One Buffalo Bills player could have a field day when the team plays the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in a Monday Night Football game on Oct. 12.
It's not who everyone thinks.
If the prime-time game lives up to its billing, it could end up being a high-scoring showdown between a pair of Super Bowl contenders.
The Bills are coming off a tough 29-26 home loss to the New England Patriots, where quarterback Josh Allen threw an interception late to seal Buffalo's fate.
Matthew Stafford did you one better, Josh. The veteran quarterback threw two interceptions as the Rams rallied from 10 points down to stun the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-20.
Still, one sports betting analyst sees a glimmer of hope for Bills fans.
Here's a roundup of early predictions for
the Week 5 matchup in prime time.
Bills vs. Rams odds
(Odds as of Monday afternoon)
- The Bills are 2.5-point underdogs.
- The over/under is 53.5 points.
- The money line is -155 (bet $155 to win $100) and the Bills are +130 (bet $100 to win $130).
Democrat and Chronicle: Rams 30, Bills 24
Sal Maiorana writes: The mismatch between the Rams passing game and the Bills defense is too glaring to ignore and the reigning 2025 NFL MVP Stafford, and his prime targets Nacua and Adams have to be licking their chops. Buffalo’s pass rush has been highly inconsistent. While the Bills are generating some pressure, it rarely leads to negative plays because opposing quarterbacks are escaping the pocket and finding open receivers against a secondary plagued by issues that extend well beyond cornerback.
CJ Gardner-Johnson made a big pick against the Chargers, but what else has he done as a veteran leader at safety? Same for Cole Bishop, who was supposed to rise into stardom this season after impressive growth last year but has been non-impactful. Alford has not been very good in his role in the slot, and the craziest thing is that Benford, who is the best DB the Bills have, is actually their lowest-graded player in coverage per Pro Football Focus through four games.
AZCentral.com: Rams 30, Bills 27
Jeremy Cluff writes: The Rams appeared to get on track late in their comeback win over the Eagles in Week 4. Can they stay on that track? Yes, Matthew Stafford and company can, and will, with a close win over Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in NFL Week 5.
Bookies.com: Take the over
Bill Speros writes: Both teams remain Super Bowl betting favorites. The Rams' defense is hobbled without Myles Garrett but wasn't missed in a 24-20 comeback win at Philly. Buffalo's defense got exposed by Drake Maye's second career fourth-quarter comeback in a 29-26 loss. That formula lines up well for Matthew Stafford and company in what should be a high-scoring track meet at SoFi.
ESPN: Rams win
The Bills have a 40.3% shot of winning the game, according to ESPN Analytics.
Dimers: Rams 28, Bills 25
Dimers gives the Bills a win probability of 39.4%, while the Rams have a win probability of 60.6%.
Sports Betting Dime: Bills 27.4, Rams 23.9
The site's formula predicts the Bills will win on the road.
BetMGM: Bills over 26.5 points
Nick Hennion writes: "Based on the Rams’ struggles against the run and the Bills’ proven ability to score on good defenses, my Rams vs Bills prediction is the Bills Over 26.5 Points.
James Cook should enjoy a strong performance against a unit that struggled against a comparable offense.
In Week 1, the Rams defense allowed 27 points to the 49ers, which dominated the ground. In Melbourne, Los Angeles posted its worst rush defense DVOA rating…with Myles Garrett.
Buffalo, despite injuries at receiver, remains strong along the offensive line. In Week 4, the offense averaged 4.6 yards per rush, only down slightly from 5.3 in Week 3.
For the Rams, the matchup offers a sizable upgrade in competition. Chris Shula’s unit goes from facing an Eagles offense missing virtually every important skill player to an offensive juggernaut.
It leads me to predict Buffalo clears a lower team total benchmark as dogs against a unit missing key pieces.
Bill Wolcott is a producer who helps cover the Buffalo Bills, high school and Rochester sports in general. The lifelong New Yorker has been a journalist for 32 years.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Early Bills vs. Rams predictions offer Buffalo a glimmer of hope
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