PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Buccaneers Present a Special Problem

The Rams, who have struggled with punt returns in the last two games, now have to deal with one of the league’s best coverage teams Sunday in Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers have given up a league-low 42 yards in punt returns, leading the league by 123 yards over second-place Chicago. The league average is 279.5 yards. The Rams have given up 526 yards in 38 returns.

In the last nine games, Tampa Bay punter Dan Stryzinksi has punted 40 times, forcing 25 fair catches, and had only nine punts returned against him for 12 yards. The longest return against him this season is nine yards, nearly four yards less than Ram opponents are averaging.

Has Ram punter Sean Landeta, a 10-year veteran, ever seen a team hold opponents to less than 100 return yards in a season?

“When I played for the Stars in the USFL in 1984, we allowed 73 yards in 18 games, which is probably a record,” he said.

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Starting defensive tackle Jimmie Jones (ankle) is listed as probable for the game. . . . The Rams put wide receiver Isaac Bruce (knee) on the injured reserve list and promoted tight end Rickey Brady to the 53-man roster. Brady will be inactive for Sunday’s game along with quarterback Jamie Martin, offensive tackle Ron Edwards and linebacker Henry Rolling.