INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Josh Allen handed for 297 yards whereas accounting for 4 touchdowns, Von Miller had two of Buffalo’s seven sacks, and the Payments stamped themselves as a transparent contender for the Rams’ Tremendous Bowl crown with a 31-10 victory over Los Angeles on Thursday night time.
Gabe Davis, Isaiah McKenzie and Stefon Diggs caught TD passes because the two-time defending AFC East champion Payments opened the NFL’s 103rd season by overcoming 4 turnovers and working away with a blowout win in the identical stadium the place the Rams received the Tremendous Bowl almost seven months in the past.
Allen went 26 for 31 regardless of two interceptions. He additionally rushed for 56 yards, scrambling for a 4-yard TD when he stretched the ball over the road with 13:27 to play. The star quarterback took his share of hits, however he additionally dished them out and confirmed off a imply stiff-arm whereas Buffalo’s offense beneath new coordinator Ken Dorsey largely dominated the champs.
“There’s loads to be taught, however that second half, that’s who we wish to be, going on the market and executing that method,” Allen stated. “We had been 90% on third down. That’s a recipe for fulfillment.”
Matthew Stafford handed for 240 yards with one TD and three interceptions on a bruising night time for the Rams, who misplaced a season opener and fell beneath .500 for the primary time in coach Sean McVay’s six seasons in cost.
“Very humbling night time, however one the place you look your self within the mirror and say it's a must to be higher,” McVay stated. “We weren’t able to go. That’s on me. … There have been plenty of selections I made that didn’t put us in the perfect place to succeed. It was a really humbling night time.”
The Payments’ seven sacks had been essentially the most allowed in McVay’s tenure with the Rams, who misplaced two starters from final 12 months’s offensive line and tried to interchange them internally.
Diggs punctuated the domination with a 53-yard TD catch with 9:25 to play, speaking trash to Rams All-Professional defensive again Jalen Ramsey afterward.
“We’re going to make the airplane do backflips on the way in which residence tonight,” Miller stated. “We’re going to have a good time this win, as a result of it's a must to, however then we’re going to return to the lab. We’re not going to let this success put our guard down.”
Tremendous Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp had 13 catches for 128 yards and a landing, however the Rams’ night time went rapidly downhill after they unveiled their championship banner in a pregame ceremony. Los Angeles couldn't sustain with Allen’s inventive playmaking or the Payments’ cross rush, and its solely main offseason addition on offense — receiver Allen Robinson — had one catch on two targets.
The Rams even received shut out within the second half, ending a streak of 89 consecutive halves with some extent since November 2019.
Miller made a direct affect in his debut for the Payments, who signed him away from the Rams after he received a hoop in his half-season in LA. However he was only one a part of a protection that yielded solely 177 yards earlier than Los Angeles’ last, meaningless drive.
Aaron Donald made his 99th profession sack within the first half, however the seven-time All-Professional had simply two tackles because the Rams grew to become solely the second defending champions within the final 10 years to lose the next season opener. Los Angeles trailed 17-10 after three quarters, however Buffalo ran away with two prolonged TD drives early within the fourth quarter.
With Dorsey taking on from Brian Daboll, the Payments went 9 for 10 on third downs and racked up 413 whole yards, however three first-half turnovers saved it shut early.
Allen set a profession excessive to begin a recreation by finishing his first 10 passes, however linebacker Terrell Lewis’ interception stopped Buffalo’s second drive in Rams territory. Rookie James Prepare dinner fumbled away his first contact for Buffalo moments later, however Dane Jackson made an interception two snaps after that.
Los Angeles lastly scored on its fourth drive when Kupp made an distinctive toe-tapping catch behind the top zone on a exact throw three minutes earlier than halftime. The Rams received the ball again on Troy Hill’s interception, and Matt Homosexual hit a 57-yard discipline purpose to tug the Rams even on the halftime gun.
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