stock up: Giovani Bernard led the backfield with 45% of the snaps after trailing Leonard Fournette before this game.
Stock up: Tyler Johnson played 47% of the snaps, up from a 16% season average.
Stock up: Scotty Miller played 44% of the snaps, up from a 16% season average.

Los Angeles Rams

Stock up: Sony Michel played 74% of the snaps, up from a 16% season average.
Stock up: DeSean Jackson played 32% of the snaps, up from a 16% season average.
Stock up: Jake Funk played 22% of the snaps, up from a 5% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Buccaneers defense and Rams defense
Points allowed to	Buccaneers D	Rams D
QBs	17.5	16.0
RBs	21.7	20.9
WRs	34.8	36.5
TEs	13.3	11.9

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Los Angeles opened at 47% win probability and passed 98% in the third quarter on the way to the win.

Rams win probability

Key Swings

+24Stafford → Higbee, 6-yd TD48% → 71%Q2 12:22
−26Godwin 2-yd TD run74% → 48%Q2 4:03
+27Stafford → Kupp, 2-yd TD48% → 75%Q2 0:51
+17Stafford → Jackson, 75-yd TD76% → 92%Q3 14:02
−17Brady 1-yd TD run94% → 78%Q3 9:57

Swing in Rams win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Buccaneers vs Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Measure	Los Angeles Rams
71	Plays	63
82%	Pass rate	62%
7.1	Yds / dropback	8.5
2.7	Yds / carry	3.2
6/13	Third downs	10/15

Efficiency edge Los Angeles ran 8 fewer plays but gained 1.4 more yards per dropback.

Top targets
TB Bernard 19% · Evans 19% · Gronkowski 15%
LAR Kupp 32% · Woods 16% · Jefferson 16%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Buccaneers vs Rams
Result	TB	LAR
Touchdowns	3	4
Field goals	1	2
Punts	4	3
Turnovers	0	0
Turnovers on downs	1	0
Missed field goals	1	0

The Rams opened the scoring on their third possession, a 14-play, 95-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.

All 20 possessions, drive by drive

Drive chart
Team	Start	Plays	Yards	Time	Result
TB	Q1 15:00	3	4	1:50	Punt
LAR	Q1 13:10	3	6	0:59	Punt
TB	Q1 12:11	3	9	2:07	Punt
LAR	Q1 10:04	5	11	1:37	Punt
TB	Q1 8:27	6	37	3:00	Punt
LAR	Q1 5:27	14	95	8:05	Touchdown
TB	Q2 12:22	15	76	8:19	Touchdown
LAR	Q2 4:03	10	75	3:12	Touchdown
TB	Q2 0:51	6	38	0:51	Missed FG
LAR	Q3 15:00	3	75	0:58	Touchdown
TB	Q3 14:02	9	75	4:05	Touchdown
LAR	Q3 9:57	7	75	2:34	Touchdown
TB	Q3 7:23	4	-3	2:59	Punt
LAR	Q3 4:24	4	7	1:15	Field goal
TB	Q3 3:09	8	67	1:55	Field goal
LAR	Q3 1:14	13	67	8:00	Field goal
TB	Q4 8:14	5	25	1:04	Downs
LAR	Q4 7:10	4	9	2:20	Punt
TB	Q4 4:50	14	88	3:40	Touchdown
LAR	Q4 1:10	2	-2	1:10	End of game

About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Buccaneers vs Rams Head-to-Head

The Buccaneers and Rams first met in 1977 and have played 30 times since.

All-time series: 20–10Rams lead, 30 meetings since 1977
Postseason: 3–0Rams won in 1979, 1999, and 2021
Largest Buccaneers win: 24–32007
Largest Rams win: 35–31987

Since 2021

3–1 Rams lead

4 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. R = Rams win, B = Buccaneers win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

Week 17 Rams at Buccaneers Sun, Jan 3, 2027 Upcoming

Recent Meetings

2025 Wk 12 Buccaneers at Rams, 2025 Wk 12 recap Sun, Nov 23, 2025 LAR 34 TB 7 LAR W
2022 Wk 9 Rams at Buccaneers, 2022 Wk 9 recap Sun, Nov 6, 2022 TB 16 LAR 13 TB W
2021 Divisional Round Rams at Buccaneers, 2021 Divisional Round recap Sun, Jan 23, 2022 LAR 30 TB 27 LAR W
2021 Wk 3 Buccaneers at Rams Sun, Sep 26, 2021 LAR 34 TB 24 LAR W

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Buccaneers vs Rams
Buccaneers	Stat	Rams
13-4	Record	12-5

30.1	Points per game	27.1

405.9	Yards per game	372.1

6.1	Yards per play	6.0

20.8	Points allowed per game	21.9

331.5	Yards allowed per game	344.9

Buccaneers vs Rams Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread: TB −1Buccaneers failed to cover by 11
Total: 55Over: 58 points scored (by 3)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
Team	Implied	Actual	Difference
Buccaneers	28.0	24	−4.0
Rams	27.0	34	+7.0

The Rams beat their implied total and the Buccaneers fell short of theirs; the Fantasy tab has the player lines behind it.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Against the spread: 1–2
Over/under: 3–0
ATS as favorite: 1–2
ATS on the road: 0–1

Los Angeles Rams

Against the spread: 2–1
Over/under: 3–0
ATS as favorite: 1–1
ATS as underdog: 1–0
ATS at home: 2–0

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Buccaneers vs Rams Fantasy Outlook for 2026

One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 17 in Tampa Bay. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Buccaneers vs Rams Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Buccaneers vs Rams Week 3 game?

The Los Angeles Rams beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34–24 in Week 3 of the 2021 season. The game was played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, on September 26, 2021. See the Rams' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Buccaneers vs Rams?

The final score was Rams 34, Buccaneers 24. The Rams led 14–7 at halftime, and the second half went Buccaneers 17, Rams 20.

What happened in the Buccaneers vs Rams game?

Who scored the most fantasy points in Buccaneers vs Rams?

Cooper Kupp led the game with 30.6 PPR fantasy points, the WR3 of Week 3, on 9 catches for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns. Matthew Stafford was next with 29.5 (QB3). See Cooper Kupp's 2021 game log.

Who led Buccaneers vs Rams in passing, rushing and receiving?

Tom Brady (TB) led all passers with 41 of 55 for 432 yards and a touchdown. Sony Michel (LAR) led in rushing with 20 carries for 67 yards. DeSean Jackson (LAR) led in receiving with 3 catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.

How many fantasy points did Cooper Kupp score against the Buccaneers?

Cooper Kupp scored 30.6 points in PPR leagues, 26.1 in half-PPR and 21.6 in standard scoring against the Buccaneers in Week 3 of the 2021 season, on 9 catches for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns. He drew 32% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Buccaneers vs Rams?

DeSean Jackson outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 21.0 PPR points on 8.4 xFP (+12.6). Sony Michel fell furthest short, with 10.9 points on 19.6 xFP (−8.7). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Buccaneers vs Rams?

Tom Brady had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 26.1 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 28.7. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Rams beat the Buccaneers?

The Rams beat the Buccaneers 34–24 because they averaged 6.5 yards per play to 6.3.

What is the all-time Buccaneers vs Rams record?

The Rams lead the all-time series 20–10 across 30 meetings since 1977, including a 3–0 record in the postseason.

When did the Buccaneers and Rams last play before this game?

Before Week 3 of 2021, they last met in the 2020 season on November 23, 2020, when the Rams beat the Buccaneers 27–24.

Have the Buccaneers and Rams met in the playoffs?

Yes, 3 times, most recently in the 2021 playoffs. The Buccaneers are 0–3 against the Rams in the postseason.

What was the closing spread for Buccaneers vs Rams?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Buccaneers −1, making the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-point favorites, with a closing total of 55. That implied about 28.0 points for the Buccaneers and 27.0 for the Rams.

Did Buccaneers vs Rams go over or under the total?

The game went over. The consensus closing total was 55, and the teams combined for 58 points, 3 over the number.

Who covered the spread in Buccaneers vs Rams?

The Rams covered as 1-point underdogs against the closing line of Buccaneers −1. The final margin was 10 points.