With the offense exhausted, Josh Allen took matters into his own hands to help the Buffalo Bills achieve their goal. 37-34 win in overtime vs. Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football.
With wide receivers DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer both injured, Allen completed just 12 passes all night but rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown to record his first career overtime win in eight attempts.
The Rams will feel they should have won it but Greg Russo blocked Harrison Mewis’ field goal, enabling Allen to scramble 32 yards with his legs and Tyler Bass nailed it as Mewis failed to penetrate between the sticks and moved the Bills to 4-1 for the season.
“The guys kept stepping up, the defense kept making plays, and the special teams were big tonight,” Allen said. “I don’t think we played the ball well, especially in the first half but our team kept fighting. We found a way to win, it’s our first overtime win, so it’s good to be on this team.
“They got some really good defense and there were some chances in the middle game, just trying to extend some plays. I’ve got a lot of things to clean up but I’ll take 1-0 on this two-game West Coast trip.”
McVay is angry after being let off the hook by the Bills
While the Bills head home, the Rams have a lot to work on after wasting another gem by quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw 40-for-54 for 383 yards and three touchdowns.
“If he’s not the greatest pitcher ever, I don’t know who is,” Allen said of Stafford.
Head coach Sean McVay was particularly frustrated with his kicking unit as Mevis also missed a 50-yard effort in the first quarter.
“In the kicking game, especially with Pat, the field goal wasn’t even close to good enough,” McVay said. “It cost us the game tonight.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been this angry after a game.”
“We go out there and give our special teams the opportunity to go out there and get a field goal,” added wide receiver Pukka Nakoa, who finished with 17 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown.
“We have to be able to execute, and if that’s not what we want to do, we have to find a way to convert at critical dips.”
The Rams are now 2-3, good for third place in the NFC West behind the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.
