Pod-TST: Rams-Bucs is the biggest NFL game of the year so far

What to know about Tampa Bay and Tom Brady

We are only approaching the third week of the season but from what we have seen so far, the LA Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the year with high expectations and have thus far played like the two best teams in the league. Just the opportunity to see Aaron Donald rushing towards Tom Brady, quite possibly the two most important players in the NFL right now, is enough to call it one of the top-five matchups on the entire league schedule.

But the Rams and Bucs also have many starters who would rank in the top-five or top-10 at their position in the league and the previous two meetings have resulted in games that are no less than fascinating, so take a moment to celebrate this opportunity to watch several of the all-time greats face off so early in the season.

Oh and then the following week, Tom Brady returns to Foxborough.

Could Brady and the Bucs get distracted with the game that every member of the NFL media and many fans had circled after the schedule release — Bucs at Patriots, Week 4 — ahead of their even more crucial matchup against an NFC rival?

That’s just one thing I discussed with J.C. Allen, a writer for the Bucs website Pewter Report on Thursday’s episode of the Turf Show Times podcast. Not only does J.C. cover the Bucs, but he also has a long history of rooting for Brady and the Patriots during all of those Super Bowl years.

Listen here or find “Turf Show Times” on any podcast app and hit subscribe.

More of what J.C. and I discussed:

What changed with Bucs between 7-5 start and 10-0 win streak?

Is this the most talented team around Tom Brady?

What makes Rob Gronkowski so good in red zone?

The two offensive lines

I try to rank the top-six young defensive backs in the Tampa secondary

Some under-the-radar players for the Bucs

Are the Bucs overlooking the Rams?

Are Tom Brady and Aaron Donald the top two players right now?

Follow J.C. on Twitter