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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- After going the first two weeks without scoring a touchdown, the Los Angeles Rams erupted for four offensive touchdowns and a defensive score in a 37-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The Rams moved to 2-1 for the first time in 2006 and set up a big game this Sunday against the division rival Arizona Cardinals.
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After the defense keyed a 9-3 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, the offense finally joined the party in Week 3.
It was a small step in the right direction for a franchise starved for positive feedback.
And it all started with an opening drive that resulted in -- of all things -- a touchdown pass from quarterback Case Keenum to beleaguered wide receiver Brian Quick.
"It was really big," Keenum said. "I wanted the ball, coming out (after the coin flip). Coach (Jeff) Fisher said he wanted the ball. We wanted to go put some points on the board. We converted on some third downs, which were really big coming out of the gate, and (Quick) ran a great route on the post and spread it out there. He went and got it. It was great. It was really good."
Said Fisher: "When you score points, which we did, you got a chance. Turnovers hurt us early, but we got the two big plays on defense, the return for touchdown and the interception by Mark (Barron). That kind of balanced things out. I thought Case made some good throws. The game was hard, but he made some really good throws. It was great to get the ball in the end zone, finally."
Keenum finished 14 of 26 for 190 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
For the winning to continue, the offense needs to build off the success of Sunday. Against Tampa Bay, the key was simply doing the basics.
"We executed," Keenum said. "We put it in the end zone. We had a couple of goal-line series where we had a lot of plays down there and the offensive line did a great job of blocking for (running back) Todd (Gurley) and Todd finished on all of those, which was really good. And then the couple of explosive plays -- guys getting up and downfield making plays for me, which was great."
--Part of being a winning team is the ability overcome adversity. On Sunday, that meant withstanding a 1-hour, 10-minute weather delay in which the Rams and Buccaneers were ordered off the field with two minutes remaining and the Rams facing a third-and-11 at their own 5-yard-line.
Los Angeles led by five points at the time.
"We were just playing spades in there," Keenum joked about the scene in the locker room. "No, we were trying to stay locked in, obviously. Trying to stay hydrated, actually eating. It was weird. I guess that's kind of (how) hockey players (are), you know the three periods. To have that crucial of a moment being paused, it was tough. It was really tough, but guys responded, did well. Defense came back out and did a heck of a job."
The Rams came back onto the field and closed out the win. For a young team trying to build a foundation, it was a positive development.
--For the second game in a row, the Rams' defense came up with the game-saving play, this time Robert Quinn chasing down Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston at the Rams 5-yard-line to save the day.
Quinn said, "I got upfield, came back and I thought he was going to take off running for the touchdown, but I saw him pull up looking to the end zone. I just gave every last bit of effort I had to try to get to him. Luckily, I had enough time and no one got open in time. I was able to get him down."
NOTES: QB Jared Goff was active and served as the second-stringer for the second week in a row. ... WR Nelson Spruce practiced all of last week after being sidelined the previous six weeks with a knee injury, but he was not cleared to play Sunday against the Buccaneers. WR Pharoh Cooper practiced last week after being sidelined the previous three weeks with a shoulder injury, but he also sat out Sunday.
