Rams safety Quentin Lake, pictured last week playing against the Philadelphia Eagles, could be a key factor in Monday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Rams safety Quentin Lake, pictured last week playing against the Philadelphia Eagles, could be a key factor in Monday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Sports reporter Adam Grosbard in Torrance on Monday, Sep. 23, 2019. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)
Sports reporter Adam Grosbard in Torrance on Monday, Sep. 23, 2019. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)
BUFFALO BILLS (3-1) at RAMS (2-2)
When: Monday, 5:15 p.m.
Where: SoFi Stadium
TV/Radio: ABC/ESPN/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 192, 193
Line: Rams by 2.5
Notable injury designations
Bills: OUT: DL Ed Oliver (knee), WR Joshua Palmer (shoulder); QUESTIONABLE: WR D.J. Moore (shoulder), CB Dee Alford (ankle), DL Landon Jackson (knee).
Rams: QUESTIONABLE: S Quentin Lake (hip).
What’s at stake? A statement win on a national stage. Both teams were the favorites to win their respective conferences entering the season. A win would say a lot about what either team is capable of once the playoffs come around this winter.
Who’s better? This is frankly pretty even. The Bills’ offense has been more consistent than the Rams’ to this point, scoring at least 24 points in every game. But on the defense, the opposite is the case with the Rams putting together more balanced performances despite dealing with injuries throughout the first four weeks of the year.
Matchup to watch: Rams DB Quentin Lake vs. Bills TE Dalton Kincaid and WR Khalil Shakir. If the Bills are down Moore in addition to Palmer, the offense will really depend on Kincaid and Shakir, their slot receiver. If Lake can limit their production in the middle of the field, it will be difficult for the Bills to get their offense going given their injuries.
Rams win if: They don’t turn the ball over once and they commit four or fewer penalties. … They can take away RB James Cook and limit him to 60 or fewer rushing yards. … They limit QB Josh Allen to 40 rushing yards or sack him three or more times.
Fantasy sleeper: TE Colby Parkinson. Back from a one-week absence due to his shoulder injury, the Rams will need to find ways to get Parkinson involved and take some attention away from Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Prediction: Bills 35, Rams 31. Beat reporter’s record: 1-1 overall; 1-1 against the spread.