The Buffalo Bills are heading into Monday night looking to bounce back from one of the wildest games of the season, a 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 8, 2024, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
That game had everything, including a jaw-dropping performance from Josh Allen. Even in defeat, Allen became the first NFL player to score three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in a single game. It was a reminder of just how explosive Buffalo can be when Allen is in full flight, and also how thin the margin was against the Rams.
This time around, the Bills are coming in at 5-1. The Rams are 3-2 and sit two games behind San Francisco in the rough-and-tumble NFC West. Buffalo is also coming off Sunday’s home loss to the Patriots, a result that could shrink the Bills’ lead to just one game in the AFC East.
For Los Angeles, the matchup arrives with a 25-24 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles still fresh in the picture. Buffalo, meanwhile, is trying to steady itself after the Patriots setback and avoid letting one loss snowball.
The game is set for 8:15 p.m. Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Weather should not be much of a factor. The forecast calls for 66 degrees and mostly sunny conditions, with only a 3% chance of rain and winds from the west-southwest at 5 mph. The field has a covered playing surface.
For those tracking the matchup beyond the scoreboard, there are a few threads to watch on Buffalo’s side. Josh Allen and the offense remain the obvious headline, but the Bills-Rams meeting also carries questions about why receiver Palmer and defensive tackle Ed Oliver were in the mix, plus numbers that frame the game from the Bills’ perspective.
The Bills-Rams clash is one of the more intriguing games on the slate, with Buffalo trying to erase the sting of that earlier shootout in Los Angeles and the Rams looking to build on their recent comeback against Philadelphia.
In Other News...
Bills O-Line Suddenly Has A Josh Allen Problem Fans Will Watch
The Bills offensive line had an uneasy moment late in the Week 5 matchup against the Rams when starting right tackle Spencer Brown left the game with an injury and headed to the sideline for evaluation. It was the kind of development that immediately changes the feel of a night for Buffalo, because Brown has been a key piece protecting Josh Allen on the edge.
Reserve tackle Tylan Grable stepped in at right tackle, but the bigger issue is what comes next if Browns status lingers. Buffalo had not yet given a definitive update, leaving his availability up in the air and putting extra attention on a spot the Bills would prefer not to have unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Hailee Steinfeld Gave Bills Fans A Rare Josh Allen Moment
Hailee Steinfeld offered Bills fans a rare off-field glimpse into Josh Allens world Monday night during Buffalos game against the Rams. ESPN caught Steinfeld in the suite reacting to Allens late push, and the moment stood out because it may have been the first time she had ever been visibly shown during a Bills broadcast.
The appearance added a personal layer to a game that already had plenty of drama for Buffalo, especially with Allen leading a final drive in front of a national audience. Steinfeld and Allen welcomed their first child earlier this year, so the scene served as a reminder that the Bills quarterbacks biggest moments now come with a little more family spotlight attached. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Are Suddenly Watching One Postgame Incident Very Closely
Monday nights finish in Buffalo carried the usual late-game edge, but the conversation afterward quickly shifted away from the overtime result and toward what happened between the teams once the horn sounded. Bradley Chubb called the exchange emotional and said he was ready to move on to the next game, but the incident has lingered because it came after the action had ended, turning a postgame moment into the kind of issue that can follow a team through the rest of the week.
Alaric Jacksons role in the altercation has put the NFL in position to review the matter, and the league is expected to address it soon. For Bills fans, it is the sort of aftermath that can feel bigger than the box score, especially when a physical game spills into a scene that may bring discipline and more attention than anyone expected once play was over. [Read more 🡒]