Brian Quick scores Rams’ first touchdown of the season

Brian Quick had a rough start to the season.

The Rams receiver struggled with drops during training camp and the exhibition season, Coach Jeff Fisher twice calling out the fifth-year pro to hold on to the ball.

Quick made a huge play Sunday, catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum early in the first quarter of the Rams’ 37-32 victory at Raymond James Stadium.

It was the Rams’ first touchdown of the season and staked them to an early lead. Quick also had a nine-yard catch.

“Brian Quick, he did a great job,” receiver Kenny Britt said. “He showed up.”

Quick was a second-round pick from Appalachian State in 2012. He caught a career-best 25 passes, three for touchdowns, in 2014.

Last season, he had only 10 catches.

He has six for 84 yards this season.

Tavon Austin had a team-best five catches for 82 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown. Britt had four catches for 38 yards.

Happy homecoming

Mark Barron’s return to Raymond James Stadium for the first time since the Buccaneers traded him to the Rams for draft picks in 2014 was a successful one.

The linebacker had six tackles, three assists and an interception just before halftime that led to a Rams touchdown.

“The emotions definitely came into play,” Barron said. “I’m already a very competitive person, and on top of that, I had a little extra motivation playing against my former team.… This game was important to me. To get the victory, and the way we did it, fighting to the end, was definitely gratifying.”

Doing his part

Todd Gurley did most of the work, but running back Benny Cunningham had two of the Rams’ biggest plays.

Cunningham returned a kickoff 44 yards after faking a reverse.

“We kind of knew how they would play it if they got a little flash on the backside,” Cunningham said. “The guys did a good job of blocking.”

He also broke free for a 22-yard run, the Rams’ longest rushing play of the season.

“Any time I can take some pressure off Todd, take some pressure off the offense,” Cunningham said. “I’m always looking forward to try and make plays when I get the opportunity.”

Sims ejected

Rams defensive end Eugene Sims was ejected in the second quarter for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I got caught with retaliation and got kicked out,” he said. “It hurt the team, but they bounced back and pulled out the game for us.”

Retaliated for what?

“He did something, I reacted and the result was me being kicked out,” he said.

Sims would not say what the other player did to incite him, only that he retaliated in the same way.

“It was on the field,” he said. “I’m going to leave it at that.”

Not kicking himself

Last spring, Tampa Bay targeted Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo, making the unusual decision to trade back into the second round to draft him.

“I got a few texts after that happened,” Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein said this week. “Good for him is what I say. Any time you can get drafted that high as a kicker is great. More power to him.”

Aguayo struggled Sunday.

He missed an extra-point kick and a 41-yard field-goal attempt, rekindling the memory of a turbulent summer when he missed multiple kicks and was heckled by Buccaneers fans.

“That wasn’t my day,” he said Sunday. “I’m just excited for next week, to move on. That’s what I do, and I’ll just recuperate next week and come back and be ready for Denver.”

Zuerlein kicked a 53-yard field goal in the second quarter and is four for four this season.