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Buccaneers host Rams in divisional-round rematch on WPTV

Rams handed Tampa Bay first loss since winning last season's Super Bowl
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady throws at Los Angeles Rams, Sept. 26, 2021
Posted at 3:14 PM, Jan 18, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-18 15:22:26-05

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to become the first team in 17 years to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

To do so, they'll have to get past the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

Tampa Bay will host the Rams this Sunday at 3 p.m. The game can be seen on WPTV.

Star quarterback Tom Brady and the Buccaneers made history last season by becoming the first team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium. Now they'll try to become the first team to win consecutive Super Bowls since — well, Brady last did it — the New England Patriots during the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

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Both teams won big in the wild-card round. The Bucs blew out the Eagles 31-15 and led 31-0 before Philadelphia scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, while the Rams crushed the Arizona Cardinals 34-11.

The Rams have won six of their last seven games -- their only defeat a 27-24 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the regular-season finale -- and beat the Bucs 34-24 earlier this season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady loses football under pressure from Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald, Sept. 26, 2021
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady loses the football as he throws under pressure from Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) during the first half Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. Tampa Bay recovered the ball on the play.

But that was in September — handing Tampa Bay its first loss of the season — on the road at SoFi Stadium, home of Super Bowl LVI.

The Rams would like the chance to stay home for the Super Bowl, so they'll need all the help they can get from their November additions — wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and linebacker Von Miller were acquired in trades — and running back Cam Akers, who returned ahead of schedule from his Achilles tendon injury, to steal a win against the Bucs, who have won four straight and are 8-1 at Raymond James Stadium this season.