On a Monday night that felt more like a playoff game than a regular-season matchup, Josh Allen finally checked off one of the few boxes left on his résumé.
The Buffalo Bills outlasted the Los Angeles Rams, 37-34, in overtime in a wild, see-saw finish that featured big plays, late touchdowns and mistakes on both sides. It was the kind of game that emptied the tank for both offenses, with each team topping 400 yards and each club finding the end zone inside the final two minutes before the extra period even began.
Allen was central to everything Buffalo did. He finished 12 of 19 for 210 yards, threw one touchdown and one interception, and added 121 yards on the ground with another score. But the bigger story was the one he created in overtime: for the first time in his career, Allen walked off the field with a win in the extra session.
That had been the one stubborn line on his record. Coming into Monday, Allen was 0-7 in overtime, the worst overtime mark by a quarterback in NFL history, including playoffs, according to CBS Sports Research.
The Bills had to sweat out every inch of this one. After winning the overtime coin toss, the Rams elected to kick, since both teams now get a shot in the extra quarter.
Buffalo looked ready to strike first when Khalil Shakir ripped off a 57-yard gain to move the ball to the Rams’ 22-yard line. Then James Cook III lost the ball for the second time, and Aaron Donald came up with the recovery.
That gave the Rams a chance to end it with a field goal. Stafford and the offense got into Buffalo territory without much trouble, but Sean McVay backed off. On third-and-5 from the Bills’ 30, he called a Kyren Williams run that was stopped at the line, setting up a 48-yard Harrison Mevis attempt.
Mevis had already missed from 50 yards earlier in the night and also missed a 48-yard kick outdoors in Philadelphia last week. This time, the try was tipped by Greg Rousseau.
Buffalo took over from there and made the Rams pay. The Bills moved 35 yards in five plays, setting up Tyler Bass for a 45-yard field goal that sealed the 37-34 win, pushed Buffalo to 4-1, and gave Allen the first overtime victory of his career.
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 🡒]