The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2026 NFL season with Super Bowl expectations following an aggressive offseason. However, five games into the year, the team is already facing some difficult questions. After suffering a 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, the Rams have fallen to 2-3, raising concerns about whether their talented roster can live up to the expectations surrounding the organization.
ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano addressed those concerns during Tuesday’s edition of “Get Up,” pointing out that even teams with impressive offseason additions have weaknesses that must be addressed. The Rams are not exempt from that just because they had a monster off-season,” Graziano said. His comments come after another frustrating loss for Los Angeles, which had multiple opportunities to defeat Buffalo but ultimately failed to capitalize.
The Rams entered Monday night’s matchup coming off a big win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4 and were looking to build off that momentum. Instead, they suffered their third loss of the season despite another impressive effort by quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford completed 40 of 54 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns, while wide receiver Puka Nacua delivered one of the best performances of his career.
Nacua finished with 17 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown, consistently creating opportunities for an offense that scored 34 points against one of the AFC’s top contenders. Davante Adams also contributed two touchdown receptions, helping Los Angeles keep pace with Buffalo throughout a back-and-forth second half. However, the Rams’ offensive success wasn’t enough to overcome mistakes in other areas.
Special teams proved particularly costly. Kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 50-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter before having a potential game-winning 48-yard attempt blocked by Buffalo defensive end Greg Rousseau in overtime. The blocked kick gave the Bills another opportunity, and quarterback Josh Allen helped move Buffalo into position for Tyler Bass to connect on a 45-yard field goal to secure the victory.
For head coach Sean McVay, the mistakes were difficult to overlook. Following the loss, McVay made it clear that the Rams' struggles in the kicking game played a significant role in the outcome. "It cost us the game tonight," McVay said.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
