Bills beat Rams 37-34 in overtime on Monday Night Football after Rousseau block sets up Tyler Bass winner
Buffalo survived a wild night at SoFi Stadium as Greg Rousseau blocked a potential winning kick and Tyler Bass hit a 45-yard field goal in overtime.
The Buffalo Bills beat the Los Angeles Rams 37-34 in overtime at SoFi Stadium on Monday night (US time), closing NFL Week 5 with one of the most dramatic games of the season so far. Greg Rousseau blocked what would have been a game-winning Rams field goal, and Tyler Bass then kicked a 45-yarder to win it. The game finished on Tuesday morning, 13 October, Malaysia time.
A slow start, then a shootout
For a half, there was little sign of what was coming. Bass kicked field goals of 40 and 23 yards in the first quarter, Matthew Stafford found Davante Adams for a four-yard touchdown, and James Cook's 17-yard run gave Buffalo a 13-7 lead at the break.
The second half of regulation produced 48 points between the two teams. Blake Corum's one-yard run put the Rams ahead, before Josh Allen's seven-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman restored Buffalo's lead, although Bass missed the extra point. Stafford hit Puka Nacua for a two-yard score to make it 20-19 to Los Angeles, with the two-point attempt failing.
Allen's one-yard sneak and a successful two-point conversion made it 27-20 to the Bills. Stafford levelled again with a five-yard touchdown to Adams, his second of the night. Cook's five-yard run with 1:39 left looked to have won it for Buffalo, but the Rams drove the length of the field and Kyren Williams scored from a yard out with five seconds remaining to force overtime at 34-34.
Overtime twists
The Rams chose to kick off in overtime. Buffalo's first possession ended when Cook fumbled after a tackle by Nate Landman, giving Los Angeles the ball at its own 20. Completions to Davis Allen and Nacua moved the Rams to the Buffalo 35, but Harrison Mevis' 48-yard attempt was blocked by Rousseau.
The Bills then moved into range, helped by Allen's scrambling, and Bass made no mistake from 45 yards.
The numbers behind the drama
Stafford completed 40 of 54 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns. Nacua was his main target, catching a career-high 17 passes on 24 targets for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Buffalo won it on the ground. The Bills ran for 234 yards as a team, with Cook carrying 23 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns and Allen adding 121 rushing yards and a score on 10 carries. The two sides were flagged 24 times between them.
The result lifts the Bills to 4-1, while the Rams fall to 2-3.
Sunday night: Huntley steps in as Ravens win in overtime
Sunday night's game also went to overtime. With Lamar Jackson out with an ankle injury, Tyler Huntley led the Baltimore Ravens to a 30-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Trailing 23-15, Huntley threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Devontez Walker with 40 seconds left, and Derrick Henry ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game.
Huntley then scored on a one-yard sneak in overtime, and Kyle Hamilton intercepted a pass from Tua Tagovailoa, who had come in after Michael Penix Jr left with a rib injury, to end it. Huntley finished 24 of 32 for 201 yards and two touchdown passes, and Henry ran for 102 yards. The Ravens are 4-1 and alone at the top of the AFC North, while the Falcons are 2-3.
Key takeaways
- The Bills beat the Rams 37-34 in overtime on Monday Night Football to improve to 4-1.
- Greg Rousseau blocked a 48-yard Rams field goal in overtime before Tyler Bass kicked the 45-yard winner.
- Puka Nacua caught a career-high 17 passes for 138 yards; Matthew Stafford threw for 383 yards.
- Buffalo ran for 234 yards, with James Cook scoring twice.
- The Ravens beat the Falcons 30-23 in overtime on Sunday night with Tyler Huntley starting for the injured Lamar Jackson.
FAQ
Who won Bills vs Rams on Monday Night Football? The Buffalo Bills won 37-34 in overtime at SoFi Stadium, with Tyler Bass kicking a 45-yard field goal.
How did the Rams miss their chance in overtime? After a James Cook fumble gave them the ball, Harrison Mevis' 48-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Greg Rousseau.
Who started at quarterback for the Ravens on Sunday night? Tyler Huntley started because Lamar Jackson has an ankle injury, and he scored the overtime winner on a one-yard sneak.
Sources: Los Angeles Rams, NFL.com, Fox Sports, CBS Baltimore