The Rams had enough offense to beat the Bills on Monday night. What they didn’t have was clean execution in the moments that decided the game.
Matthew Stafford turned in his best performance of the season, and it still ended in a 37-34 overtime loss in Buffalo. He threw for a career-high 40 completions and finished with 370-plus passing yards and three touchdowns, the fourth time in the last two seasons the Rams have lost a game with that kind of output from him.
Stafford also guided a tying drive at the end of regulation, but the Rams couldn’t cash in on what should have been a winning night for their quarterback. PFF Grade: 67.9
The ground game never really found traction. Kyren Williams averaged 3.1 yards per carry, while Blake Corum picked up five carries for 19 yards.
Even so, both backs scored and both chipped in as pass-catchers. Corum’s 34-yard grab was a career-long, and Williams helped set up the Rams for a late score in the closing seconds.
Puka Nacua was the engine in the passing attack, hauling in 17 of his 24 targets. That 17-catch total was a career high, and his 24 targets were the most for a wide receiver since Brandon Marshall in 2009.
Davante Adams added two touchdowns, giving the Rams the kind of top-end production they needed from their stars. Outside of those two, the offense was quieter, but Nacua and Adams carried their share.
Tyler Higbee also kept showing that there’s still plenty left in his game. With Terrance Ferguson unavailable, Higbee stayed dependable and finished with five catches for 83 yards.
Davis Allen contributed as well, and his 21-yard reception in overtime would have stood out more if the Rams had sealed the win with a field goal. Colby Parkinson made his presence felt as a blocker in the run game.
Up front, the Rams were solid in spots but not dominant. Stafford had a few chances to attack downfield in the first half, but Buffalo’s plan against the Rams’ play-action bootlegs worked well. Warren McClendon gave up five pressures at right tackle.
On the other side of the ball, the Rams got to Josh Allen at times, but Josaiah Stewart was the only player to finish with a sack. The bigger issue was Allen slipping out of trouble too often because the rush lanes weren’t disciplined. The defensive line also had trouble with James Cook and the Bills’ run game, and the Rams finished with five missed tackles as a team.
A lot of the damage against the run happened behind the line. Nate Landman was a major bright spot, forcing two fumbles and creating the overtime turnover.
But Allen repeatedly beat him in space, and Omar Speights was washed out too often. Buffalo made good use of the Rams’ lighter fronts.
In coverage, the Rams were better than the final score might suggest. Buffalo didn’t consistently threaten them deep.
Still, the secondary had real problems once plays broke down, especially the safeties. Quentin Lake had what was easily his roughest outing, and the group missed seven tackles overall, with Kam Curl charged with three.
Cleaner tackling from that unit might have changed the whole feel of the game.
Special teams had a mixed night right up until it mattered most. Ethan Evans delivered a strong punt, the coverage unit settled in after a 70-yard kickoff return, and Jordan Whittington had a couple of useful kickoff returns. But none of that could outweigh the missed 50-yard field goal and the blocked kick that ended up deciding the game.
Sean McVay also carried plenty of blame. His 3rd-and-5 call in overtime and the way he handled that stretch didn’t help the Rams, even though he made the correct choice to go for two and adjusted well in the second half. The blocked kick belongs on the kicking unit, but McVay’s management of the situation deserves criticism too.
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