Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is pressured by Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, left, during the first half of a game earlier this season in Orchard Park.
AP Photo
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Although every good NFL team usually loses key players annually, the Buffalo Bills have been better than the Los Angeles Rams at maintaining a consistent level of roster excellence during the concurrent careers of their successful coaches, Sean McDermott and Sean McVay.
That’s partly because the Bills (10-2) picked up a few key pieces that the Rams (6-6) couldn’t or wouldn’t keep.
Von Miller and Los Angeles draft picks Taylor Rapp and David Edwards should be in the Bills’ lineup when Buffalo visits SoFi Stadium on Sunday. That’s where all three players won Super Bowl rings three years ago with the Rams before shuffling off to Buffalo, where they’re part of another championship contender.
Both of these teams have been regular division champions and title contenders since McDermott and McVay were hired one day apart in January 2017 in a remarkable coaching class that included San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan.
While McVay has the only ring among the trio, McDermott has more wins (88) than McVay (83) or Shanahan (77), along with more division crowns and playoff berths.
The Rams’ all-in approach to winning the title in February 2022 came at a cost to their depth, which is currently being restored by two promising draft classes. Meanwhile, the Bills have put together six consecutive winning seasons in part by identifying steady veteran pickups such as safety Rapp and left guard Edwards to counter the inevitable personnel losses from success.
“It’s a tremendous credit to their organization … the job that they’ve done of identifying their kinds of guys and then being able to develop within and onboard some of the right kinds of guys,” McVay said. “You look at two guys from our ecosystem. It’s really fun to be able to see how well David Edwards is doing. Taylor Rapp is really shining. I think they’ve got those foundational pieces that elevate people around them. You’re really seeing guys continue to get better. I think that’s a tremendous reflection of their coaching, of the conscientiousness of their guys.”
Those contrasting approaches have left these teams in different places heading into their first meeting since Buffalo thrashed the defending Super Bowl champions in the 2022 season opener at SoFi.
McDermott’s Bills have already clinched yet another AFC East crown and another playoff trip with five weeks to play. Buffalo hasn’t lost in two months, winning seven straight to stay right on the heels of nemesis Kansas City for the AFC’s top record.
The Rams are struggling to stay in the playoff race despite winning five of their past seven. They’ve had significant problems on both sides of the ball, and they’ve lost two straight at home after getting decimated by Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley two weeks ago.
Los Angeles’ young talent is beginning to shine through, but Buffalo is another daunting test. Matthew Stafford will attempt to go after the Bills’ inconsistent pass defense with receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.
“They’ve done a great job of keeping some players and then adding some other players, some new players to the roster, Puka being one of them,” McDermott said. “(Braden) Fiske is another, (and Jared) Verse another on the defensive side. … When I look at their roster, I see the elites, and then you also see players that are really good football players. They’re tough, they’re smart, they play different positions so they have that position flex, and I really respect the way that they’re building that roster.”
Fond memories
Miller maintains fond memories of his brief but successful time in closing the 2021 season with the Rams, which led to him winning his second Super Bowl title. Miller was acquired by the Rams in a midseason trade with Denver, and the NFL’s active sacks leader contributed nine sacks in 12 games.
Miller was torn the following offseason, but chose to sign with Buffalo rather than stay in LA.
“I love everything about L.A. The city brought me back. The team rejuvenated me,” the 35-year-old said this week. “But I made the right decision for me. You know, you can’t go wrong with either one. You go play with Matthew Stafford, or you go play with Josh Allen.”
Fearsome young foursome
The Rams’ young defensive front gets another big test from the Bills, who are second in the NFL in scoring offense. Fiske was the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Month for November after Verse won the award in September — and Kobie Turner won it in December 2023. That trio and Byron Young have combined for 21 1/2 sacks this season. They’ll attempt to make a major impact on the questionable parts of Buffalo’s offensive line.
Two TDs in one
Bills quarterback Josh Allen still doesn’t understand how he was credited with two touchdowns — one passing and another receiving — on one play in beating San Francisco last weekend.
“No, but don’t ask questions,” Allen said with a smile, referring to him completing a pass to Amari Cooper before the receiver lateralled the ball back to the quarterback, who capped the play by diving inside the left pylon.
Allen was timed reaching a top speed of 16.61 miles per hour (26.7 km) on the play.
“Is that good?” he asked. “We got the ball in the end zone. That’s good for me.”