Bills outclass Rams for third straight win
LOS ANGELES -- A go-ahead interception by cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman and a late Tyrod Taylor touchdown pass lifted the Buffalo Bills to a 30-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at the Memorial Coliseum.
Running back LeSean McCoy gained a game-high 150 yards on 18 carries as the Bills (3-2) captured their third consecutive decision. The Rams (3-2) had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Robey-Coleman, who played at USC, put Buffalo up for good by picking off Rams quarterback Case Keenum and returning it 41 yards for a touchdown and a 23-16 Bills' lead at 3:54 of the third.
Los Angeles drove to the Bills' 4-yard line on its next drive but settled for a 22-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein with 5:55 left in the game to cut the margin to 23-19.
Los Angeles gambled on a fourth-and-5 situation at its own 23 but wide receiver Bradley Marquez failed to secure a first down after being stopped on a 2-yard gain with 3:47 remaining.
Three plays later, Taylor connected with Marquise Goodwin on a 6-yard scoring pass with 2:37 left to cap the scoring.
Robey-Coleman also intercepted a Keenum attempt on fourth down on the Rams' final possession to seal the win.
Zuerlein, who converted four field goals, nailed a 54-yarder to knot the score at 16-16 with 8:11 remaining in the third quarter.
Zuerlein's 37-yard field goal with 9:36 left in the first quarter gave the Rams a 3-0 lead.
However, the Bills marched 76 yards in 12 plays, capped by a 4-yard scoring pass from Taylor to Justin Hunter for a 7-3 advantage at 2:22 of the first.
The Bills cashed in a Todd Gurley fumble at the Buffalo 38 into touchdown, needing only two plays to do so. McCoy's 53-yard romp set up Mike Gillislee's 5-yard touchdown run for a 13-3 Buffalo edge with 13:59 remaining in the second quarter. Dan Carpenter's point-after kick was blocked by defensive tackle Cam Thomas.
A 32-yard field by Zuerlein cut the deficit to 13-6 with 7:49 left in the second.
Gurley's 1-yard run with 1:56 remaining in the second knotted the score.
Carpenter put Buffalo back on top 16-13 with a 23-yard field goal to end half.
NOTES: This was the first meeting between the two clubs since the Rams recorded a 15-12 win in 2012. ... Bills inactives: QB Cardale Jones; CB Corey White; RB Jonathan Williams; G Gabe Ikard; C Patrick Lewis; T Cyrus Kouandjio; and DT Marcell Dareus. Rams inactives: QB Sean Mannion; RB Benny Cunningham; T Pace Murphy; WR Nelson Spruce; DT Michael Brockers; DE Robert Quinn; and DE Williams Hayes. ... A crowd of 83,679 attended. ... Both clubs resume play next Sunday. Los Angeles visits the Detroit Lions, while Buffalo hosts the San Francisco 49ers.