Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Welcome to the 2022 Buffalo Bills season! Based on Thursday night's performance in Los Angeles, it is going to be a doozy, for sure.
Especially after Buffalo went and beat the bricks out of the Los Angeles Rams, 31-10, despite four turnovers on offense.
Every week, we'll be bringing you the best, and worst, of every Bills game by sorting it into six main categories and grading them accordingly: Pass offense, run offense, special teams, pass defense, run defense, and coaching.
Without further ado, let's get some grades from this Bills win:
Passing offense
Despite a pair of early interceptions, the passing offense, led by an MVP frontrunner, was on point as usual.
Josh Allen had just five incompletions on the night, with two going to the other team (one was a legitimate drop by Isaiah McKenzie). Allen was routinely hitting the Rams with short and intermediate plays, before being able to drop bombs on the Los Angeles defense.
Stefon Diggs was on fire, consistently punking a top cornerback in Jalen Ramsey. Gabriel Davis just catches touchdowns - simple as that - while McKenzie was able to atone for that drop that led to a pick.
The Bills also only allowed two sacks from an Aaron Donald-led pass rush. You can't take the picks too harshly when the passing offense was downright humming all game.
GRADE: A-
Running offense
It is the same as last year: The Bills' leading rusher was their quarterback.
Devin Singletary was, easily, the best player in the backfield with 48 yards on eight carries. However, the good vibes might end there.
Rookie running back James Cook coughed up the ball on his very first NFL carry, and he didn't see the football again for the entire day.
While trying to chew out the clock, Zack Moss also fumbled to give it back to the Rams late in the game.
If they want to succeed more in the run game, they don't need to run it more, they need to run it better. That remains the case here.
Allen and Singletary save this group on Thursday.
GRADE: C-
Special teams
Kicker Tyler Bass had one gaffe that led directly to the only Rams touchdown on the day, after a kickoff out of bounds set Los Angeles up at their 40-yard line.
Bass was perfect otherwise.
Meanwhile, in Buffalo, punters only exist to hold for field goals, not to punt. Sam Martin's jersey number might be unknown to Bills fans with how their offense works.
Kickoff coverage was good, even pinning the Rams down to their own 10-yard line on a kickoff.
GRADE: B+
Pass defense
Seven sacks. Three interceptions.
Von Miller was worth every penny, if that is the impact he will bring on a weekly basis. Jordan Phillips gets sacks in a Bills uniform, that's just how it goes.
Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were their usual selves. Dane Jackson was fantastic in this game, while Chrisitan Benford and Kaiir Elam kept everyone in check, as Taron Johnson had to just limit the damage Cooper Kupp could cause.
While Kupp was able to do damage, the rest of the Rams' receivers were ghosts.
A dominant showing against the defending champs.
GRADE: A+
Run defense
If you drafted Cam Akers in fantasy football and started him Thursday night, that's your fault and people should laugh at you.
To be fair, Darrell Henderson Jr. did not get much going either.
The Rams had just 52 rushing yards as a team. It didn't matter who was in, the Bills dominated the trenches.
Ed Oliver was a force before he had to leave the game, Greg Rousseau was able to establish the edge, and Tim Settle may be the best upgrade to their defensive line depth from last year.
GRADE: A+
Coaching
Overcoming four turnovers and a kickoff out of bounds could cause panic within a team. However, we know the Bills have a steady hand leading them in Sean McDermott.
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier had a great plan, and can now play softer coverages with a defensive line like this.
Turnovers aside, the offense looked like Ken Dorsey was the play caller the whole time, they never skipped a beat. Plus, they didn't punt. Again!
A master class.
GRADE: A+
Enjoy this one while we have the time to relax. The Bills don't play again for 10 days, then they get to host the ham-sandwich Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium on "Monday Night Football" on Sept. 19.
