The Bills head into Monday night with a handful of problems they have to clean up fast, and the Rams are a tough team to try to figure it out against. Buffalo’s front seven has done its part so far, but the secondary is still a work in progress, and Matthew Stafford’s group is built to stress exactly that kind of weakness at SoFi Stadium.
This game will hinge on whether Buffalo can control the pieces that have been giving them trouble. The Rams bring a disciplined offense, a dangerous passing attack and a run game that will test the Bills’ improved resistance on the ground. If the Bills are going to rebound from last week’s 29-26 loss to the Patriots, they need several matchups to tilt their way.
James Cook is the starting point for Buffalo’s offense, and how the Bills use him matters. Last week, head coach Joe Brady leaned away from the run and into 11 personnel in an effort to chase explosive plays instead of sticking with Buffalo’s usual 12- and 13-personnel looks against the 28th-ranked pass defense.
That approach may not be the best answer here. The Rams defend tight ends well, and Buffalo’s best path is to keep using 12- and 13-personnel early and often.
If that gets shut down, then Brady can pivot to 11 personnel and open up the passing game to the receivers and tight ends.
Josh Allen remains the engine for the Bills’ passing attack, but he’s walking into a dangerous situation if the Rams’ top pass rusher is healthy. That kind of pressure can wreck drives in a hurry.
The Rams are also stronger in coverage than Buffalo is, which makes this a rough test for the Bills’ offense. Still, there is a matchup Buffalo can attack, especially with D.J.
Moore, despite his recurring shoulder issues, along with the rest of the Bills’ weapons. Compared with the last time these teams met at SoFi Stadium in 2024, when the Rams pulled out a 44-42 thriller, Buffalo is better equipped to challenge them.
Allen’s own matchup against the Rams secondary is another key piece of the night. He comes in as one of the league’s most productive passers, and even in a game where his running was limited last week, he still posted 253 passing yards with one touchdown and added a rushing touchdown against the Patriots.
The Bills do not need him forcing hero balls downfield. If he stays patient and moves the offense methodically, Buffalo gives itself a real shot to reverse the result from last week.
There is also a broader defensive edge the Rams hold right now. Both teams have shown they can be effective with their front sevens, but Los Angeles has been better at keeping opponents from piling up yards, allowing just 4.8 yards per play. Buffalo, though, has been sharper in the red zone, and that could matter against a Rams team that prefers to throw for the end zone rather than grind its way downfield and finish with a short-yardage score.
In a game that already feels tight on paper, the Bills’ margin for error is thin. Stafford, Kyren Williams and the Rams are built to force long-yardage situations, and Buffalo has to be ready for that from the opening whistle.
In Other News...
Bills Offense Has A Growing Problem Defenses Keep Exploiting
The Bills opened the season looking like one of the leagues most efficient offenses, but the last stretch has exposed how quickly things can tilt when defenses start finding answers. Josh Allens recent turnovers have been part of the issue, yet the dip has gone beyond one player. Buffalo has also watched Dalton Kincaid, who gave the passing game an early boost, get effectively taken out of the plan over the last two games.
Joe Brady has made it clear the fix has to come from everyone, not just the quarterback, which is where the challenge gets bigger for Buffalo. If opposing defenses are squeezing Allens options and limiting Kincaids impact at the same time, the Bills need more consistent support across the offense to get back to the level they showed in September and early October. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Faces A Growing MVP Concern Bills Fans Will Feel
Josh Allen still sits near the top of the NFL MVP race, but the margin is getting tighter as the season moves along. A mix of quieter recent performances, a knee injury and a dip in his rushing volume have all played into a shift at the sportsbooks, where his odds have shortened just enough to make the chase feel more real than it did a few weeks ago.
For Bills fans, the bigger concern is not just the award board but what it says about Allens overall rhythm and health. Interceptions have crept into the conversation, and with Brock Purdy and Trevor Lawrence gaining ground, traders and analysts are watching every snap for signs that Allen can stabilize before the race becomes a full-blown sprint. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Face A Rams Shift That Could Decide Monday Night
Matthew Staffords tape is still worth the Bills full attention heading into Monday night, because the Rams passing game has shown how much it can change when the pocket starts to close. Buffalo will also have to sort through a Los Angeles offense that has leaned on Kyren Williams as more than a runner, using him as a receiving option to keep drives moving and make the structure of the defense work a little harder.
On the other side, the Rams defense has been built around a steady dose of Cover 1 man coverage, with safety Trent McDuffie playing at a high level and Byron Young emerging as the top edge threat off the outside. For Buffalo, the matchup is less about one isolated wrinkle than the way all those pieces fit together, because the Rams have enough shifting parts to make Monday night feel like a test of patience as much as execution. [Read more 🡒]