The Buffalo Bills hot streak continues as following a 0-2 start the Bills are winners of three straight games following their week 5 30-19 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Coming into the matchup the Bills and Rams had been two of the hottest teams in the league as the Bills were coming off of two huge upset victories over the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals while the Rams were riding their own 3-game win streak to the top of the NFC West. A game of two teams in a very similar situation as they are each reliant on their run games and strong defensive play especially in the front seven. That trend for these two games continued and continued early.
Something had to give,as the Rams and the Bills have both been undefeated this season when they are the first to score. Starting off the scoring were the Rams who capitalized on their opening possession with a Greg Zuerlein field goal to put the Rams up early. Countering in the first was the rejuvenated Bills offensive attack as quarterback Tyrod Taylor connected with his new wideout and former Tennessee Titan, Justin Hunter on their first and only connection to the game for a four-yard touchdown to the back of the end zone.
The Bills and Rams traded blows to end the first half as touchdown runs by both Mike Gillislee, Todd Gurley, and field goals by each side brought scoring to 16-13 in the Bills favor.
For the Rams settling for field goals became a common theme as their offense was reliant on a run game that ran into what has been a domain Bills defense in recent weeks. The Bills defense as a unit caused three turnovers which included two costly interceptions of Case Keenum into the hands of Nickell Robey-Coleman. A defense that in this one saw Adolphus Washington have a breakout performance on the defensive line as he picked up his first career sack on Keenum. The real standout for the Bills in this one was the play of linebacker Lorenzo Alexander who picked up three sacks and a pass deflection in this one. Alexander currently holds the NFL leader in sacks with seven, a half-sack ahead of Von Miller for first. The play of the linebackers has been a focus point for this Bills defense as Jerry Hughes, Zach Brown, and Lorenzo Alexander in this one paved the way for a Bills win.
On the opposite side, a worry coming into this for the Bills offensive would be the play of the Rams all-pro Aaron Donald. Donald was his normal disruptive self in this one, but the Bills offense was able to limit just how much damage he was able to do as he finished with two tackles and half a sack.
As reliant, these two teams are on the play of their strong defenses it was the dominant run game of the Bills that was the x-factor.The Rams defense seemed to have no answers for the Bills ground attack as they ran wild whether it was a designed run or a scramble by Taylor.Without defensive players Robert Quinn, William Hayes, and Michael Brockers the Bills accounted for 193 yards and a touchdown on the ground. LeSean McCoy led the charge for the Bills with 150 yards rushing on 8.3 yards per carry while also passing the 8,000 -yard mark for career rushing yards. The big blow to the Rams was a McCoy 53-yard run that set up a score. Taylor added 28 yards of his own on the ground to go along with his 124 passing yards and two throwing scores. A late touchdown pass to receiver Marquise Goodwin sealed the deal for the Bills as they would go to hold on. Taylor now has seven touchdowns on the season to lead the Bills.
Following this one the Bills move to 3-2 and remain one game behind the New England Patriots for first place in the AFC East. The Rams fall to 3-2 just behind the Seattle Seahawks who are on a bye this week. Moving forward the Bills will come home to face off against the San Francisco 49ers while the Rams will travel to Detroit to take on the Lions.
