NFL

Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams

· National Football League
10-3, 4-3 Away
Final
42 - 44
7-6, 4-3 Home

Allen sets NFL mark with 3 TD passes and 3 TD runs, but Stafford's Rams hold off Bills 44-42

Did Josh Allen lock up MVP despite Sunday's loss?

The Rams (7-6) just barely had enough to hang on for a victory that might change their season.

Stafford passed for 320 yards and hit Puka Nacua for a 19-yard touchdown with 1:54 to play, and the Rams overcame Allen's three TD passes and three TD runs to snap the Bills' seven-game winning streak with a 44-42 victory Sunday.

Allen passed for 342 yards and rushed for 82 yards for the Bills (10-3), who hadn't lost since Oct. 6 in Houston. He became the first player in NFL history with three passing TDs and three rushing TDs in a game during his league-record fifth career outing with at least two of each — but it wasn't enough to overcome Buffalo's 17-point deficit entering the fourth.

“Josh Allen is an alien,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “Some of the stuff that he can do and the things that he can create, we knew he was capable of that. He’s shown that. That’s why he’s as well-respected and well-regarded in this league as he is.

"But our guys made just enough plays to be able to come out on top.”

Allen capped his third long touchdown drive of the fourth quarter by scoring on a 1-yard dive with 1:00 left, but Ronnie Rivers recovered the onside kick and Los Angeles ran out the clock on its first win over Buffalo since 2012 and its first at home since 1983.

This game was monumental for both teams: The Rams and Bills combined for 902 yards of offense without a turnover or a quarterback sack. Los Angeles had the ball for 17 more minutes and ran 18 more plays than Buffalo — and the Rams needed every bit of it to survive.

Nacua, who had 12 catches for 162 yards and also scored his first career rushing TD in another monster game, called it “fantastic being able to feel like, man, this is what it feels like when the Rams are moving and connecting on all cylinders.”

Hunter Long returned a blocked punt 22 yards for a touchdown for the Rams, who have won six of eight to stay in the NFC West race. Kyren Williams rushed for 87 yards and two TDs as LA moved above .500 for the first time this season.

Allen and the Bills ran out of time after they struggled through the first three quarters, which ended with the Rams leading 38-21 before Buffalo stirred from its post-division title-clinching hangover.

“Hate losing,” Allen said. “If you lose by two or lose by 100, it doesn’t matter, you are still losing. Offensively, we have to find ways to score before and after the half. We didn’t do our part.”

Allen dismissed his historic six TDs: “I have to make one more play than they do. It was a total team loss in three phases. We didn’t play up to our standards.”

Ty Johnson and Khalil Shakir caught long scoring passes for the Bills, who became the first NFL team to score six touchdowns without a turnover in a loss. Buffalo’s 42 points were the most scored in defeat in franchise history.

“They did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball," Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “Defensively and special teams, neither were good enough to help us win this game.”

One week after Buffalo secured the AFC East title by trouncing San Francisco in the snow, the Bills started dismally at SoFi Stadium, giving up 24 points in the first half and Cooper Kupp’s 17-yard TD catch with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.

“Obviously, offensively, what those guys have been doing is very impressive,” Kupp said. “Seeing it firsthand, they’re a really good football team, so we needed everything we had as a team today.”

Allen ran for a score early in the fourth before Buffalo forced LA's first punt. But after Mack Hollins' 21-yard TD catch for Buffalo with 8:49 to play, Stafford led Los Angeles on a clock-consuming drive that included a gritty 11-yard pass to Tutu Atwell on fourth-and-5 near midfield with less than four minutes left.

After Nacua's catch-and-run TD on a pick play, Buffalo drew a 34-yard pass interference penalty against Quentin Lake on fourth-and-15. Buffalo got to the Rams 1 with 1:06 left — but Omar Speights stuffed Allen on his first attempt to score, forcing the Bills to burn a timeout that ultimately cost them dearly.

Scoop and score Los Angeles went up 17-7 early in the second quarter when Jacob Hummel blocked Sam Martin’s punt. Long scooped and scored the first NFL touchdown for the tight end acquired from Miami last year in the Rams’ cost-cutting trade of All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

The Rams hadn’t blocked a punt since 2018, while the Bills hadn’t given up a blocked punt TD since the 2021 season opener against Pittsburgh.

Injuries Bills: CB Rasul Douglas injured his back and knee in the second half. ... DE Casey Toohill injured his ribs.

Rams: WR Demarcus Robinson injured his shoulder in the third quarter.

Up next Bills: At Lions on Sunday.

Rams: At 49ers on Thursday night.

How can I watch Bills vs. Rams?

  • TV Channel: Bills at Rams 2021-22 NFL, week 14 is broadcasted nationally on FOX and NFL Sunday Ticket.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
    In Canada, viewers can watch Bills vs. Rams on DAZN.

Matchup Prediction

Rams: 36.7%
Bills: 63.1%
*According to ESPN's Football Power Index

Scoring Summary

LAR TD 1st Period 8:26 Kyren Williams 3 Yd Run (Joshua Karty Kick)
BUF TD 1st Period 3:22 Josh Allen 1 Yd Run (Tyler Bass Kick)
LAR FG 2nd Period 13:37 Joshua Karty 22 Yd Field Goal
LAR 2nd Period 12:29 Hunter Long 22 Yd Return of Blocked Punt (Joshua Karty Kick)
BUF TD 2nd Period 10:23 Ty Johnson 41 Yd pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass Kick)
LAR TD 2nd Period 2:36 Puka Nacua 4 Yd Run (Joshua Karty Kick)
LAR TD 3rd Period 8:26 Kyren Williams 7 Yd Run (Joshua Karty Kick)
BUF TD 3rd Period 3:54 Khalil Shakir 51 Yd pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass Kick)
LAR TD 3rd Period 0:18 Cooper Kupp 17 Yd pass from Matthew Stafford (Joshua Karty Kick)
BUF TD 4th Period 14:27 Josh Allen 1 Yd Run (Tyler Bass Kick)
BUF TD 4th Period 8:49 Mack Hollins 21 Yd pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass Kick)
LAR TD 4th Period 1:54 Puka Nacua 19 Yd pass from Matthew Stafford (Joshua Karty PAT failed)
BUF TD 4th Period 1:00 Josh Allen 1 Yd Run (Tyler Bass Kick)

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nfl/500/buf.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originBUF https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nfl/500/lar.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originLAR
25 1st Downs 28
14 Passing 1st downs 15
6 Rushing 1st downs 10
5 1st downs from penalties 3
5-9 3rd down efficiency 11-15
0-0 4th down efficiency 1-1
54 Total Plays 72
445 Total Yards 457
8.2 Yards per Play 6.3
9 Total Drives 9
342 Passing 320
22/37 Comp/Att 23/30
9.2 Yards per pass 10.7
0 Interceptions thrown 0
0-0 Sacks-Yards Lost 0-0
103 Rushing 137
17 Rushing Attempts 42
6.1 Yards per rush 3.3
3-3 Red Zone (Made-Att) 5-6
7-59 Penalties 9-99
0 Turnovers 0
0 Fumbles lost 0
0 Interceptions thrown 0
0 Defensive / Special Teams TDs 0
21:30 Possession 38:30

Game Information

SoFi Stadium

Location: Inglewood, CA
Attendance: 73,493 · Capacity:

2024 AFC East Standings

TEAM W L PCT T PF PA
Buffalo 12 3 .800 0 469 331
Miami 7 8 .467 0 305 329
New York 4 11 .267 0 292 344
New England 3 12 .200 0 259 361

2024 NFC West Standings

TEAM W L PCT T PF PA
Los Angeles 9 6 .600 0 329 347
Seattle 8 7 .533 0 339 340
Arizona 7 8 .467 0 344 342
San Francisco 6 9 .400 0 331 349
Full Standings

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