As the Los Angeles Rams welcome the Buffalo Bills
to SoFi Stadium for their fourth prime-time game in five weeks, defensive coordinator Chris Shula is gearing up for one of the biggest non-playoff games of his career. His defense had its moments last week, but outside of issues induced by the Philadelphia Eagles being gifted short fields, the unit was stout, and their second-half shutout was the difference for the team.This week, Josh Allen comes to town, and the last time he faced Shula and the Rams, he scored six touchdowns and had over 400 yards of total offense by himself. It was only through Matthew Stafford's gunslinger nature and the offense's sheer will to win that Los Angeles walked away with a 44-42 victory in 2024.
Before that, Allen
and the Bills ruined the Rams' 2022 opener and Super Bowl banner-hanging celebration. Going up against Shula's mentor, Raheem Morris, he dropped four touchdowns and over 300 yards in a 31-10 defeat for the Rams.
If that wasn't enough, Allen actually has gone 3-for-3 in big-time performances against Sean McVay's side, totaling 311 yards passing and five total touchdowns against the Rams in a 35-32 victory for Buffalo in 2020. That was against Brandon Staley's No. 1 defense.
Allen has smoked the Rams, but for the best defense the team has had since their Super Bowl LVI victory, this week will prove if Shula is the right man for the job. Allen has all the tools needed to succeed, but the Rams could have both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson available, with both being Buffalo killers during their championship tenures with the Kansas City Chiefs. Plus, Aaron Donald is trending toward playing.
Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart's speed on the edge should help neutralize Allen's dual-threat ability. However, this game will come down to one simple question. How will Allen handle pressure? Shula has the option to blitz Allen, which I would recommend, as it would limit his ability to scramble. He's notoriously awful when Steve Spagnuolo and Kansas City do it.
Shula could also rely on a four-man rush, using his defensive backs to cover Allen's talented teammates. It will be a chess match, but those who have succeeded against Buffalo are those who force Allen to be uncomfortable in high-pressure moments. Can Shula design that scenario? Can he finally crack the Allen code?
We will see.
Los Angeles better hope Allen never comes to the NFC because facing him once every four years or so is tough enough. Three different coordinators, three whoopings. If Shula is championship-quality, the buck must stop here.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Can Rams DC Chris Shula finally solve the Josh Allen puzzle?
