Buccaneers vs. Rams 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online

As the 2015 NFL season draws to a close, the fate of the St. Louis Rams remains unsettled. And Thursday night's tilt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be the final NFL game played in the city of St. Louis for the foreseeable future.

However, a return to Los Angeles is no fait accompli. Other teams, such as the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders, have expressed interest in moving to the City of Angels. Given the competitive nature of the situation, as well as St. Louis' interest in keeping the NFL in town, the Rams may not ultimately move at all.

If Thursday's game does indeed close out the Rams' stay in St. Louis, at least the local fans can enjoy an interesting matchup. After a slow first two months, the Buccaneers have quietly rebounded and reinserted themselves into the NFC playoff race. Jameis Winston, the 2015 No. 1 overall draft pick, has caught fire, tossing eight touchdowns and just two interceptions over his last four games. As a direct result, Tampa Bay notched two important conference wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons during that span.

The Bucs have also improved defensively of late. Over their first eight games, they allowed an average of 28.9 points per contest. Since then, the team has given up just 18.2 a game. The usual suspects have each contributed to the improvement. Linebacker Lavonte David remains a playmaker at the second level, leading the team in tackles with 118. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has put in another solid year, leading the team with seven sacks. The biggest addition to the unit has been rookie linebacker Kwon Alexander, who ranks second on the team in tackles and interceptions despite missing time with a suspension.

Meanwhile, the Rams finally came out of their shell last weekend against the Detroit Lions. Though the offense failed to cross the 20-point threshold for the sixth consecutive game, the defense finally make some key stops and even put points on the board courtesy of a Trumaine Johnson pick-six. If the defense is back to its first-half form, St. Louis has the opportunity to knock Tampa Bay out of the playoffs.

Still, defense cannot win the game alone for the Rams. Quarterbacks Case Keenum and Nick Foles have struggled to put points on the board, and rookie running back sensation Todd Gurley can only do so much on his own. Last week, Gurley rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns. However, outside of that performance, opposing defenses have kept him in check for most of the past month. Without better quarterback play, he might have trouble putting up yards on the ground, especially against a Bucs defense that ranks eighth in the league against the run.

Commentators: Ian Eagle, Trent Green, Evan Washburn