The Los Angeles Rams (2-3) lost to the Buffalo Bills (4-1) by a final score of 37-34 in Week 5 of the NFL season in overtime. The Rams basically lost because of bad special teams play more than anything else. Yes, the Rams defense faltered later on against Allen, but they did enough. The special team let the Rams down Monday night.
This was billed as a potential offensive game, but the first half was a defensive style contest as both defenses held Matthew Stafford, Josh Allen and their respective offenses in check.
The second-half offered more scoring to go with a plethora of penalties, but more points nonetheless.
For the Rams, their offense mostly went by Stafford’s arms as he threw over 380+ yards, while the Bills struggled a bit through the air, but made up for it on the ground with over 200 rushing yards and multiple scores between the Bills combination of running backs and Allen’s legs.
It was a battle between both teams with the Rams and Bills combining for 48 points in quarters three and four before taking the game to overtime.
The Rams basically lost in overtime on a blocked field goal, and then the Bills hit a walk-off. It was perhaps the most deflating regular season loss of the year, and it was another reminder that the Rams haven’t had a consistent special teams’ unit in years.
The special teams was partly a disaster to start the game. A busted coverage on the opening kickoff allowed Ray Davis of the Bills to quickly put Buffalo in scoring position. They’d open up the scoring with a field goal a few plays later.
Then on the Rams opening drive, Harrison Mevis missed a field goal allowing the Bills to tack on another quick field goal to take a 6-0 lead.
6 points in the first quarter scored by the Bills because of faulty special teams play.
In the second quarter, the Rams took a lead with a lengthy drive capped off with Stafford finding Adams for the score.
Mevis made the extra point to take a 7-6 lead with about half of the second quarter remaining.
The Bills answered with a James Cook rushing score to take a 13-7 lead as L.A.’s defense played its sloppiest drive of the half with missed tackles as a long Ty Johnson catch and run set up the eventual Cook score.
The score stayed 13-7 after a Josh Allen interception to basically end the half. Stafford had a chance to hit Nacua for a deep shot before the end of the sec0nd quarter, but they didn’t connect.
The Rams came out in the third quarter and took a 14-13 lead after a steady drive by Stafford and a rushing score by Blake Corum. When the Rams forced a Buffalo punt midway through the third quarter, L.A. had the chance to take a more commanding lead.
Instead, the Rams punted it back to Buffalo after a three and out, and the Bills were able to score a touchdown to take a 19-14 lead when Allen found Keon Coleman for a passing score.
The Bills did miss the extra point. The Rams were able to respond with another long drive and a Stafford throwing score to Nacua. However, L.A. missed the two-point conversion and the score stayed 20-19 in favor of L.A.
The Rams tried to make it a 3-point lead, but instead led by one after the failed attempt. The Bills then added another touchdown with an Allen rushing score and a two-point conversion to Dalton Kinkaid to make the score 27-20 in favor of the Bills.
The Rams met the moment and tied the game at 27-27 when Stafford found Adams for another score and Mevis hit the extra point.
The Bills had the chance to milk the clock, and basically walk this game off, but the Bills scored to make the game 34-27 with 1:39 remaining. Leaving Stafford and the Rams a chance to tie.
The Rams did just that when Stafford and Kyren Williams led the Rams to a 34-34 score after Williams found the endzone on the ground and with 4-seconds left in the fourth, the game went to overtime.
The Rams forced a fumble as Nate Landman punched the ball away from Cook. The Rams drove down the field for a walk-off field goal, but Mevis’s kick was blocked in yet another special teams blunder by the Rams.
Then the Bill marched down the field and won off of Tyler Bass’s leg.
And just like that, the Bills won a game that the Rams had.
The Rams fought hard and they lost as a team, but they lost because of their special teams. Yes, the defense didn’t do enough to totally contain Allen, but it did enough to win. No, Stafford and the Rams didn’t score on every drive, but they did enough to win.
This loss falls on the third unit of the team. That’s on the coaching. That’s on Sean McVay. And expect it to be a hot talking point this week as the Rams fall to 2-3 and look far from the “super team” so many expected going into 2026.
See More:
* [Los Angeles Rams Scores and Results](/los-angeles-rams-scores-results)