Chris Boline
With the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all set to face off on Sunday in the Divisional Round, more and more people are starting to think that an upset could be on the way. With the way Matthew Stafford and Co. played against Arizona, LA Rams betting odds keep climbing for Cali sports fans out there. And while California sports betting is still in limbo, that doesn’t mean you can’t wager.
According to reports across the country, specifically where sports betting has been made legal, more and more bets are coming on for the Rams to win this one. Yes, Tampa Bay is led by Tom Brady and the Bucs themselves impressed going up against the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round, the confidence for the LA Rams is through the roof. They really do match up well with Tampa Bay as well.
In order for that to happen, though, both the offense and defense will need to execute at a high level. Per the oddsmakers, the Rams have been given +124 NFL postseason odds against the Bucs. Meanwhile in the grand scheme of things, they hold +700 NFL Super Bowl odds moving forward. With an upset over Tampa Bay, they’d see things surely skyrocket for them there. LA is feeling good heading into this one too.
“I think it’s tremendous respect, but not fear,” McVay said of Tom Brady. “And so, as a competitor, he is a great, phenomenal player. We have tremendous respect for him, but we’re going to have the expectation and anticipation that we’re preparing to try to go win this game. And so, we know what a great challenge it’s going to be. We’ve got to have a great week of work, and then go play to the best of our ability.”
Our story isn't written yet. pic.twitter.com/lpRXM58QjG
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 14, 2022
Rams upset would completely flip the NFL postseason upside down
It goes without saying, but a Rams upset would completely flip the NFL postseason upside down the rest of the way. The Bucs are expected to get back to the Super Bowl, though teams like the Packers and Rams are ready to try and prevent that from happening. With the Packers, they’ll host the 49ers this weekend in the other NFC Divisional Round game, with Green Bay expected to cruise to a victory.
With everyone expecting the Packers to advance, will it be the Rams or the Bucs that move on to face them at Lambeau Field. From our chair, we really think that Los Angeles has a fantastic chance to take down Tampa Bay. For the Bucs, injuries have really hurt them this season, including on the offensive line. With the Rams featuring pass-rushers Von Miller and Aaron Donald, they could make Brady’s life tough.
Imagine if they’re able to provide plenty of pressure on Brady and record some big-time sacks. That would surely frustrate Brady and it’d have a negative impact on the Tampa Bay offense as a whole. Meanwhile for the Rams, Stafford needs to play to his potential in this one. He got the monkey off his back against the Cardinals, recording the first postseason win of his career. That was big for Stafford.
He was brought to Los Angeles to try and get this team to the Super Bowl. He’d take a massive step here if he can power the Rams over Tampa Bay. Again, the Bucs are the favorites and it of course wouldn’t be a surprise if they win this one and move on to the NFC Championship Game. However, don’t be shocked if Stafford and the Rams get the job done here. They have what it takes to stun plenty of people out there.
Congrats to Matthew Stafford on winning his first career playoff game 👏 pic.twitter.com/vjDC6udxjL
— Barstool Detroit (@BSMotorCity) January 18, 2022
What’s the latest with California sports betting?
We of course can’t bring up the NFL and the Rams without asking what’s the latest with California sports betting? As things stand, the hope is that things can get on the next ballot for folks to be able to vote on things. With that said, the local card rooms are trying to do everything they can to prevent that from happening. There are lawsuits going down and even more are expected to be in the works.
As we’ve said multiple times, the fact that sports betting still hasn’t been made legal in California is a total shock. With New York passing things and going live earlier this month, it’s now putting extra pressure on California and Florida to pass bills here too. We’ve seen a tremendous amount of success in New York, as they recorded $150 million in bets during their opening weekend. That really was great to see.
For California, they know they could potentially have that same kind of a result if they’re able to allow their citizens to place legal sports bets. For now, it’s a wait and see for everyone. The hope is that they can vote in favor of things come next fall, but everything is up in the air. The longer people wait, the more concerned they’ll be. We should find out which initiatives will be able to be voted on here soon enough.
