LOS ANGELES — The Buffalo Bills outlasted the Los Angeles Rams 37-34 in overtime on Monday Night Football in Los Angeles after Greg Rousseau blocked Harrison Mevis' potential game-winning 48-yard field goal and Josh Allen drove Buffalo for the decisive score. The result dropped Los Angeles to 2-3 and left the Rams third in the NFC West behind the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.
Nate Landman sparked Los Angeles with two punch-outs on James Cook. The first was initially ruled a Rams recovery before being reversed, while the second came in overtime and set up the 48-yard attempt for Mevis. The offense ran through Puka Nacua, who drew 24 of Matthew Stafford's 54 attempts (44%) and caught 17 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown after entering the game 86th in the NFL in receptions. Davante Adams added two touchdowns in the red zone, though the pair rarely fired together at full capacity.
Special teams decided the outcome. Mevis missed both field-goal attempts, including the blocked kick in overtime, while making all four extra points, and Los Angeles showed little confidence in him outside 45 yards before settling conservatively for the 48-yard try. The Rams also allowed 219 kick-return yards at 31 yards per return, opening the game by giving Allen the ball in scoring position before the defense held Buffalo to a field goal after a dropped touchdown and a sack by Josaiah Stewart.
Buffalo won with the run. James Cook rushed 25 times for 111 yards (4.4 average) and two touchdowns, while Allen added 121 yards on 10 rushes with a touchdown to complement 210 gross passing yards on just 12 completions. Allen's ability to break contain offset Cook's steady production and helped Buffalo finish with 234 rushing yards, more than its passing total.
The secondary held up despite a banged-up Quentin Lake, who battled through a questionable tag to play but allowed a 57-yard catch to Khalil Shakir in overtime when Buffalo was backed up by a holding penalty. Outside that play, Buffalo wide receivers were limited to three receptions for 30 yards as most of Allen's completions went to running backs and tight ends.