After signing Tom Brady, trading for Rob Gronkowski and adding both Leonard Fournette and Antonio Brown, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gone from pretenders to contenders in the NFC South. They’ve lived up to expectations so far with a 7-3 record, seeking their eighth win of the year when the Rams visit them on Monday night.

Ahead of this pivotal Week 11 showdown, we checked in with Bucs Wire managing editor Luke Easterling to gain some insight on the state of Tampa Bay’s offense and defense, highlighting areas where the Rams might be able to capitalize.

How has Tom Brady looked in his first season outside New England?

He’s had a couple of hiccups here and there, but Brady has been everything the Bucs were hoping for, in just about every imaginable way. The turnovers are way down, and the offense is still humming. Concerns about his fit in Bruce Arians’ offense or his ability to avoid consistent pressure have clearly been overblown. He’s the biggest reason the Bucs have already matched their win total from last season, and are deep in the NFC playoff race as December nears.

Who’s an underrated defensive player Rams fans should know about?

It’s got to be Will Gholston. When the Bucs lost Vita Vea for the season back in Week 5, many wondered how on earth they would replace arguably the best nose tackle in the league. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles wisely avoided trying to put a square peg into a round hole by asking the other defensive linemen to try to replicate what Vea did well. Instead, he’s putting his guys in position to do what they do well, and Gholston has taken advantage of the opportunity. He’s playing the best football of his career, and continues to have a big impact.

What’s an area of weakness on the Bucs’ defense?

It’s consistency and inexperience in the secondary. Tampa Bay’s top six defensive backs are all 24 years old or younger, and it shows at times. Carlton Davis III has emerged as one of the NFL’s best corners, but Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean have been hit-or-miss in their second NFL seasons. If they’re not on their game, Jared Goff will be able to avoid Davis and pick apart the younger corners.

Has the star-studded receiving corps – Gronk included – lived up to expectations?

The only thing that has kept them from doing that at times is injuries. That entire group has fought them all year long, to the point where Chris Godwin is playing through a broken finger right now that required a surgery that placed 10 pins into his finger. Mike Evans has played through hamstring and ankle injuries, Scotty Miller has dealt with hip and groin issues, and Gronkowski has played through a shoulder problem for much of the year. Even so, they’re still making a huge impact and forcing opposing defenses to pick their poison.

What’s your prediction for Monday night and why?

I’d love to think the Bucs will pull this one off, but I just can’t believe it until I see it. They’ve struggled mightily in each of their three prime-time games so far this season, and they’re coming up against a balanced team with the offensive creativity and defensive talent to create plenty of problems for them on both sides of the ball. The Bucs will have to play a near-perfect game to have a shot in this one, and overcome their prime-time struggles, and I just don’t know if they can do that against a hot Rams team coming off a huge win. Rams 34, Bucs 27.