LOS ANGELES _ This wasn't a late-season matchup against a playoff contender. Or a road game against an NFC power.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not made the playoffs since the 2007 season. They came to the Coliseum on Sunday with a 1-2 record. But the Los Angeles Rams spotted the Buccaneers 21 points and could not recover in a 55-40 loss before 68,117.
Rams quarterback Jared Goff had three passes intercepted and also had a fumble returned for a touchdown as the Rams suffered their first loss of the season with a Thursday night game at the Seattle Seahawks coming up next.
Todd Gurley rushed for two touchdowns and cornerback Marcus Peters returned an interception for a touchdown but it wasn't enough save the Rams.
Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston had an outstanding performance, passing for 385 yards and four touchdowns, two to receiver Chris Godwin, one to tight end Cameron Brate and another to receiver Mike Evans.
And edge rusher Shaquil Barrett intercepted a pass, caused another and also had a sack that forced a fumble and led to the clinching touchdown.
Winston, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft, completed 28 of 41 passes and beat the Rams with short, intermediate and long completions. Godwin caught 12 passes for 172 yards.
The Rams' loss was reminiscent of a 27-20 loss to the Washington Redskins in Week 2 of 2017, McVay's only other early-season defeat at the Coliseum.
Goff completed 45 of 68 passes for a career-best 517 yards and two touchdowns. But his four turnovers doomed the Rams.
Robert Woods caught 13 passes for 164 yards, and Cooper Kupp had nine receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. Todd Gurley rushed for 16 yards and two touchdowns in five carries. He caught seven passes for 54 yards.
The Rams trailed 28-17 at halftime, but cut the deficit to eight points with Greg Zuerlein's 44-yard field goal early in the third quarter. The Buccaneers, however, pushed the margin back to 11 points on Matt Gay's 58-yard field goal.
The Buccaneers' defense then came up big. On fourth and two at the Buccaneers' 40-yard line, McVay opted to go for it. But Barrett intercepted Goff's pass, quelling the Rams' threat.
Winston followed that with a touchdown pass to tight end Cameron Brate for a 38-20 lead early in the fourth quarter.
But the Rams answered with Gurley's second touchdown run, pulling the Rams to within 38-27.
Winston appeared to seal the victory with a 67-yard strike to Mike Evans for a 45-27 lead, but Goff again brought the Rams to within 11 points with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Kupp with 9:12 left.
Peters put the Rams within striking distance with a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown, but Gay's field goal increased the lead to 48-40.
The Rams had one more chance to possibly tie the score with a touchdown and two-point conversion, but Barrett sacked Goff and forced a fumble that Ndamukong Suh picked up and returned 37 yards for a touchdown.
In the first half, the Buccaneers intercepted two passes, Rams veteran linemen committed numerous penalties and Gurley was largely a nonfactor as the Rams fell behind 21-0 before pulling to within 28-17 by halftime.
Winston was sharp from the outset, starting the game with a completion to receiver Godwin and leading the Buccaneers on a drive that culminated with Peyton Barber's short touchdown run.
The Rams' offense appeared to start clicking late in the first quarter, but the momentum ended when Barrett hit Goff as he was throwing a pass. Safety Jordan Whitehead intercepted the pass, and a personal foul penalty against Rams receiver Robert Woods gave the Buccaneers the ball at midfield.
Winston's 30-yard strike to Godwin set up a short touchdown pass to the same receiver for a 14-0 lead.
Three plays later, Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David intercepted Goff's pass and returned it 26 yards to the nine-yard line. Winston then fired a touchdown pass to Godwin for a 21-0 lead.
That seemed to wake up the Rams.
Tight end Gerald Everett caught three passes during the ensuing drive, setting up Gurley's 13-yard touchdown run.
The Rams got the ball back, and Woods' 37-yard reception helped set up Goff's short touchdown pass to Everett, pulling the Rams to within 21-14.
But Winston answered with another march, helped in part by a roughing the passer penalty against Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers. Ronald Jones' five-yard touchdown run increased the Buccaneers' lead to 28-14. The Rams cut the deficit to 11 points with Zuerlein's 58-yard field goal with two seconds left in the second quarter.
