TODAY

TAMPA BAY st ST. LOUIS * Story line: Go ahead, try and make a case for the Buccaneers to win. They were beaten, 45-0, by the Raiders. The Rams are 9-0 in the Trans World Dome. The Buccaneers ran for 44 yards against the Redskins, who have one of the worst defenses in the league. Tampa Bay’s best defensive player, Warren Sapp, has been bothered by a sore hamstring. The Buccaneers are starting rookie Shaun King at quarterback. The Rams do the “bob and weave� when they score. The Buccaneers seldom score. Kurt Warner was the NFL’s most valuable player and Marshall Faulk was the league’s most valuable offensive player. Kevin Carter led the league in sacks. They all play for the Rams. The Rams averaged 33 points a game, the Buccaneers 17. The Rams have scored no fewer than 31 points in each of their last eight home games.

* Key offensive stat: The Rams scored 74 more points than opponents in the opening quarter during the regular season, allowing them to dictate the terms of surrender.

* Key defensive stat: Tampa Bay limited Washington, which had the No. 2 offense in the league, to no offensive touchdowns and 157 yards a week ago. Tampa Bay’s defense is so good that its offense scored 17 or fewer points in seven of the team’s 12 wins.

* Potential star of the game: The Rams’ defense. If the Buccaneers can’t score, it really negates the tug-of-war between the Rams’ potent offense and the Buccaneers’ stingy defense. No one expects Tampa Bay to shut out St. Louis. But the Rams’ defense, ranked sixth in the league, can shut out Tampa Bay if it can force King to throw in a desperate effort to win.

* But keep an eye on: Warrick Dunn. He has run for less than four yards a carry, scored only two touchdowns during the season and has been limping as of late. But the game is on artificial turf, and he has the ability to break long runs and startle the Rams, while setting up Mike Alstott for his plodding charges into the line.

* History says: Watch out. A year ago the Vikings were as impressive as the Rams and matched against a pushover in Atlanta, and the Falcons caught a break when Gary Anderson missed a field-goal attempt that would have sealed a victory for Minnesota. Tampa Bay needs every break, a stirring performance by King, a bust-out game by Dunn and a Ram team overcome by nerves.

* Injury update: The Rams tried out three kickers this week and were prepared to turn over Jeff Wilkins’ duties to Nick Lowery. But Wilkins kicked effectively late in the week, although he maintains that he feels pain on every kick. The Rams obviously figure the game won’t be close enough to concern themselves with field goals.

* The line: St. Louis by 14 1/2.

* And the winner is: The Rams are cocky and the football world has been swayed by the overpowering performance against Minnesota, which had no pass defense. The Rams appear ripe for an upset. If the Buccaneers had any kind of offense, any kind of running game, any more speed at the safety position down the middle of the field . . . but they don’t.

THE LOGS

ST. LOUIS (13-3, 1-0)

Rams Opponent

27 Baltimore 10

35 Atlanta 7

38 At Cincinnati 10

42 San Francisco 20

41 At Atlanta 13

34 Cleveland 3

21 At Tennessee 24

27 At Detroit 31

35 Carolina 10

23 At San Francisco 7

43 New Orleans 12

34 At Carolina 21

30 At New Orleans 14

31 N.Y. Giants 10

34 Chicago 12

31 At Philadelphia 38

49 Minnesota 37

TAMPA BAY (11-5, 1-0)

Buccaneers Opponent

13 N.Y. Giants 17

19 At Philadelphia 5

13 Denver 10

14 At Minnesota 21

23 At Green Bay 26

6 Chicago 3

3 At Detroit 20

31 At New Orleans 16

17 Kansas City 10

19 Atlanta 10

16 At Seattle 3

24 Minnesota 17

23 Detroit 16

0 At Oakland 45

29 Green Bay 10

20 At Chicago 6

14 Washington 13