Rams win in what might be last game in St. Louis

Tavon Austin scored twice and Todd Gurley topped 1,000 yards rushing as the Rams beat Tampa Bay, 31-23, Thursday night in what could be the franchise’s final game in St. Louis.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher also spoke highly of the atmosphere after initially wondering if fans would show up for the game.

A fan holds up a sign in the stands during the first quarter of an NFL football game between the St. Louis Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, in St. Louis.

The Rams rolled in what might have been their final home game before a possible move to Los Angeles. The second-year pro teamed with Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford to spearhead a rushing attack that gained 174 yards and kept Jameis Winston off the field for long stretches. 

Running back Todd Gurley’s three-yard touchdown run in the first half saw him reach the 1,000-yard mark for the season, making him the Rams’ first rookie to reach the milestone since Jerome Bettis in 1993.

“It was one of those days”, Winston said.

Still, we’re sure he’ll know better next time. First, St. Louis’ offense had another great week, as last week they had another successful week as well.

The team announced 51,295 tickets had been distributed for the 66,000-capacity dome.

Running back Benny Cunningham added a 102-yard kickoff return to the Tampa Bay three to set up a 19-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein in the fourth quarter. St. Louis had just one touchdown pass in the previous six games – an NFL-low eight all season – and Case Keenum had two in the first quarter against the Bucs.

The halftime deficit was the Buccaneers largest since they were down 35-7 against the Titans in their opening 42-14 loss.

Tampa Bay’s night was full of miscues and penalties, nine for 56 yards, rendering their statistical dominance irrelevant.

“It’s very important how we finish,” Smith said. I have zero idea how much of this has to do with the physics of being enclosed in a dome, but this inconsequential Thursday night teams between non-playoff contenders, with tens of thousands of empty seats, felt about as loud as most games at Lambeau.

-WR Donteea Dye dropped a potential touchdown pass in the third quarter that could have pulled Tampa Bay within 21-9 and then almost made a colossal blunder in the fourth quarter, throwing the ball in the air before the play was over after thinking he was down at the 4. He threw for two TDs, including a 43-yard Hail Mary toss to Austin Seferian-Jenkins with one second remaining. Ever since the Rams fired past offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti a couple of weeks ago, St. Louis has played better on the offensive side of the ball.

“Even through the worst years, we have stayed loyal, ” McDonough said.

Austin capped off the Rams’ first series with a 17-yard touchdown reception after taking a quick screen from Keenum and picking up some key blocks downfield.