FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/14/15 http://twitter.com/nfl345 THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREVIEW: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT ST. LOUIS RAMS Week 15 begins on Thursday night on NFL Network (8:25 PM ET) with the ST. LOUIS RAMS (5-8) hosting the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-7) at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis.. A look at the previous 10 matchups between the clubs, including the postseason, six of which have been decided by one score: DATE WINNING TEAM OPPONENT FINAL SCORE January 23, 2000^ St. Louis* Tampa Bay 11-6 December 18, 2000 Tampa Bay* St. Louis 38-35 November 26, 2001 Tampa Bay St. Louis* 24-17 September 23, 2002 Tampa Bay* St. Louis 26-14 October 18, 2004 St. Louis* Tampa Bay 28-21 September 23, 2007 Tampa Bay* St. Louis 24-3 October 24, 2010 Tampa Bay* St. Louis 18-17 December 23, 2012 St. Louis Tampa Bay* 28-13 December 22, 2013 St. Louis* Tampa Bay 23-13 September 14, 2014 St. Louis Tampa Bay* 19-17 *Home team ^NFC Championship Game St. Louis aims for its second consecutive win following a 21-14 victory over Detroit. Rams rookie running back TODD GURLEY (Round 1, No. 10 overall) rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. It was Gurley’s fifth game this season with at least 125 rushing yards, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON (seven in 1983) for the most such games by a rookie in NFL history. Gurley ranks fourth in the league and first amongst rookies with 975 rushing yards. He has also rushed for eight touchdowns in his past eight games. On defense, cornerback TRUMAINE JOHNSON had a 58-yard interception-return touchdown in the second quarter against the Lions. Defensive tackles AARON DONALD (three) and MICHAEL BROCKERS (one) combined for all four of the Rams sacks. “It was a total team effort,” says Brockers. “You saw performances from special teams, defense, and the offense today. It just shows how well we prepared we were and we put it all together.” Donald is second in the NFC with 11 sacks and has led a defensive unit that has recorded 36 sacks this season, the second most in the NFC. Since entering the league in 2014, Donald leads all defensive tackles with 20 sacks. The defensive tackles with the most sacks since 2014: PLAYER TEAM SACKS Aaron Donald St. Louis 20 Gerald McCoy Tampa Bay 15.5 Kawann Short Carolina 12.5 Ndamukong Suh Detroit, Miami 12.5 Marcell Dareus Buffalo 12 Tampa Bay aims to rebound following a 24-17 loss to New Orleans. “When you lose, you want to play and get back on the field as soon as possible,” says Buccaneers head coach LOVIE SMITH. “We get our wish with the Thursday night game. The Saints are behind us with the Rams up next.” Tampa Bay rookie quarterback JAMEIS WINSTON passed for 182 yards and a touchdown against the Saints. Winston now has 3,059 passing yards this season, the most by a rookie in franchise history. Buccaneers running back DOUG MARTIN added 86 scrimmage yards (81 rushing, five receiving) and a touchdown against New Orleans. “The good news is we have a game on Thursday,” says Winston. “We have a quick turnaround. We are absolutely still in the playoff race. That’s how my mind works. I am going to make sure our guys know that as well.” Entering Thursday’s game, Martin has scored six total touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving) in his past 10 games. He has also recorded at least 75 scrimmage yards in 10 of his 13 games this season. Martin (1,214 rushing, 199 receiving) currently ranks third in the NFC with 1,413 scrimmage yards. The NFC players with the most scrimmage yards this season: PLAYER TEAM SCRIMMAGE YARDS SCRIMMAGE YARDS PER GAME TOTAL TDS Adrian Peterson Minnesota 1,457 112.1 9 Julio Jones Atlanta 1,426 109.7 6 Doug Martin Tampa Bay 1,413 108.7 6 WEEK 15 - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-7) AT ST. LOUIS RAMS (5-8) SERIES BUCCANEERS RAMS THURS. RECORD 2-4 6-8 SERIES LEADER 12-8 STREAKS 4 of past 6 COACHES VS. OPP. Lovie Smith: 4-1 Jeff Fisher: 7-1 LAST WEEK L 24-17 vs. Saints W 21-14 vs. Lions LAST GAME 9/14/14: Rams 19 at Buccaneers 17. St. Louis K Greg Zuerlein kicks game-winning 38-yard FG with 38 seconds remaining. Rams RB Zac Stacy rushes for 71 yards & TD. LAST GAME AT SITE 12/22/13: Rams 23, Buccaneers 13. St. Louis RB Stacy rushes for 104 yards & TD. Rams DE Robert Quinn records six tackles and three sacks. REFEREE Jerome Boger BROADCAST NFLN (7:25 PM CT): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson (field reporter). Westwood One: Bob Wischusen, Tony Boselli. SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 83 (TB), 93 (StL). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (TB), 226 (StL). STATS PASSING Winston (R): 239-409-3059-18-11-85.4 Keenum: 26-48-260-1-1-68.1 RUSHING Martin: 238-1214-5.1-5 Gurley (R): 189-975-5.2-8 RECEIVING Evans: 57-889-15.6-3 Austin: 41-386-9.4-4 OFFENSE 363.8 297.9 TAKE/GIVE +1 -1 DEFENSE 341.1 354.3 SACKS McCoy: 7 Donald: 11 INTs David: 3 Johnson: 5 PUNTING Schum: 42.4 Hekker: 48.5 KICKING Barth: 76 (19/20 PAT; 19/23 FG) Zuerlein: 64 (19/20 PAT; 15/23 FG) NOTES BUCCANEERS: Rookie QB JAMEIS WINSTON reached 3,000 pass yards (3,059), most by rookie in team history…RB DOUG MARTIN has 1,215 scrimmage yards (121.5 per game) & 6 TDs in past 10. Had 119 scrimmage yards in last meeting. RB-PR-KR BOBBY RAINEY rushed for 144 yards in last year’s meeting…WR MIKE EVANS has 889 rec. yards & needs 111 for 2nd consecutive 1,000-yard season. WR VINCENT JACKSON had 5 catches for 98 yards in last game at StL. Rookie WR ADAM HUMPHRIES had 1st career TD catch last week…LB LAVONTE DAVID has 3 INTs (1 TD) in past 4. Since 2013, is only NFL player with 400+ tackles (406), 10+ sacks (10) & 5+ INTs (8). Leads team with 118 tackles. DT GERALD MC COY has 2.5 sacks in past 3. Had sack in last game at StL. DE WILLIAM GHOLSTON had sack in last meeting…RAMS: QB CASE KEENUM has won 3 of his past 4 starts…RB TODD GURLEY leads NFL rookies with 975 rush yards & 8 rush TDs. Has rushed for 8 TDs in past 8. Rushed for 140 yards & 2 TDs last week. Has 5 games with 125+ rush yards…WR-PR TAVON AUSTIN has 17 career TDs (8 rec., 6 rush, 3 PR)…Are 2nd in NFC with 36 sacks led by DT AARON DONALD (11) & DE ROBERT QUINN (5). Donald leads NFL DTs with 11 sacks & has 13.5 sacks in past 12 at home, incl. 3 last week. Quinn had 3 sacks in last meeting at home. CB TRUMAINE JOHNSON had 58-yard INT-TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with INT & has INT in 3 of past 4. Since 2009, LB JAMES LAURINAITIS is 1 of 2 in NFL with 15+ sacks (16.5) & 10+ INTs (10). S MARK BARRON was drafted in 1st round (No. 7) by TB in 2012. .