Prolific trash-talker Jalen Ramsey got exposed in a big way Thursday night, limping into 2022 with a disastrous performance in the Rams’ Week 1 loss to Buffalo, allowing six catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns on seven targets. 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 completion percentage) in a 31-10 Bills rout.
Unfazed by L.A.’s pregame festivities, which included raising a championship banner to the SoFi Stadium rafters (Odell Beckham, 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. 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 (Ramsey, it should be noted, did win his lone playoff encounter with Allen in 2017, contributing an interception in a 10-3 Jaguars victory).
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 Ram 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. Impressed by what he saw while auditing Thursday night’s game, Beckham may be plotting a similar defection, teasing his interest in the Bills on Twitter.
Of course, Beckham is still rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in last year’s Super Bowl, a recovery that could stretch well into the regular season.
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