ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Following the Buffalo Bills’ defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, there has been significant scrutiny regarding their defensive play, special teams performance, and clock management. This has raised doubts about the wisdom of having deemed Buffalo Super Bowl contenders just a week prior. However, there are some positives to consider.
Buffalo’s offense, led by quarterback Josh Allen, remains a formidable force as he bolstered his NFL MVP candidacy this past Sunday. Coming off a remarkable four-touchdown game against San Francisco, Allen made history by becoming the first player in NFL history to both throw and rush for three touchdowns in the same game during the Bills’ 44-42 loss to the Rams. Despite Allen’s outstanding performance, which included throwing for 342 yards and rushing for 82, the troubling trend of the Bills not securing victories despite high scoring continues.
The defense faced challenges in handling the Rams’ explosive offensive strategy, conceding a season-high 457 yards. Notably, the Bills allowed an alarming 73.3% conversion rate on third downs, facilitating Los Angeles to convert 11 of 15 attempts—marking one of the worst performances in team history, since the 75% conversion rate allowed to Miami in 1986. Adding to the woe, this loss marked the Bills’ first defeat in 39 games when scoring at least 42 points, making them just the second team in NFL history to lose a game with that scoring output and no turnovers.
Special teams did not contribute positively either, as a blocked punt led to a touchdown for the Rams, and the Bills were unable to effectively block the Rams’ final punt due to only fielding nine players. After the match, head coach Sean McDermott grimly assessed the situation, stating, “I thought we lost two of the three phases today.” He also failed to address another missed opportunity in time management, where he opted to call a timeout rather than allowing Allen to spike the ball after a failed play, ultimately putting Buffalo in a difficult position with only two timeouts remaining.
Despite the setback, the Bills still have their season intact, but now find themselves two games behind Kansas City in the race for the AFC’s top playoff seed. The challenging travel following a high from their previous win may have impacted their performance against a competitive Rams team. As they prepare to meet the Detroit Lions, who are leading the NFC, there is still an opportunity for the Bills to rectify these mistakes and silence their skeptics. Allen acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “They’re the top dog in football right now. We have to have a good week, learn from this one, and put it behind us.”
When it comes to scoring, the Bills reached over 30 points in a record-setting seventh consecutive game, having achieved this in nine games this season. They currently stand second in the NFL for average points per game. However, concerns remain regarding their run defense, which allowed the Rams to accumulate 137 rushing yards despite a modest average of 3.3 yards per carry.
If it weren’t for Allen’s heroics, the team would have struggled to even remain competitive in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the special teams unit faced scrutiny once again; it’s the second instance in 13 months that their management of personnel has been questioned, having been penalized for having too many players on the field in a critical moment last season against Denver.
Injury updates indicate that cornerback Rasul Douglas missed the game due to a knee issue, while defensive end Casey Toohill sustained a rib injury. The Bills have historically performed well, with an impressive 80-1-1 record when scoring 38 or more points—all contributing factors as they look toward their crucial matchup against the Lions, which is their final significant test before concluding the season against New England and the New York Jets.
