Monday Night Football: Bills beat Rams 37-34 in overtime in instant classic

Published October 12, 2026 11:58 PM The Bills and Rams were a popular preseason pick to meet in the Super Bowl. If Monday night was a preview, Super Bowl LXI will be a good one.The heavyweights went back-and-forth on Monday night, with eight lead changes and 35 combined fourth-quarter points.The game, appropriately, was decided in overtime.Bills kicker Tyler Bass made a 45-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining in overtime for a 37-34 victory. The Bills are 4-1 and the Rams 2-3.The first half was all defense as the teams combined for 270 total yards, one play over 20 yards, 20 points, one punt, one turnover and one missed field goal. The second half was all Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford as the quarterbacks took over. The teams ended up combining for 71 points and 890 yards.Both teams had chances to win it late in regulation and again in overtime. James Cook’s 5-yard touchdown run with 1:39 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Bills a brief 34-27 lead, with Buffalo burning 5:35 of the final 7:14. It left plenty of time for Stafford, who led the Rams on an eight-play, 63-yard drive in only 1:34. Rams running back Kyren Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run with 5 seconds left tied it 34-34 and sent it to overtime.The Rams won the toss in overtime and chose to kickoff. On their first drive, the Bills faced a second-and-16 after a holding penalty. Khalil Shakir then had a 57-yard catch-and-run to the Los Angeles 22 before Rams safety Kamren Kinchens made the touchdown-saving tackle. On the next play, Cook fumbled for the second time. His teammates saved him on the first one but not on the second.Rams linebacker Nate Landman punched the ball out and defensive lineman Aaron Donald recovered at the 20. Officials missed Landman removing his helmet in the field of play, which should have been a 15-yard penalty.The Rams then drove 50 yards in eight plays to the Buffalo 30 before kicker Harrison Mevis missed for a second time. Greg Rousseau blocked Mevis’ 48-yard attempt.Allen directed the game-winning drive, with the Bills going 35 yards in five plays. Allen had runs of 19 and 13 on the game-winning drive, and he finished his night with 10 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown. He was 12-of-19 for 210 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. Cook ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.The Rams outgained the Bills 454 to 436, with Puka Nacua setting a career-high and a Monday Night Football record with 17 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. Nacua had 24 targets.Stafford was 40-of-54 for 383 yards and three touchdowns.Blake Corum and Kyren Williams each had a rushing touchdown, and Davante Adams caught two touchdown passes.