TYROD TAYLOR had an up and down game today for the Buffalo Bills (3-2). But he sure was up and at them when he had to be. Taylor used his feet, his arm, and his brain to knock off the Los Angeles Rams 30-19 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Taylor on the Bills’ second to last offensive drive of the game, took the snap, drifted back, then he evaded Rams (3-2) defenders JOSH FORREST and T.J. MCDONALD to throw a 6-yard touchdown pass to receiver MARQUISE GOODWIN. That play put away the Rams and any hopes they had of coming back with 2:37 left in the game.
Taylor finished the game 12 of 23 for 124 yards, 2 touchdown passes and no picks. Then there was LESEAN MCCOY who sliced and diced the Rams defense for 150 yards on 18 carries. He didn’t score, but he took advantage of the Rams having three super key defenders out with injuries——-defensive ends ROBERT QUINN and WILLIAM HAYES, and defensive tackle MICHAEL BROCKERS——-and the fact that the middle area of the Rams defense couldn’t disengage from blockers.
Taylor on the Bills’ first scoring drive, showed why he is such a dangerous dual-threat quarterback. On 3rd and 4 from the 4, Taylor took the snap, moved around some and then avoided a ton of pressure to throw a 4-yard scoring pass to receiver JUSTIN HUNTER in the back of the end zone. With 2:22 left in the first quarter the Bills took a 7-3 lead.
Hunter wasn’t even on the Bills’ roster at the start of this season as he was a member of the Miami Dolphins. He was released twelve days ago by Miami and signed by the Bills nine days ago, due to the fact that the Bills had to place star receiver SAMMY WATKINS on injured reserve.
That touchdown catch was Hunter’s first scoring reception since November 8, 2015 when the Dolphins beat the New Orleans Saints 34-28.
Early in the second quarter, McCoy followed up that score by Hunter with a huge play of his own. He took a Taylor handoff and then cut to his left and then he sped 52 yards up the middle until he was tackled at the LA 5-yard line. That run set up a down the right side 5-yard touchdown run by number two Bills running back MIKE GILLISLEE. That scoring run was Gillislee’s fist touchdown run of the year and it gave the Bills a 13-3 lead with 13:59 left in the first half.
GREG ZUERLEIN gave the Rams some hope when he booted his second successful kick of the game——-the latter from 32 yards——-to cut the Bills lead to 13-6 with 7:46 to go in the first half. 
Late in the first quarter, the Rams finally scored a touchdown. And the recipient of that score was running back TODD GURLEY, who powered his way into the end zone from a yard out. That play tied the score at 13-13 with 1:56 left in the first half. Gurley finished the game with 23 carries for 72 yards and 1 scoring run.
Gurley had some nice runs here and there, but the Bills defense was predicated on stopping him which included holding him to short gains and not letting him take the game over.
Meanwhile, Zuerlein tied the score with his third field goal of the game, a 54-yarder, which made the score 16-16 with 8:05 to go in the third quarter. But just like that, the Bills stole their lead right back. Bills cornerback NICKELL ROBEY-COLEMAN jumped in front of a Keenum pass at the LA 41-yard line and raced down the sidelines untouched for a Bills score and an eventual 23-16 lead with 3:54 to go in the third quarter. That was his first pick-six since his rookie year back in 2013.
