Bills trample Rams as Allen shines in season opener
The Buffalo Bills took on the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in Los Angeles on Thursday, Sept. 8, attempting to prove that the team finally has what it takes to make it to their first National Football League championship. A major concern before the game was how Quarterback Josh Allen and the rest of the offense would fare under their new offensive coordinator, Ken Dorsey. The team saw multiple years of playoff success under the lead of former OC Brian Daboll, who left the team during the offseason to try and turn around the ever-struggling New York Giants as their new head coach.
Along with a new offensive coordinator, the Bills also gained a key asset over the offseason in tenured linebacker Von Miller, who brings both championship experience and leadership material to an already stellar Buffalo defense. This also marks Miller’s return to Los Angeles, with whom he won Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals this past February.
Allen and the Bills’ offense started out about as hot as they could, Allen completing his first ten passes and setting a new personal record. Buffalo drove 75 yards down the field and recorded the first touchdown of the NFL season as Allen passed to wide receiver Gabriel Davis for a 26-yard score. Davis continued his success after the divisional round playoff game against the Chiefs, in which he caught a record four touchdown passes.
The defense also started the game well, forcing a punt from Los Angeles after a five-minute drive. The Bills’ performance faltered slightly after this; the running game got off to a slow start as Allen threw an interception after wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie dropped the ball. This would be the first of two Josh Allen interceptions in the first half; Rookie running back James Cook fumbled the ball on his first carry in the NFL, again turning the ball over to Los Angeles. The Bills allowed a Cooper Kupp touchdown in the second quarter, as the receiver looked to continue his dominance that peaked in his Super Bowl MVP-caliber performance last season. After a successful field goal attempt by each team, both squads headed to the locker room tied 10-10 at the half.
Following a short drive by the Los Angeles offense to start the second half, the Bills took over and marched down the field. A drive that ended in a McKenzie-receiving touchdown was topped by a monstrous Josh Allen stiff arm on Rams safety Nick Collins (see image). As a quiet third quarter came to a close, the fourth quarter opened with a bang as Allen connected again with Davis on a 47-yard pass down the field. Allen culminated the drive in a short rushing touchdown, Buffalo’s first of the year.
An interception by Bills safety Jordan Poyer brought the ball back to Buffalo and led to a huge 53-yard touchdown connection between Allen and star wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Defensive end Boogie Basham Jr. added another interception—the first of his career—to the defense’s total and made sure that the Rams would not score for the entirety of the second half. As the clock ran down, the final score read Buffalo 31, Los Angeles 10, solidifying a massive win to start the season.
Allen ended his day with 297 total passing yards, three passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and two interceptions. The Bills’ offense totaled 413 yards and went 9/10 on third downs. Diggs’s performance was also a highlight, as he caught eight passes for 122 yards and a score. The Bills’ defense—led by Von Miller, who caused two of the seven Buffalo sacks, and Tremaine Edmunds who had a team-high ten tackles—allowed only 243 total yards from the Rams.
The Bills will look to continue their superb play as they take on the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football next week (Sept. 13, 2022) in their home opener.