Week 5 of the NFL season kicked off last night between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys, and we are one day closer to Monday Night Football where the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams will clash out in California.
The Bills are looking to get back on track from their Week 4 loss against the New England Patriots, and the Rams don't give them an easy task on Monday night. The Rams, who are dealing with some injuries and inconsistency, are still a tough team that have a high-powered offense led by Matthew Stafford and his crew.
With the Bills facing pressure in the AFC East with New England right behind them, they have to bring their A-game against the Rams, who are looking to continue their momentum from their close victory last Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Heading into this primetime showdown, we had the chance to talk with John Sbisa, who serves as the Site Expert for Ramblin' Fan (FanSided's coverage for the LA Rams), and Sbisa was able to provide some key intel about the Rams going into this epic matchup.
Bills vs Rams Week 5 insights
Ray: What is your confidence level (1-10; 1 being terrified and 10 being "bring it on!") for the Rams going into a primetime matchup against the Bills and why?
Sbisa: "Ah, how the script has changed since the rosy-cheeked offseason. The Rams are not a confidence-inspiring team right now. Matthew Stafford can't find his groove. Even with Puka Nacua back, injuries persist on both sides of the ball. They were lucky to escape with a Week 4 win in Philadelphia, thanks to a strong defensive effort in the second half paired with another putrid outing for the Eagles offense."
Sbisa: "Despite falling to the Patriots, the Bills seem to have a more energized and versatile offense than anything in recent years. Josh Allen finally has playmakers. While the defense has given up some points, that's a scary team that can and will win in a shootout. Even at home, it's hard to feel confident in a Rams victory against any team worth its salt."
Ray: Matt Stafford has had a bit of a tough start to the season with a TD-INT ratio of 6:6. Do you expect the Rams to go pass heavy with Stafford, or focus on establishing the rushing attack?
Sbisa: "It depends. Many Rams fans have chastised head coach Sean McVay for abandoning the run, and while there's some truth to that, it's also been a product of losing game scripts and the rushing attack's waning effectiveness in second halves. Then Stafford chucks up picks and incompletions and the vicious cycle intensifies. The reigning MVP clearly hasn't been himself."
Sbisa: "Meanwhile, running back Kyren Williams has his sights set on a career year. After consecutive games exceeding 50 pass attempts, look for the Rams to aim for balance early. Beyond that, it'll be about whether they can stay competitive and avoid being forced into pass-heavy circumstances."
Ray: Who is someone on the Rams' defense that isn't the biggest name across the NFL, but has made so impactful for LA that Bills fans should be keeping an eye on and why?
Sbisa: "Safety Kamren Kinchens. Out with a hamstring injury for the past two games, his return against the Eagles was a shot in the arm for a secondary reeling from the loss of starting cornerback Jaylen Watson, who dislocated his shoulder in Week 3 and is questionable for Monday's game. Kinchens is both a ballhawk and a hard-hitter, and his presence affords the Rams a lot more flexibility in how they set up their DBs."
Ray: The last time these two teams met, there were 86 total points and Josh Allen scored 6 total touchdowns. Do you believe that this has the making for yet another high-scoring game?
Sbisa: "I think we'll see some scoring, but that depends on what version of the Rams shows up. The Bills will score on anyone, and they're catching the home team at a good time with Myles Garrett still out and Aaron Donald and Watson questionable. LA won't get away with sleepwalking for 52 and a half minutes against Buffalo like they did last week."
Sbisa: "For a cynical Rams fan, it's not all that difficult to imagine a game in which they come out flat, the Bills get up early, and McVay stables his horses with the game out of reach. In other words, a game with points, but on one side of the scoreboard. Hopefully the Rams can build on Sunday's fourth-quarter momentum and we get a competitive slugfest."
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