THOUSAND OAKS — On to the Giants. But first, Brandon Staley had to relive the end of the Rams’ game against the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday.
“It’s certainly a heartbreaker,” the Rams’ defensive coordinator said Wednesday. “It was one of those two minutes that we’ll never forget.”
Not that they want to forget a sequence that gave them as many lessons, and encouraging signs, as disappointments.
After holding the Dallas Cowboys to 17 points and the Philadelphia Eagles to 19, they gave up too many long plays of 20 yards or more and lost to the Bills 35-32.
The Bills’ final 75-yard drive, which actually took 4:30, cost the Rams an epic comeback win and left the defense to confront its first failure with Staley in charge.
Staley didn’t sugarcoat it as the Rams (2-1) started practice for Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium against the New York Giants (0-3). He told writers:
“We’re not going to be using being a new defense or the offseason as excuses. We’ve just got to execute, ourselves, better.”
“Some of the big plays were (Bills quarterback) Josh (Allen) making a play. But we gave up too many where we missed a tackle. I didn’t think we tackled very well in the first half.”
“Explosions (long plays) and takeaways win the day in this league. We didn’t do a good enough job limiting the explosions in that game.
“And then we had a couple miscommunication (plays) for sure. I personally need to do better for these guys.”
Staley also noted how close the Rams were to sealing a victory several times.
“There were just a lot of things that happened that are kind of uncommon, just a weird chain of events,” said the 37-year-old, who was on his way to a statue in downtown Inglewood after his first two games as an NFL defensive play-caller.
On Allen’s completion to Cole Beasley for 22 yards and a first down on third-and-22 from the Buffalo 31, a Rams pass-rusher slipped at the line of scrimmage, letting the quarterback get loose to the right and avoid a sack by Aaron Donald.
“I think if we kept the edge (containment), Aaron probably ends the game there, because he was coming free,” Staley said.
It was Michael Brockers who slipped.
“My technique was really bad on that one,” Brockers said Monday. “(Allen) had enough time to convert. That was one of the plays you want back.”
Staley said a Rams defensive back also slipped on Allen’s completion to Stefon Diggs for 17 yards on third-and-25 from the L.A. 30.
The Rams have already aired their grievances about what happened on fourth-and-8. Allen’s throw to Davis sailed incomplete, but Darious Williams was flagged for pass interference. Allen passed to Tim Kroft on the next play, with 15 seconds on the clock, for the winning touchdown.
Now it was time to air grievances about themselves.
The Rams’ defense tightened up late but showed soft spots earlier in their first two games. In Buffalo they gave up gains of 39, 21, 29 and 34 yards on three consecutive touchdown drives in the second and early third quarter. That was after rookie safety Jordan Fuller went out with a shoulder injury.
Then an interception by safety John Johnson and an Allen fumble forced by Donald helped to spring the kind of comeback the Rams never made in 2019.
It’s a young defense built around Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, playing a new system under Staley. There are bound to be growing pains.
The Giants present another mobile quarterback in Daniel Jones. Staley said the Rams might add a fifth or sixth pass rusher on some downs, hoping to turn the pressure they put on Allen into sacks this time.
“There are a lot of little things to learn from on that last series. I know it’s going to bring us closer together. We take full ownership of what happened,” Staley said.
“Every time we go out as a defense right now, we get better,” he promised.
Notes
Running back Cam Akers, who missed the Buffalo game after injuring his ribs against Philadelphia, didn’t practice Wednesday and is day-to-day, coach Sean McVay said. … Outsider linebacker Terrell Lewis (knee) is eligible to come off the non-football-injury list after missing three games but is unlikely to be activated this week. Lewis began practicing Wednesday. … The Rams practiced, though not in pads, in 103 degrees in Thousand Oaks. “It doesn’t change anything for a day,” McVay said of the heat. “Got to drink up and have some mental toughness.” … The Rams announced they’ll wear the yellow (now called “sol”) pants — with blue jerseys — for the first time this season in Sunday’s home game vs. the Giants. … The Rams were 12 1/2-point favorites over the Giants on Wednesday afternoon. That’s the largest point spread in the NFL this season. … Giants coach Joe Judge said he started the practice week by telling players about the Rams’ “great history” in Cleveland, L.A. and St. Louis, the origin of the team name, etc. “Obviously, the only team in NFL history to win three world championships in three different cities,” Judge said to New York and L.A. writers. Obviously!
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