A recap of Buffalo’s Week 5 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown provides all the details. Here is his report.
Regular season records: Buffalo (3-2), Los Angeles (3-2)
In a nutshell:
The Bills were deadlocked in a game that was tied twice before Nickell Robey-Colemanpicked off a Case Keenum pass and raced 41 yards for a go ahead touchdown late in the third quarter. LeSean McCoy’s inspired rushing helped push the Bills to their third straight game for the first time since the start of the 2011 season by a final score of 30-19 over Los Angeles.
The Rams clawed their way back into the game a couple of times, before Robey-Coleman’s 41-yard interception return gave the Bills a 23-16 lead late in the third quarter.
L.A. clawed its way back into the game a couple of times and got a short field goal from Zuerlein with less than six minutes remaining, and got the ball back after the Buffalo offense went three-and-out. But the defense held and Ronald Darby stopped a fake punt short of the marker.
LeSean McCoy followed with a 24-yard run to the one-yard line, where the Bills killed clock before Tyrod Taylor found Marquise Goodwin for a six-yard touchdown pass with 2:43 remaining to put the game away and lift Buffalo to 3-2 on the season.
Robey-Coleman would add a second interception in the waning moments to seal the victory.
How it went down:
-The Rams took the opening possession 60 yards on 12 plays with Greg Zuerlein putting a 37-yard attempt up and through for an early 3-0 lead with 9:31 left in the first quarter.
-Buffalo responded with a touchdown on their opening drive going 76 on 12 plays before Tyrod Taylor bought time and found Justin Hunter for a four-yard TD pass to take the lead 7-3 midway through the first quarter.
-After a fumble recovery by Corey Graham, LeSean McCoy set up a five-yard touchdown run by Mike Gillislee set with a 53-yard run to give the Bills a first-and-goal situation. Taylor pitched to Gillislee on a quarterback option pitch. The extra point was blocked however, making it 13-7 early in the second quarter.
-Los Angeles cut Buffalo’s 10-point lead to seven when Zuerlein capped a five-play 52-yard drive with a 32-yard field goal (13-6) midway through the second quarter. Tavon Austin put the Rams in scoring territory with a 31-yard reception.
-The Rams then pulled even when Todd Gurley plunged in from a yard out for a one-yard touchdown run with just under two minutes left in the half (13-13).
-Buffalo put together a two-minute drill drive culminating in a 23-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter to give the Bills the lead at halftime 16-13.
-Los Angeles would tie the score a second time when Greg Zuerlein boomed a 54-yard attempt through with ease to knot the game at 16 with eight minutes left in the third quarter.
-Nickell Robey-Coleman broke the tie when he jumped in front of a Case Keenum pass intended for Pharoh Cooper and raced down the far sideline 41 yards for a touchdown to give the Bills a 23-16 lead with four minutes left in the third quarter.
-The Rams wouldn’t go away. Midway through the fourth quarter they cut Buffalo’s lead to four with a short Zuerlein field goal to make it 23-19.
-Tyrod Taylor found Marquise Goodwin for a six-yard touchdown pass with 2:46 remaining for the final points of the game in what became a 30-19 final.
Subplots:
-LeSean McCoy had a monster game with 150 yards rushing on just 18 carries, to average more than eight yards per rush. It’s his fifth 100-yard rushing day with the Bills and 28th of his career.
-Tyrod Taylor was 12-23 passing for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns and a passer rating of 97.
-With his four-yard touchdown reception, Justin Hunter became the first Bill to score a touchdown on his first reception with the team since Robert Woods on Sept. 8, 2013 (vs. New England).
-Lorenzo Alexander became the first Bill to participate in a sack in five consecutive games since Mario Williams in games 4-8 in 2013. He had three sacks in the game.
-McCoy also eclipsed the 8,000-yard barrier in his career becoming the sixth active player to rush for 8,000 or more yards.
-The Bills were having substitution problems on defense and special teams in the second quarter. They got flagged for 12 men on the field. On a Rams extra point attempt they only had 10 men on the field.
-Lerentee McCray forced Todd Gurley to fumble at the end of the first quarter and Corey Graham recovered. The turnover led to a Bills touchdown early in the second quarter.
-The Rams were without three of their starting defensive linemen (DT Michael Brockers, DE William Hayes, DE Robert Quinn) who were all out with injuries.
Inactives:
DT Marcell Dareus, OL Gabe Ikard, QB Cardale Jones, OT Cyrus Kouandjio, OL Patrick Lewis, CB Corey White, RB Jonathan Williams.
Up next:
The Bills host the San Francisco 49ers at New Era Field on Sunday, Oct. 16 for a 1 pm kickoff.