The Rams arrived in 2026 with all the weight that comes with being a Super Bowl favorite, but four weeks in, the shine has worn off a little. At 2-2, Los Angeles has already flashed the kind of inconsistency that can undo a team with championship expectations, and now it heads into a Monday Night Football matchup with the Bills needing answers fast.
That urgency is real because the Rams have been all over the map. They were flat in a 27-7 loss to the 49ers in Australia, then steadied themselves with a win over the Giants in Week 2. Since then, the offense has looked stuck in the mud against the Broncos and Eagles, an awkward development for a team that watched Matthew Stafford win MVP last season.
The timing is rough, too. Buffalo is not exactly humming along, but the Bills still have Josh Allen and still sit among the AFC’s top contenders. The good news for Los Angeles is that this game sets up as a chance to get right, especially against a Bills defense that has shown plenty of cracks.
Buffalo kept Joe Brady in the building this offseason after promoting him to head coach, so the offense has stayed dangerous. The bigger change came on the other side, where Sean McDermott was fired and Jim Leonhard took over as defensive coordinator.
There have been bright spots there, most notably Greg Rousseau’s breakout. He leads the NFL in sacks through four weeks with six.
Even so, the overall picture for the Bills’ defense has been shaky. Buffalo sits in the bottom 10 in EPA per play allowed against both the run and the pass, and while the schedule has included respectable offenses like the Patriots and Lions, opponents have still had too much ease moving the ball.
That opens the door for a Rams offense that has been underwhelming by its own standards. The numbers are hovering around league average, which is a far cry from what was expected after the offseason additions and the buzz around this group.
But there are reasons to think the unit can snap out of it. Puka Nacua’s injury lingered from training camp into the regular season, and tight end Terrance Ferguson was lost to an ankle injury in Week 3.
Now that Nacua is back on the field, the Rams have the kind of top-end talent that can turn a sluggish offense loose in a hurry.
Stafford, Davante Adams and Nacua still give Los Angeles a trio that should be better than middle-of-the-pack, and there’s also more room for the run game to grow with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. If the Rams are going to make that leap Monday night, the matchup suggests they should start inside.
That’s because Buffalo will be without star defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who is dealing with a knee injury and will not play. That matters a lot against a Rams run game that leans heavily on double teams and downhill work between the tackles. With Oliver out, Los Angeles has a clear path to attack the interior early and often.
The Bills may also be down a key piece at cornerback. Christian Benford missed Week 4 with a toe injury, was limited all week, and is still up in the air for Monday night. Dee Alford, who would be one of the replacements if Benford sits, is also questionable.
If Benford can’t go, that could leave Buffalo exposed in the exact areas where the Rams like to stress a defense. Los Angeles constantly moves receivers around, creating confusion and forcing corners into difficult spots.
And in the red zone, the matchup becomes even more dangerous, because Davante Adams is the go-to target and is usually aligned outside. Puka Nacua’s movement makes him difficult to track, but Adams is the kind of weapon Buffalo would rather not have to solve without Benford.
In that case, rookie Davison Igbinosun would likely line up opposite Maxwell Hairston on the outside, and those are the kind of matchups McVay and Stafford are likely to test right away. With the Bills banged up and vulnerable in a few key spots, this looks like a chance for the Rams offense to finally find some rhythm.
In Other News...
Rams Fans Have One Clear Rooting Interest In 49ers Seahawks
With the NFC West still sorting itself out, the Rams are in the awkward middle ground of watching both the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks as the division race and wild-card picture start to take shape. Los Angeles trails both clubs in the standings, so every result around the division carries extra weight for a team trying to keep its playoff path alive.
The clearest short-term benefit for the Rams comes from Seattle, where a Week 5 loss would help loosen the wild-card traffic and improve Los Angeles standing in that hunt. A 49ers loss would matter too, though more for how it shifts the balance atop the division, which is exactly why Rams fans have a straightforward rooting guide this weekend even if the path ahead is still far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Win Looks Even Bigger As Eagles Spiral Again
The Rams win over the Eagles is starting to look better by the week, because Philadelphias early-season stumble has only deepened since then. After dropping back-to-back games, including a tight loss to the Jaguars in London, the Eagles are suddenly dealing with the kind of early-season unease that can change the conversation around a contender in a hurry.
Philadelphias offense has been especially hard to trust late in games, with the fourth quarter becoming a persistent problem and injuries only adding to the pressure. As the Eagles turn toward Week 6 against the Panthers, the focus is shifting from one bad stretch to bigger questions about how the team is being coached and whether this slide is becoming something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Take Cautious Approach With Myles Garrett Before Bills Test
The Rams should have Aaron Donald on the field for their upcoming matchup with the Bills, and his lack of a Saturday practice did not lead to an injury designation. That is the kind of reassurance Los Angeles wanted heading into a game that already carries plenty of weight, especially with Buffalo bringing Josh Allen and a physical, high-tempo attack into the building.
Myles Garrett, meanwhile, is still a more complicated case as the Rams continue to take a careful approach to his recovery from knee surgery. Sean McVay has made it clear the focus is not simply getting Garrett back on the field, but getting him back to full performance, and that distinction matters as the Rams sort through other player updates and try to prepare for the challenge Allen presents. [Read more 🡒]