'No Weakness': Josh Allen, Von Miller Help Buffalo Bills Crush Los Angeles Rams in NFL Opener
The Los Angeles Rams opened the 2022 NFL season by unveiling their Super Bowl banner just before kickoff on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium
And shortly after that? The visiting Buffalo Bills opened up a can of whoop'em, recording a resounding 31-10 victory.
''Going in to play the defending Super Bowl champs and watching them raise their banner, that'll be an interesting feeling, for sure,'' Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen said before the game pitting the two title contenders against one another. ''I've talked to a few people that have played and coached in this game before, and the unanimous thing that they were talking about was it feels like playoff atmosphere.''
"Playoff atmosphere''? At the start of September? The Rams - who had never lost a season-opener or had a losing record at any point under fifth-year coach Sean McVay - are built for that, with two Super Bowl appearances in the last four years.
Coach Sean McDermott's Bills - who haven't been to the Super Bowl since the 1993 season - looked on Thursday like they are built for it, too.
Buffalo rode the all-around talents of Allen (26 of 31, 297 yards, three passing TDs and one rushing TD), who helped the offense overcome a trio of first-half turnovers by hitting the offensive accelerator later, breaking a 10-10 halftime tie. The Bills' electric offense featured receivers Stefon Diggs (eight catches for 122 yards and a score), Gabe Davis (four for 88 and a score) and Isaiah McKenzie (two for 19 and a score).
The Bills defense, meanwhile, allowed a first look at future Hall-of-Famer Von Miller, who jumped from the Rams to Buffalo this offseason and meshed well with a Bills defense that recorded seven sacks (two by the energetic Miller) and picked off Rams QB Matthew Stafford three times.
Buffalo's defense also survived the injury absence of Tre'Davious White (on PUP while rehabbing a knee) as Cooper Kupp (13 catches for 128 yards and the Rams' only TD) was the lone L.A. weapon to do any damage to a Buffalo defense that squashed the Rams running game, holding it to 52 total yards.
Topping the Rams in their house, while also managing to handle seven-time All-Pro Aaron Donald - the defensive tackle who may be the best player in the NFL - could mark the unveiling of a Buffalo team that might be the best team in the NFL.
Before the game, Miller spoke respectfully of his old Rams mates, and specifically of Donald.
''There is no weakness,'' Miller said.
On this night, the same could be said for the Buffalo Bills.
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