Prolific trash-talker Jalen Ramsey got exposed in a big way Thursday night, limping into 2022 with a disastrous performance in the Los Angeles Rams’ Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The three-time All-Pro cornerback allowed six catches on seven balls thrown his way for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers compute to a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating for Josh Allen, who erupted for 297 yards through the air, accomplished on efficient 26-of-31 passing (83.9%) in a 31-10 Bills rout.
Unfazed by Los Angeles' pregame festivities, which included raising a championship banner to the SoFi Stadium rafters (Odell Beckham Jr., whose free agency has been a continued source of speculation, was in attendance for the ceremony), Allen annihilated the Rams, handing them the second-worst loss by a defending champ in their season opener.
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Displaying all the familiar symptoms of the dreaded “championship hangover,” the Rams’ rust was evident on opening night, done in by a non-existent ground game (52 combined rushing yards, four less than Allen on eight fewer attempts) and a sluggish effort from quarterback Matthew Stafford, whose nightmare outing included seven sacks (resulting in a net loss of 49 yards) and three interceptions, each backbreaking turnover more deflating than the last.
It was a night to forget, especially for Ramsey, who, in getting torched for the better part of four quarters, was reminded of his past criticism of Allen, dismissing the Bills quarterback as “trash” in a "GQ" profile from 2018.
Ramsey had already walked back his comments from four years ago, acknowledging the “challenges” presented by Allen’s dual-threat skill set before facing him in 2020. And while Ramsey still has Allen beat in one key metric — Super Bowls — it’s jarring how little success he’s had in their three regular-season matchups, losing all three with Allen totaling 11 touchdowns in that span.
Thursday was, by all accounts, a statement win for Allen and the Bills, beating the defending champs by three touchdowns on their home turf. As lopsided as the final margin was, it could have been much worse with Buffalo appearing careless at times, committing four turnovers (two interceptions, two lost fumbles) in the winning cause.
Former Rams pass rusher Von Miller joined Buffalo this offseason, an admittedly difficult decision for the former Super Bowl MVP, who logged four tackles and two sacks in his Bills debut.
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