Allen's 6 TDs not enough as Rams take down Bills in shootout
Puka Nacua caught 12 passes for 162 yards and scored two touchdowns from scrimmage - including a clutch fourth-quarter TD - to help the Los Angeles Rams take down the Buffalo Bills 44-42 on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in the highest-scoring game of the 2024 season so far.
MVP favorite Josh Allen again posted a monster game and accounted for six touchdowns. Allen completed 22 of 37 pass attempts for 342 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 82 yards and three TDs to become the only player in NFL history with at least three scores passing and rushing in the same game.
"Josh Allen is an alien," Rams head coach Sean McVay said postgame, according to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry. " ... That's why he's so respected the way he is."
Allen's magical performance wasn't enough to beat the Rams, who had Nacua, Cooper Kupp, and Kyren Williams score touchdowns to help L.A. improve to 7-6. Williams finished with 29 carries for 87 yards and two TDs, while Kupp had 92 yards and one score on five receptions. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was also sharp, going 23-for-30 passing with 320 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
The Bills entered the contest without two of their top targets, as wide receiver Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid remained sidelined because of injuries. Three Buffalo players caught touchdowns versus Los Angeles, including Khalil Shakir, who led the team with 106 yards on the day.
It's the Bills' third loss of the season.
The Rams' victory was highlighted by an aggressive McVay call to go for it on a fourth-and-5 at Buffalo's 35-yard line while leading by three with 3:53 left in the fourth quarter. Stafford found Tutu Atwell to pick up a first down on the play before Nacua scored L.A.'s insurance touchdown with 1:54 remaining.
Los Angeles previously faced a third-and-7 at Buffalo's 37-yard line on that same drive and only gained one yard. However, the Bills opted to accept a holding penalty on the play to move the Rams back to the 46-yard line for another third-down chance instead of declining the penalty, which would've left L.A. in a position to attempt a 54-yard field goal.
A Stafford connection to Colby Parkinson then gained 11 yards on third down before the Rams decided to go for it on fourth down.
The Rams and Bills put on a show offensively, combining for 902 total yards Sunday. Los Angeles outgained Buffalo in yards (457-445) and first downs (28-25), and none of them turned the ball over.
The Bills (10-3) are the first team in the Super Bowl era to lose a game despite having at least six touchdowns and zero giveaways, according to NFL Network's Dante Koplowitz-Fleming. Teams were previously 245-0 when meeting that criteria, including playoffs.