3 keys to a Bills victory against the Rams in Week 14

The Buffalo Bills will face the Los Angeles Rams on the road at SoFi Stadium in Week 14.

The Bills (10-2) look to build on a seven-game winning streak, while the Rams (6-6) have won five of their last seven games after starting 1-4.

Buffalo started as a 4.5-point road favorite. The two teams haven’t met since the 2022 season opener, when the Bills beat the Super Bowl-defending Rams 31-10.

Even though the Bills are favored, the Rams are one of the most successful teams in the NFL and are in a competitive race for the NFC West crown.

Buffalo will need to execute its game plan to earn its eleventh victory of the year.

With that, here are three keys to a Bills victory in Week 14:

Make them stop running

Last week, the Bills spammed the ground game against the 49ers, resulting in 220 rushing yards and 35 points on the board. It will be difficult to repeat that success this week, but the Rams showed they can be hurtful on the field.

Two weeks ago, Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles did everything he wanted against them. He ran for 255 yards and two scores on 26 carries. And last week, the Saints’ Alvin Kamara had 112 rushing yards on 23 carries.

The Bills are at their best when they pose a threat both on the ground and through the air. With this game being played in a dome (SoFi Stadium), many will be looking for Josh Allen to put up numbers in the passing game after just 148 passing yards in last week’s snow game. But if the Bills are wise, they won’t give up the run and force the Rams to fight back in the trenches on defense.

Containing the Rams pass rush

Despite the loss of Aaron Donald, the young defenders on the Rams defensive line have done a solid job of keeping their pass rush competitive. They have four D-linemen with at least 4.5 sacks: Jared Verse (4.5), Kobie Turner (5), Byron Young (6), Braden Fiske (6).

Specifically, Verse has shown improvement this year. According to Pro Football Focus, he is the 12th most productive edge defender with a grade of 82.4.

The Bills haven’t allowed a sack in their last two games against the Chiefs and 49ers. This is one of the main reasons why they were able to score 30+ points against both representatives from last year’s Super Bowl. If the Bills offensive line continues to maintain its high level of play, Allen could have a big day.

Limiting the explosiveness of McVay’s offense

It’s no secret that the Rams offense has the potential to take on anyone on any given Sunday. Led by offensive-minded head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matt Stafford has some top-notch weapons to spread the ball around.

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are one of the best wide receiver duos in the league, so the Bills secondary will have their hands full. The duo both found the squad healthy for the first time in Week 8 after missing much of the season.

Stafford has thrown eight touchdowns on downfield passes (10+ yards) since Week 8, which is third-most in the NFL over that span, and he’s averaged 11.3 yards per attempt on those throws. The entire team has been relieved since Kupp and Nacua became healthy.

The running game was also effective for them last week as Kyren Williams ran for 104 yards and a touchdown on 6.9 yards per carry. The offense can beat you in many ways, just like the Bills offense. This will be another test for Sean McDermott, Bobby Babich and the Bills defense to limit their explosive plays and keep them in check.