Josh McCown and Shaun Hill do not make for the most inspiring quarterback battle. Nor do McCown and, say, Austin Davis, given that Hill is questionable for Sunday's game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the St. Louis Rams. Whoever winds up starting for the Rams, it's not an ideal situation to say the least.
How to watch Rams vs. Buccaneers 2014: TV schedule, radio, game time and more
Both the Rams and the Buccaneers are coming off bad Week 1 games in hopes of righting the ship.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Of course, you probably can't attribute all of St. Louis' Week 1 struggles to the absence of Sam Bradford, as the Rams were completely incapable of stopping the Minnesota Vikings, a team lacking offensive stability in its own right. Nor can you attribute all of the Buccaneers' struggles to McCown, given that the team prepared for him to start throughout the entire offseason.
Whatever the case, both teams struggled in Week 1 and both are searching for their first win. The Buccaneers came out of the opener looking better than the Rams, but anything can happen.
How to Watch
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
When: 4:05 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Announcers: Dick Stockton, Kirk Morrison
Radio: 101 ESPN Radio (Rams) | 620 AM WDAE (Buccaneers)
Online Streaming: NFL Sunday Ticket, Verizon NFL Mobile, Fox Sports GO
Odds
The Buccaneers opened as 4.5-point favorites and the gap only widened from there. Some books had the Buccaneers favored by a touchdown, according to OddsShark. The over/under for the game opened at 37.5.
Nuts and Bolts
McCown had a poor outing in Week 1. He completed 22 of his 35 passes for 183 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but also had two picks. It's not surprising that he struggled given that he was up against the Carolina Panthers, a team that fields one of the best defenses in the NFL. Unfortunately, that defense kept running back Doug Martin at bay as well, so the Buccaneers had little chance despite two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
There's really nothing about the Rams' Week 1 game to point to as a positive. They only allowed 170 yards passing, which was good for sixth in the league after one game, but the Vikings have Matt Cassel at quarterback. It's not quite as impressive in that context. The Rams, with one of the top defensive lines in the league, also allowed the Vikings to rush for 185 yards, so even the strengths are faltering. They have a lot that needs to change if they hope to be competitive in the NFC West.
Further Reading
For more on the Rams, head over to Turf Show Times. If you want more on the Buccaneers, then Bucs Nation has you covered.
See More:
