The Bills and Rams were a popular preseason choice to meet in the Super Bowl. If Monday night was a preview, Super Bowl LXI will be a good one.
The heavyweights went back and forth Monday night, with eight lead changes and a combined 35 points in the fourth quarter.
The match, fittingly, was decided in overtime.
Bills kicker Tyler Bass made a 45-yard field goal with 1:55 left in overtime for a 37-34 victory. The Bills are 4-1 and the Rams are 2-3.
The first half was all defensive as the teams combined for 270 total yards, a 20-yard play, 20 points, a punt, a turnover and a missed field goal. The second half was all Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford as the quarterbacks took over.
The teams ended up combining for 71 points and 890 yards.
Both teams had chances to win late in regulation and again in overtime.
James Cook’s 5-yard touchdown run with 1:39 left in the fourth quarter gave the Bills a brief 34-27 lead, with Buffalo burning 5:35 of the final 7:14. That left plenty of time for Stafford, who led the Rams on eight plays and 63 yards in just 1:34. Rams running back Kyren Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run with 5 seconds left tied the game 34-34 and sent it to overtime.
The Rams won the toss in overtime and elected to kick off.
On their first drive, the Bills faced a second-and-16 after a holding penalty. Khalil Shakir then made a 57-yard catch and run to the Los Angeles 22 before Rams safety Kamren Kinchens made the saving tackle. On the next play, Cook fumbled for the second time. His teammates saved him on the first but not on the second.
Rams linebacker Nate Landman punched the ball and defensive lineman Aaron Donald recovered at the 20. The officials missed Landman removing his helmet on the field of play, which should have been a 15-yard penalty.
The Rams then drove 50 yards in eight plays to Buffalo’s 30 before kicker Harrison Mevis missed a second time. Greg Rousseau blocked Mevis’ 48-yard attempt.
Allen led the game-winning drive, with the Bills driving 35 yards in five plays. Allen had runs of 19 and 13 on the winning drive, and he finished his night with 10 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown.
He was 12 of 19 for 210 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception. Cook ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
The Rams outscored the Bills 454 to 436, with Puka Nacua setting a career high and a Monday Night Football record with 17 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. Nacua had 24 targets.
Stafford finished 40 of 54 for 383 yards and three touchdowns.
Blake Corum and Kyren Williams each had a rushing touchdown, and Davante Adams caught two touchdown passes.
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