Rams fall to Tampa Bay in wild second-half shootout for first loss of season

  • Todd Gurley #30 of the Los Angeles Rams scores a touchdown past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Gerald Everett #81 of the Los Angeles Rams scores a touchdown past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  • Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams walks to the sidelines after throwing a interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jordan Whitehead #31 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is tackled by Andrew Whitworth, left, and Robert Woods, both of the Los Angeles Rams, after a first-half interception at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jordan Whitehead #31 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers intercepts a pass in front of Gerald Everett #81 of the Los Angeles Rams during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Chris Godwin #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hauls in a touchdown pass in front of Nickell Robey-Coleman #23 of the Los Angeles Rams during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Clay Matthews #52, left, and Dante Fowler Jr. #56, both of the Los Angeles Rams, tackle quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Clay Matthews #52, left, and Dante Fowler Jr. #56, both of the Los Angeles Rams, tackle quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Dante Fowler Jr. #56 of the Los Angeles Rams pressures quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams has a pass blocked by William Gholston #92 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first-half of their game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Peyton Barber #25 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scores a first-half touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones scores against the Los Angeles Rams during the first of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

  • Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley scores past Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett during the first of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, middle, scores ahead of Los Angeles Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman, left, during the first of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is tackled by Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day during the first of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

  • Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Clay Matthews, top, and defensive end Dante Fowler sack Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston during the first of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Peyton Barber scores against the Los Angeles Rams during the first of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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LOS ANGELES — The quarterback was a turnover machine. The offensive line was penalty-prone. The defense saved its biggest hit for each other.

This was the Rams, on a Sunday when it might be expected to be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With Jared Goff throwing three interceptions and fumbling late in the game, the Rams lost for the first time this season in what had looked like their softest game of the first month, the Buccaneers winning 55-40 in front of 68,117 fans at the Coliseum.

The 55 points the Buccaneers scored –including 24 in a ridiculously wild fourth quarter — are a franchise record for a single game. It was 21-0 before the Rams (3-1) got going, pulling within a touchdown late in the first half.

Goff’s third interception set up Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston’s third touchdown pass to give the Bucs (2-2) an 18-point lead with 14:55 to go in the fourth quarter.

As is often the case, Cooper Kupp provided the Rams’ highlight, this time on a dancing run with a short Goff pass for a 29-yard touchdown to bring them within 45-34 with 9:12 to play.

The big play they’d been needing then put them right in the game, cornerback Marcus Peters picking off a Winston pass and returning it 32 yards for a touchdown to make it 45-40 with 8:11 on the clock.

Tampa Bay extended its lead to 48-40 on a field goal with 2:35 to play. The Rams got the ball back with 2:34 to play, needing a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie. They were within striking distance after crossing midfield, but NFL sack leader Shaquil Barrett stripped the ball from Goff’s hands, and former Rams defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh scooped it up and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown with 1:06 to play.

Earlier in the second half, the Rams escaped serious injury on a scary collision between two of their defensive backs.

On a floating, deep pass by Winston late in the third quarter, Eric Weddle looked ready to grab an interception near the goal line, but fellow safety John Johnson crashed into him. Both were briefly down on the grass, and Johnson had to be helped off the field. Both men returned.

The Rams had been asked about the possibility of a letdown all week, considering that the Buccaneers came in as 9 1/2-point underdogs, a seeming soft touch scheduled between an emotional victory in Cleveland and a Thursday night game in Seattle.

They brushed aside the questions, saying they were too veteran and focused a team to bring less than their best.

The first 30 minutes were their worst of the season.

The Rams committed their first penalty on the first action of the game, a Greg Zuerlein kickoff out of bounds. They gave up their first big pass play on the Bucs’ first snap, a 17-yard pass play into Rams territory from Winston to Chris Godwin, against Aqib Talib’s coverage.

Before the Rams had woken up, the Bucs were in the end zone on a 3-yard carry over left guard by Peyton Barber.

Surely the Rams would respond with cool efficiency. Instead their first possession produced two offensive-line penalties and a drive-ending tipped pass by Goff.

It soon got worse for Goff. The Rams got to the Tampa Bay 29, but Goff’s arm was hit as he threw a pass intended for Robert Woods, and the wobbler was intercepted by safety Jordan Whitehead.

The Bucs showed the cool efficiency. After starting from the 50, they used the Winston-to-Godwin combo to go 30 yards to the Rams’ doorstep, and a 3-yard strike between those two to make it 14-0 with 9:57 left in the second quarter.

Then, L.A. disaster. Goff made it two passes, two interceptions, throwing one right to linebacker Lavonte David while aiming for tight end Gerald Everett.

One play later, more Winston-to-Godwin, this time from nine yards, Godwin crashing through Talib and over the right pylon.

Trailing 21-0 with 8:28 to go in the half seemed to wake up the Rams.

They scored on their next possessions, a violent 13-yard run by Todd Gurley putting them on the board with 5:34 to go in the half and a Goff-to-Everett 5-yard pass pulling them within 21-14 with 2:50 seconds to go.

Momentum lasted a matter of seconds.

The Bucs immediately matched 75 yards to a 5-yard touchdown by former USC running back Ronald Jones to go up 28-14.

A 58-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein made it 28-17 at halftime.

This story will be updated.



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