The Los Angeles Rams came into the season looking like one of the dominant teams in the NFL, one that would have an excellent chance of contending for a Super Bowl title. In addition to the outstanding offensive combination of quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide out Puka Nacua, the Rams appeared to have put together one of the dangerous defensive teams in recent memory.
The Rams had acquired Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in the offseason, and bringing in the best defensive player in the league got the attention of Aaron Donald. The former All-Pro defensive tackle had retired after the 2023 season, but he sensed the addition of Garrett made the Rams a powerful team with the capability of dominating opponents. Donald was interested in making a comeback and after flirting with the idea throughout training camp, he decided to return to the Rams shortly before the start fo the season.
While the Rams have gotten off to a halting start — they are 2-2 heading into the Week 5 Monday night game against the Bills — the primary goals remain the same. The Rams are determined to go to the Super Bowl and win it.
Donald will give the Rams defense a boost
Donald has been working himself back into game shape since he started thinking about making a comeback. The goal is to have him in peak form by late November or early December. After missing the last two games with what has been listed as a back issue, Donald will be in the lineup against the Bills. This should be a major boost for head coach Sean McVay’s team.
The presence of Donald in the lineup will obviously give the Rams some extra impetus, and it will cause major fantasy issues for the Buffalo Bills. QB Josh Allen knows that Donald is capable of wrecking the game plan by himself and he will have to be aware of his presence no matter where the dynamic defensive player is on the field. It is something more the Bills to be concerned with as the game progresses. Allen will usually take off and run without fear. That will not happen when Donald is on the field.
Rams should be relatively healthy for Bills
The Rams are expected to have nearly all of their top players available for the test against the Bills. Here’s the way the latest injury report looked after the team’s last practice session:
TE Colby Parkinson, full participation in practice (knee), OLB Byron Young, did not practice (rest), OL Alaric Jackson, did not practice (rest), TE Tyler Higbee, did not practice (rest), WR Davante Adams, full participation in practice (rest), LB Nathan Landman, full participation in practice (shoulder), S Quentin Lake, questionable (hip), OLB Josaiah Stewart, limited participation in practice (groin), LB Grant Stuard, limited participation in practice (hamstring).
Parkinson has a chance to be a key factor for the Rams offense. While he has not done much this season as he has just three receptions, he was the team’s third-leading receiver a year ago. He caught 43 passes for 408 yards with 8 touchdowns. Since the Bills are going to concentrate on keeping Nakua and Adams in check, it may be easy for Parkinson to serve as both a third-down and red zone target. If he is open, there is no doubt that Stafford will throw it to him. Look for Parkinson to find the end zone in this game.
Adams remains a huge factor
Since Nacua was injured earlier in the year, Adams has been the Rams go-to receiver throughout the first four games of the season. Adams has caught 22 passes for 390 yards with 2 TDs and 7 plays of 20 yards or more. Nacua may be the most dangerous receiver in the league and he is expected to catch double-digit passes in this game. However, Adams could still be the receiver that makes the big plays in this game because he still excels at going over the top of the defense. Look for Adams to finish the game with more than 75 receiving yards and 1 TD catch.
The defensive injury that is most concerning to the Rams is Lake’s hip issue. Lake has been one of the Rams’ most dependable defensive players to this point. He has a team-leading 31 tackles along with 7 passes defensed, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble. The likelihood is that Lake will be able to play in this game, but the Bills will certainly try to test him.
This game may turn into a back-and-forth offensive show as the presence of the Bills quarterback regularly leads to high-scoring games. If Lake is not at full health, it could hurt the Rams quite a bit.
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