NFL week one action kicked off with one of the season’s marquee matchups. The Buffalo Bills traveled to LA to take on the reigning Super Bowl champs in what was supposed to be a back-and-forth high-scoring affair. The Bills opened the game with a touchdown drive, while the Rams struggled to move the ball. The Bill’s defense was swarming, and the Rams didn’t have much of a game plan outside of throw it to Cooper Kupp. However, thanks in part to two Josh Allen interceptions, neither of which were (really) his fault, the Rams tied the game at ten as they entered the half.
Though the game was tied, it never felt that close. And as the second half began, the Bills pulled away and flabergasted the Rams in their own house. The Bills outscored LA 21-0 en route to a 31-10 victory. It wasn’t the prettiest of wins for the Bills, but their defense and Josh Allen put the NFL on notice. As for Matthew Stafford, he ended the game with three interceptions and got sacked seven times as the Rams shrunk under the bright lights of opening night.
The Rams may have underperformed in week one, but it is just one game. There are still 16 left, which leaves plenty of time for the Rams to right the ship. Besides, the Bills have one of the best rosters in the league, top to bottom. CBS had them ranked as the number one roster coming into the season. This game could, very well, have just been a bad matchup roster to roster.
With that being said, bad matchup or not, if the Rams hope to have any shot at back-to-back Super Bowls, they need to fix an offensive line that’s likely unfixable.
An Offensive Line that was Offensive to my Eyes
Matthew Stafford was under pressure all night long against a ferocious Bills pass rush. Their offensive line saw some changes this off-season, most notably, their Stallworth Left Tackle Andrew Whitworth wound up retiring. While most assumed that the Rams would figure it all out, thanks to the genius of Rams head coach Sean McVay, it appears it won’t be that easy.
Look at the Bills detonate EVERYTHING. It’s textbook: get the linemen on different levels so that they pick one another and can’t exchange pic.twitter.com/G0L12Kq8yt
— Ollie Connolly (@OllieConnolly) September 9, 2022
Von Miller, who helped the Rams win the Super Bowl last year, was dominant in his first game as a Buffalo Bill.
Von Miller in his Bills debut:
— PFF (@PFF) September 9, 2022
? 25 pass-rushing snaps
? 4 pressures
? 2 sacks
? 89.8 PFF Grade (1st among Bills defenders)
(? @NFL) pic.twitter.com/imJMGtLaaB
Let’s just say Von Miller got the better of Whitworth’s replacement, Joseph Noteboom.
Not every team on the Rams schedule has a Von Miller, but many have above-average pass rushes. The Rams face the Buccaneers, Panthers, Cowboys, Saints, Raiders, Chargers, and the 49ers. All teams with at least one standout pass rusher, three of them ranked in the top ten last year for sacks. The Rams at full strength struggled with Buffalo’s defensive line, and they didn’t blitz once. Now with injuries to the Ram’s Center and Left Tackle, their offensive line play could be even worse.
Luckily for the Rams, they face the Falcons and the Chandler Jones-less Cardinals next. They have a chance to figure it out early and get healthy on offense. In the end, however, their offensive line must play significantly better for great success. With no big-name Tackles available through trade or free agency, should the Rams fail to do so, it’ll be a long year for LA.
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