NFL Game Summary - St. Louis at Tampa Bay
(Sunday, October 24th)
Final Score: Tampa Bay 18, St. Louis 17
Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Freeman hit Carnell Williams with a one-yard
touchdown pass with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, as the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers came back to shock the St. Louis Rams, 18-17, at Raymond James
Stadium.
Freeman completed 23-of-40 passes for 212 yards and the game-winning touchdown
for Tampa Bay (4-2), which recovered after suffering a 31-6 loss to New
Orleans last Sunday. The Buccaneers have won two of three since their bye
week. Williams caught eight passes for 34 yards while Connor Barth kicked four
field goals, including a 53-yarder.
Trailing 17-12 with just under five minutes to play, the Bucs began the
winning march on their own 19-yard line. Freeman quickly moved the offense
into Rams territory with a 16-yard pass to Mike Williams. Then facing a 4th-
and-3 from the 30 and 1:12 left on the clock, the quarterback found Kellen
Winslow for a nine-yard connection.
A 20-yard pass to Mike Williams on 3rd-and-10 moved the ball to the one
with 20 seconds remaining. Out of a time out, Freeman rolled right and spotted
Carnell Williams in the end zone for the score. The two-point conversion
attempt failed.
"I'm really proud of all our guys. They kept fighting," Freeman said. "It's
not always going to be pretty, but I feel with this group, the coaches, the
offensive line, our wideouts, I feel like we have a chance in every game."
Sam Bradford threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 13-of-26 efficiency for
the Rams (3-4), who have dropped five straight on the road, with their last
win coming on November 1, 2009 at Detroit.
"This one hurts a lot," Bradford said. "To be up 17-3 at one point, be up 17-6
at half, then come out at half and not be able to get anything going on
offense -- this one's tough."
Steven Jackson ran for 110 yards on 22 carries and passed Hall-of-Famer Eric
Dickerson (7,245) as the top rusher on the Rams' all-time list.
Bradford's fumble deep in the Rams' own end near the midway point of the first
quarter led to a 35-yard field goal by Barth and a 3-0 Bucs lead.
Josh Brown's 25-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter
capped a lengthy drive to tie things.
Tampa Bay failed to pick up a first down on its ensuing possession and the
Rams went 80 yards on 11 plays to take a 10-3 lead. Jackson picked up a first
down on a three-yard run to midfield and in the process passed Dickerson for
the franchise rushing record. Later in the drive, Jackson reeled off 12 more
yards to move it to the six-yard line, then three plays later, Bradford
spotted Danny Amendola in the flat for a five-yard touchdown with just
under 8 1/2 minutes remaining in the half.
A Bradford-to-Michael Hoomanawanui two-yard connection on St. Louis' next try
put the visitors ahead by 14 with a shade under three minutes to play.
After a short Tampa Bay punt, the Rams picked up a first down, but the drive
stalled and they appeared to have to settle for a Brown 32-yard field
goal. However, the Bucs were guilty of an offsides penalty that allowed St.
Louis to move the chains. Two plays later Bradford rolled out and found the
big tight end at the one before banging in for the score.
Barth's 39-yard field goal with 24 seconds left made it 17-6 heading into the
intermission. He then added his 53-yarder to finish off a 10-play, 60-yard set
early in the third quarter, then tacked on a 38-yard effort with two ticks to
play in the third for a 17-12 game.
Neither side was able to move the ball with any regularity until the
Bucs' game-winning drive.
Game Notes
Tampa Bay was without backup tight end Jerramy Stevens, who was arrested on
felony drug charges on Saturday night. The St. Petersburg Times reported
Stevens was arrested at 7 p.m. (et) and charged with felony possession of
cannabis with intent to sell, felony possession of cannabis and a misdemeanor
of possession of drug paraphernalia, citing the Hillsborough County Sheriff's
website. He posted a $4,500 bond a few hours later and was released...Despite
the loss, the Rams have a 9-8 lead in their regular-season series with Tampa
Bay, but the Buccaneers have won six of the seven last non-playoff matchups
between the teams...Tampa Bay rookie running back LeGarrette Blount rushed for
72 yards on 11 handles...Mike Williams finished with five catches for 82
yards.
10/25 02:35:57 ET

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