Tampa, Fla. ? Maybe now its time for the St. Louis Rams to get concerned.

The defending NFC champions dropped to 0-3 Monday night, hardly resembling a team thats been to the Super Bowl two of the past three seasons, in a 26-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay defensive end Simeon Rice (97) strips the ball from St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers defense hammered the Rams high-powered offense in Tampa Bays 26-14 victory on Monday.

The Bucs vaunted defense knocked running back Marshall Faulk out of the game and intercepted Kurt Warner four times to key their third straight victory in a heated rivalry that began with the Rams 11-6 win in the 1999 NFC championship game.

Its funny how they bring the best out of us, Bucs tackle Warren Sapp said. Theyre the best. Theyre the Greatest Show on Turf.

Brad Johnson threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Rickey Dudley and Martin Gramatica kicked field goals of 39 and 47 yards to help the Bucs (2-1) build a 13-7 halftime lead.

Brian Kellys interception and 31-yard return to the St. Louis 1 set up Mike Alstotts TD plunge to put Tampa Bay up 19-7 with 10:42 to go. The Rams pulled within five points on Lamar Gordons 20-yard TD run, but couldnt score again in the last four minutes.

Linebacker Derrick Brooks put the finishing touch on the victory, returning an interception 39 yards for a TD, a score assured when Sapp flattened Warner near the goal line.

Faulk, who rushed for 9 yards on six carries, left with a neck strain early in the second quarter and did not return. He scored on a 5-yard run in the first quarter and caught two passes for 27 yards.

The Rams opened the season with losses to the Denver Broncos and New York Giants, but maintained there was no reason for alarm. Overcoming an 0-3 start will be difficult, though.

In the past five seasons, 28 teams have started 0-3. Just one, the 1998 Arizona Cardinals, have made the playoffs.

Were 0-3 thats where we are, Rams coach Mike Martz said. Weve got to dig ourselves out of a hole. Its tough. Weve got to be able to do it.

Warner finished 30-of-45 for 301 yards and no touchdowns. He was sacked five times.

Johnson was 23-of-33 for 199 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions for Tampa Bay.

Since their memorable meeting in the 1999 title game, the Rams and Bucs have faced each other three consecutive years on Monday Night Football.

Tampa Bay won 38-35 at Raymond James Stadium in 2000 and 24-17 at St. Louis last season.

The Bucs like to think no defense matches up better with the high-powered Rams, and the results support their contention.

Since the start of the 1999 season, St. Louis has been held to 20 points or less just eight times and Tampa Bay, with three, is the only opponent to do it more than once.

The Rams marched 91 yards on their first possession to take a 7-3 lead on Faulks 5-yard run. But without the seven-time 1,000-yard rusher for most of the last three quarters, St. Louis was unable to move the ball with any kind of consistency.

We have all the ingredients it takes to play these guys well, Bucs safety John Lynch said.

We have a front four that can rush the heck out of people. Weve got linebackers that can tackle in space. Weve got safeties and corners that will tackle and intimidate receivers. I think all of that plays into a good matchup for us.

Notes: Faulks touchdown moved him ahead of Hall of Famer Lenny Moore into eighth place on the all-time list with 114. … Bucs guard Kerry Jenkins left the game late in the second quarter with what the Bucs believe is a cracked bone in his left leg. … Brooks strained his left hamstring in the fourth quarter, but wasnt hampered during his game-clinching interception return.