Rams vs. Buccaneers: Breaking Down Tampa Bay's Game Plan

Second chances don't come along every day, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can rectify their opening week loss by getting aggressive with their upcoming opponent, the St. Louis Rams.

The Bucs stumbled out of the gate against the Carolina Panthers last week despite the absence of Cam Newton. Backup quarterback Derek Anderson and Carolina's stifling defense exploited a Bucs team that simply didn't look ready to start the season.

The thrashing the Bucs suffered left the team with a thinned roster. Cornerback Mike Jenkins was placed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury per the Tampa Bay Times' Matt Baker and Greg Auman. The Bucs might also be missing defensive end Michael Johnson and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins this week as well:

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Lovie Smith says Michael Johnson, Austin Seferian-Jenkins didn't practice. "If you haven't practiced two days, it's not looking good."

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 11, 2014"

Despite a ignominious start to the season, the Bucs get a vulnerable opponent this week with the St. Louis Rams. They lost their would-be franchise quarterback Sam Bradford in the preseason after he tore his ACL for the second year in a row.

The Rams suffered an even worse loss than the Bucs last week. The visiting Minnesota Vikings laid waste to the Rams, 34-6. St. Louis' defense produced no sacks or turnovers, and the offense was stifled by the lack of running game and the play of third-string quarterback Austin Davis.

Tampa's Week 2 matchup against St. Louis might be another sloppy outing for both teams. To avoid a repeat of last week, the Bucs need to shake off the new-regime jitters and execute like an actual professional football team.

No Long, No Problem

Offensively, the Bucs' biggest obstacle is themselves, but the Rams do pose a real threat on defense. Defensive end Robert Quinn is possibly the best pass-rusher in the league and will give left tackle Anthony Collins everything he can handle and more.

However the Rams will be without DE Chris Long this Sunday and several weeks beyond, per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport:

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The #Rams are expected to place DE Chris Long on IR/Designated to return following ankle surgery, source says. Out 2 months

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 10, 2014"

The Rams' defensive line is the best unit on the team. Losing Long delivers a huge blow to not only its pass rush but also St. Louis' ability to win in the trenches.

Running back Doug Martin struggled last week both as a rusher and in pass protection. Part of the problem was the inability of the Bucs offensive line to work as a unit and move Carolina's front four off the ball.

The Bucs offensive line won't become a top-five unit in a week, but every week together should improve its communication. With Long out, the Bucs have an opportunity to build some confidence by attacking the left side of the Rams line.

Long's replacement William Hayes did not play well against the Vikings, particularly against the run. Pro Football Focus graded Hayes minus-1.3 against the run and minus-3.2 overall (subscription required).

Hayes lacks the explosion and strength of Long. He is the weak link along an otherwise solid Rams defensive line.

Attack Austin Davis

The Bucs are facing their second consecutive backup quarterback. That didn't go so well for them last week when they made Derek Anderson look like a legitimate starter.

St. Louis doesn't have a set starter at quarterback for Sunday yet. Projected starter Shaun Hill hasn't practiced this week per the St. Louis Post Dispatch's Jim Thomas:

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QB Shaun Hill (thigh) doesn't practice for second day in a row. Austin Davis again gets most of the reps.

— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) September 11, 2014"

Hill is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league, while Davis' only regular-season experience came last week against Minnesota. Neither was effective against the Vikings defense, both throwing interceptions but no touchdowns.

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

With Davis likely to start, the Bucs have to exploit his inexperience by dialing up the pressure. Gerald McCoy was the only Buccaneer to sack Derek Anderson last week. With Michael Johnson banged up, Lovie Smith may need to blitz more to actually apply pressure.

Rookies typically don't handle pressure well so the Bucs could force Davis into a number of mistakes by staying in his face throughout the game. Bucs linebacker Lavonte David is a particularly good blitzer as evidenced by his seven sacks last season.

The Bucs cannot afford a repeat of last week. To get their season back on track, they need to give Austin Davis a rude introduction to starting in the NFL.