Josh Allen racked up 331 total yards and two touchdowns on Monday night, leading the Buffalo Bills to a 37-34 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Tyler Bass sealed the win with a 45-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining in the extra period, moments after defensive lineman Greg Rousseau blocked what would have been a game-winning field goal attempt by Los Angeles.
How Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford dueled through regulation and overtime
The prime-time matchup brought together the NFL’s two most recent Most Valuable Player award winners in a back-and-forth contest. Allen finished the night with 210 passing yards and added 121 yards on the ground for Buffalo, lifting the Bills to a 4-1 record. For the first time in his career, Allen secured a victory in an overtime game.
“C’est la beauté du football, tu as une autre série à l’attaque,” Allen said in post-game comments distributed by major wire services. Translated to English, the quarterback noted that football gives you another offensive series and another chance to move forward, requiring faith that the defense or special teams will make a big play.
Across the field, Matthew Stafford orchestrated a prolific passing attack for the Rams, throwing for 383 yards and three touchdowns. Despite Stafford’s performance, Los Angeles dropped to 2-3 on the season, falling below the .500 mark after five games for the fourth time in five years.
Greg Rousseau and Special Teams Errors Decide the Final Sequence
The game turned on a dramatic sequence of special teams plays in the game’s dying moments and overtime. Late in regulation, Buffalo running back James Cook scored his second touchdown of the night on a short run with 1:39 left on the clock. Not to be outdone, Rams running back Kyren Williams answered with a 1-yard touchdown run with just four seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to force the extra frame.
In overtime, Buffalo drove deep into Los Angeles territory before Aaron Donald recovered a fumble by Cook, handing momentum back to the Rams. Stafford guided the Rams down to the Buffalo 30-yard line, setting up a potential game-winning kick. However, Rousseau leaped and deflected Harrison Mevis’s second field goal attempt of the night.
“Le jeu sur les bottés, avec nos transformations et nos tentatives de placement, c’est très loin d’être au niveau,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said after the game. Translated into English, McVay admitted that the kicking game—including extra points and field goal attempts—was far below standard and ultimately cost his team the victory, adding that he would evaluate everything.
Puka Nacua Sets a Career High Despite the Loss for Los Angeles
While the Rams struggled to convert their kicking opportunities, wide receiver Puka Nacua served as a primary bright spot for the offense. Nacua hauled in 17 receptions—a new career high—for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Buffalo capitalized on the defensive stop provided by Rousseau’s blocked kick. Allen scrambled for gains of 19 and 13 yards to position Bass for the 45-yard field goal. Bass sprinted away in celebration before the officials even signaled the kick good between the uprights.
“J’ai une énorme confiance en T-Bass,” Bills head coach Joe Brady stated. Translated to English, Brady expressed total confidence in his kicker, noting that when he saw the distance was 45 yards, he knew Bass would convert it.
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