Rams 23, Buccaneers 13
ST. LOUIS -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Mike Glennon was sacked seven times and lost a key fumble as the St. Louis Rams overcame a handful of mistakes offensively to register a 23-13 win Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.
After limiting the New Orleans Saints' high-powered offense to 16 points in an upset win last week, keeping the Buccaneers' 32nd-ranked attack in check wasn't such a tough chore for the Rams.
The Rams limited Tampa Bay to 170 total yards and 13 first downs.
Rookie running back Zac Stacy rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries for the Rams (7-8). Placekicker Greg Zuerlein boomed second-half field goals of 54, 25 and 48 yards, the last coming with 3:15 left to give St. Louis a two-possession lead.
It was a rugged day for Glennon, who completed 16 of 26 passes for 158 yards. Glennon lost a fumble which led to Zuerlein's clinching field goal.
Tampa Bay (4-11) scored first when running back Bobby Rainey scooted a yard around right end with 6:31 left in the first quarter, capping an 11-play, 85-yard drive. Glennon found wide receiver Vincent Jackson for 20- and 30-yard gains to key the march.
Stacy answered with a 1-yard touchdown leap, finishing a 13-play, 80-yard drive with 13:48 remaining in the first half.
After Rainey fumbled the ball to defensive end William Hayes at the Buccaneers' 27, the Rams took the lead for good with a well-executed trick play. Rookie wide receiver Stedman Bailey raced 27 yards around left end on a double-reverse at the 12:04 mark to make it 14-7.
Kicker Rian Lindell drew Tampa Bay within a point when he connected on a 35-yard field goal to end the first half and a 32-yarder on the team's first drive of the second half.
But that was it for the Buccaneers' offense as the St. Louis front seven frequently won the scrimmage line. Defensive end Robert Quinn bagged three sacks, giving him 18 for the season and breaking a team record previously set by Kevin Carter in 1999.
Rams quarterback Kellen Clemens completed 16 of 20 passes for 158 yards, but lost a fumble at the Tampa Bay 4 that cost his team points in the second quarter. Stacy also lost a fumble at the Bucs' 47 that led to Lindell's first field goal
NOTES: St. Louis WR Tavon Austin (ankle) missed his second straight game, while RG Harvey Dahl was also declared inactive due to a knee injury. ... Tampa Bay SS Mark Barron (hamstring) and LG Carl Nicks (foot) led its list of inactives. ... Rams LT Jake Long (knee) was injured on the team's first drive and didn't return to the game.
