The Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams open the season Thursday night, as two Super Bowl hopefuls square off at the site of Super Bowl 56 nearly seven months ago.
Enthusiasm around the Bills is at a fever pitch, as their last meaningful game will go down as one of the best in NFL history. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes got into a shootout for the ages in the AFC Divisional Round, with Mahomes and the Chiefs barely edging out the Bills. This year, Buffalo has its sights set on a Super Bowl and nothing else, as Allen looks to get over the hump with the Bills.
The Rams, meanwhile, are looking to defend their title after hoisting the Lombardi last February. In true Rams fashion, they reloaded over the offseason, signing wide receiver Allen Robinson in the stead of Odell Beckham Jr., who remains a free agent after tearing his ACL against the Bengals in Super Bowl 56. Matthew Stafford and Cam Akers are also banged up, but Cooper Kupp should be true to form for Los Angeles.
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The Bills and Rams both have Super Bowl ceilings this season, so this game should be a great litmus test for both them. Will the Rams experience a Super Bowl hangover? Or will they come out firing on all cylinders against a team many think could take the throne this year?
Bills vs. Rams score
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Bills vs. Rams live updates, highlights from Thursday night football
(All times Eastern.)
9:20 p.m. — The Rams turn it around quickly, as — stop me if you’ve heard this before — Stafford finds Kupp in the corner of the end zone for the first Rams touchdown of the game. Kupp stays as reliable as it gets for the Rams offense. Bills 10, Rams 7
9:19 p.m. — Henderson finally breaks through for the Rams running game, taking a pitch 18 yards for a first down. It’ll be first-and-goal Los Angeles.
Ed Oliver is injured for Buffalo from the previous series.
9:15 p.m. — And the Rams convert to Kupp again! Kupp was stacked up right at the sticks, but the offensive line pushed him over the marker before the play was whistled dead. Good heads up play by the Rams to keep the drive alive at the Bills 26.
9:14 p.m. — As the Rams spread it out, Jordan Phillips logs a sack on Stafford barreling up the middle for a 10-yard loss. Stafford follows up with a completion to Allen Robinson to make it fourth-and-short. Nice job there to get it back, and they’ll huddle up to go for it.
9:11 p.m. — Good way to address it, as Ben Skowronek converts on third down in space and the Rams keep the ball. Brandon Powell gets a carry, but the Bills get hit with holding to give the Rams a first down. Akers still has just one carry for zero yards.
9:10 p.m. — Tutu Atwell drops a pass on second-and-6 after getting popped before he can secure the catch. The Rams offense is just a bit out of rhythm right now.
9:09 p.m. — The Bills kick the ball out of bounds and the Rams will start from their own 40.
9:05 p.m. — The Rams brought heat and Allen tries to hit Davis on an out route but misses as Davis hits the ground. Bills want pass interference but there’s nothing there. Bills convert on a field goal to make it a two-possession game. Bills 10, Rams 0
9:04 p.m. — Tough running from Zack Moss on a screen after a 21-yard completion on the sideline to Diggs after Troy Hill went for a pick. Moss picks up four after being bottled up and the Bills go right back to him to set up third-and-3.
9:03 p.m. — The Bills convert another third down with a nice timing route to Gabe Davis, and for viewers at home, watch the way the Bills are handling Donald in the trenches. Really impressive work so far, even on downhill downs for the Rams pass rush.
8:58 p.m. — ANOTHER interception, this time from Stafford to the Bills defense, as Dane Jackson undercuts an errant Stafford pass for the third turnover of the half. Still 7-0 Bills early here.
Dane Jackson answers with an INT for the @BuffaloBills defense! #Kickoff2022 #BillsMafia
📺: #BUFvsLAR on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LlxLdqcZb3 pic.twitter.com/qXUx13nKPN— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2022
8:57 p.m. — The Bills aren’t getting out of their own way early. James Cook fumbles his first career carry and the Rams recover, so they’ll start with the ball deep in Buffalo territory.
Two first half turnovers for the @RamsNFL defense! #RamsHouse #Kickoff2022
📺: #BUFvsLAR on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LlxLdqcZb3 pic.twitter.com/eQ7w67EtNz— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2022
8:54 p.m. — The Bills give up absolutely no ground on third down, as Henderson gets closed on in the backfield by Christian Benford and stopped short. The Rams are unable to capitalize on the turnover, and they punt it to Jameson Crowder, who takes it back to the 32.
8:51 p.m. — Cam Akers is still yet to see the field, as Darrell Henderson Jr. gets yet another carry. The Rams follow up with a completion to Kupp to end the first quarter, so the Rams will have third-and-4 coming out of the break. Bills 7, Rams 0 after one.
8:47 p.m. — The Rams stop the drive with a bit of good fortune! Isaiah McKenzie drops a slant route from Allen that gets picked off by Terrell Lewis. Potentially huge play there for the L.A. defense, which was floundering leading up to that play.
8:46 p.m. — The Rams get hit by horse-collar penalty on a checkdown to Dawson Knox. The Bills are cooking with gas again, and are at the Rams 33-yard line with first-and-10.
8:44 p.m. —It’s hard to put into words how good the throw Allen just made to convert that third down was. He just threw a dart to Diggs behind two Rams to keep the Bills’ drive alive. Terrific pass.
8:43 p.m. — Donald records his first sack of the season as Allen tries to climb the pocket. Just a ridiculous show of strength from the superstar defensive lineman. Impossible to answer.
CAREER SACK NO. 99 FOR NO. 99 @AaronDonald97#RamsHouse #Kickoff2022
📺: #BUFvsLAR on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LlxLdqcZb3 pic.twitter.com/rHUG2Gaypt— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2022
8:40 p.m. — The Bills will start this next drive from their own nine, as Josh Allen looks to build on his 5 of 5, 58-yard start.
8:38 p.m. — The Rams had gotten into Bills territory, but Von Miller records a sack against his former team to knock them right back out. The Rams are forced to punt after a completion to Kupp underneath falls short of the sticks. Bills defense wins the first bout of the night.
Broncos. Rams. Bills. Doesn’t matter. @VonMiller gets his sacks. #BillsMafia #Kickoff2022
📺: #BUFvsLAR on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LlxLdqcZb3 pic.twitter.com/AJruJkiPXZ— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2022
8:36 p.m. — The Rams convert to, perhaps unsurprisingly, Cooper Kupp! Kupp sneaks behind the zone defense to give the Rams a fresh set of downs. Good-looking play there.
8:35 p.m. — The Rams are behind the sticks on their opening drive, with a false start after a five-yard gain from Darrell Henderson Jr. It’s third-and-8.
8:30 p.m. — On third-and-short, the Bills convert and then some! Allen runs play action into a bootleg and drops an easy pass into a wide-open Gabe Davis to put the Bills up early. 5:04 on the 75-yard drive for the Bills. Bills 7, Rams 0
Gabe Davis is STILL a touchdown machine!
The first TD of the 2022 NFL season ✅ @gabedavis13_ @JoshAllenQB
📺: #BUFvsLAR on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LlxLdqcZb3 pic.twitter.com/DaW8ftyciz— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2022
8:29 p.m. — The Rams defensive line does a decent job getting to Allen on his first non-timing play, but he breaks the pocket and throws a dart to Zack Moss on the move to come up just short of a first down.
8:28 p.m. — The ROI from Diggs is already high. Bills aren’t doing anything groundbreaking, just getting guys in space, as they convert another quick-hitter to their No. 1 receiver. Buffalo is chugging early.
8:27 p.m. — The Bills are getting a few people involved early, with Diggs, Allen, and now Devin Singletary being involved in first down conversions. They’re now already in Los Angeles territory.
8:25 p.m. — Josh Allen shows off his outstanding legs early, as he tucks and runs on second-and-4 after a completion to Stefon Diggs. Showcasing his versatility early.
8:24 p.m. — And we are underway on the 2022 season! The Bills take the kickoff and will start from the 25-yard line. Welcome!
8:17 p.m. — Von Miller sported a Bruce Smith shirt during Bills warm-ups. Don’t question whether or not he’s in on the Bills culture.
.@VonMiller repping the legendary Bruce Smith in his first game with the @BuffaloBills. 🔥 #BillsMafia
📺: #BUFvsLAR — 8:20pm ET on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LlxLdqcrlv pic.twitter.com/VGUdaqCEeG— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2022
8:10 p.m. — Welcome to NFL kickoff between the Bills and the Rams! The Sporting News will be covering all things opening day from kickoff until the end of the night.
What time is the NFL game tonight?
- Date: Sep. 8, 2022
- Time: 8:20 p.m.
The Bills and Rams will square off at 8:20 p.m. ET with NBC’s pregame coverage of the contest and NFL kickoff beginning at 7 p.m. For Rams fans, coverage will begin at 4 p.m. with a 5:20 p.m. kickoff, as they’re in the PT time zone.
Throughout the season, all Thursday night games will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET. The only Thursday with day games will be Thanksgiving, per usual.
Bills vs. Rams will be played at Sofi Stadium, both the home of the Rams and the location at which they won Super Bowl.
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