The Los Angeles Rams are cruising, with Matthew Stafford winning five straight games while coming off an impressive win over the division rival Seattle Seahawks, resulting in Sean McVay’s squad sitting in first place in the NFC West with a record of 8-2.
Although the Rams are red hot at the moment, the competition won’t get any easier heading into Week 12. Los Angeles will have to play host to Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium in yet another battle of NFC heavyweights.
Baker Mayfield Better Watch Out for Rams Star Jared Verse
GettyBaker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The primary focus for the Rams’ defense and star linebacker Jared Verse will be containing Mayfield on Sunday, who has resurrected his career with the Buccaneers over the last few seasons, ever since leaving Los Angeles in NFL free agency.
Apparently, Verse has been wanting to face Mayfield for quite some time.
“I’ve been wanting to play Baker for a very long time,” Verse said during Thursday’s media availability . “I’ve been admiring him ever since he was in college. Looking at him like, ‘Damn, I want to go up against him.’ I finally get that opportunity. I’m excited for it.”
Even though he’s looking forward to facing the former Heisman Trophy winner, Verse knows he’ll have his hands full with Mayfield in Week 12, as he had high praise for his former Rams quarterback.
“I think it’s just the ability that he has, the mindset of a defensive player,” stated Verse. “He’s like, ‘No matter what it takes, I’m going to make a play,’ which could be detrimental at times, but for him it’s not that. It doesn’t put him in a bad spot. Other quarterbacks, they’re doing a bunch of stuff. They’re throwing picks off that, doing all sorts of crazy things. He’s really in control when he has that ball in his hand.”
Verse believes that Mayfield is the kind of quarterback who can “do it all” on the football field.
“He’s a quarterback that can do it all,” Verse said. “He can run the ball. He can escape the pocket. He’s a quarterback where he’s not one of the quarterbacks who wants to run every play. He just wants to make a play, get the ball downfield and do something that can help his team. That adds its own set of problems in itself.”
Even though Mayfield will likely make an impact in his game on Sunday in Los Angeles, something has to give, as it will be a potent offense going up against a stout defense. Either Verse will be celebrating his team’s ninth win of the season, or the Bucs star will have snapped a two-game skid while showing the league Tampa Bay is still hanging around.
Are the Rams the Best Team in the NFC?
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams and teammates celebrate with Davante Adams #17 of the Los Angeles Rams.
With only two losses on the season to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and the division rival San Francisco 49ers , the Rams have proven to be one of the league’s elite teams, with NFL MVP candidate Stafford having arguably the best season of his career.
Suppose the Rams can secure a sixth straight win on Sunday by getting the best of the visiting Bucs. In that case, Los Angeles may solidify itself as the best team in the NFC, with the Eagles potentially being the only team that might be able to challenge them once the NFL playoffs begin.
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