Buffalo Bills vs Los Angeles Rams Match Player Stats (Dec 8, 2024)
Los Angeles edged Buffalo 44 to 42 in the 4:25 PM ET kickoff at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday afternoon, December 8, 2024. The highest scoring game of the NFL season saw Josh Allen make history as the first player to throw three touchdowns and run for three more in a single game. Allen finished 22 of 37 for 342 passing yards and added 82 rushing yards with six total scores. Matthew Stafford countered with 320 yards and two scores on 23 of 30 passing. Puka Nacua caught 12 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown while Kyren Williams carried 29 times for 87 yards and two scores in the Week 14 regular season matchup.
Table of Contents
Passing Numbers
Buffalo Bills
| Player | Completions | Attempts | Yards | TDs | INTs | Rating | Sacks Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Allen | 22 | 37 | 342 | 3 | 0 | 117.2 | 0 |
Los Angeles Rams
| Player | Completions | Attempts | Yards | TDs | INTs | Rating | Sacks Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stafford | 23 | 30 | 320 | 2 | 0 | 132.6 | 0 |
Stafford completed 76.7 percent of his passes for a 132.6 passer rating, picking apart Buffalo’s secondary. Allen spread his 342 yards across more attempts but converted when the Bills needed first downs. Neither quarterback took a sack as both offensive lines dominated throughout.
Rushing Stats
Buffalo Bills
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | TDs | Longest Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Allen | 10 | 82 | 8.2 | 3 | 30 |
| James Cook | 6 | 20 | 3.3 | 0 | 8 |
| Curtis Samuel | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team Total | 17 | 103 | 6.1 | 3 | 30 |
Los Angeles Rams
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | TDs | Longest Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyren Williams | 29 | 87 | 3.0 | 2 | 12 |
| Blake Corum | 8 | 34 | 4.3 | 0 | 11 |
| Puka Nacua | 5 | 16 | 3.2 | 1 | 9 |
| Team Total | 42 | 137 | 3.3 | 3 | 12 |
The Rams ran 42 times to Buffalo’s 17, grinding clock despite Williams averaging just 3.0 yards per carry. Los Angeles held possession for 38:30 compared to Buffalo’s 21:30.
A 17 minute advantage proved decisive.
Allen’s 8.2 yards per rush came from designed quarterback runs and scrambles that kept drives alive. His three rushing touchdowns all came from one yard out: first quarter, early fourth quarter, and with 1:00 remaining to pull within two points.
Receiving Performance
Buffalo Bills
| Player | Receptions | Targets | Yards | Average | TDs | Longest Catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khalil Shakir | 5 | 8 | 106 | 21.2 | 1 | 51 |
| Amari Cooper | 6 | 14 | 95 | 15.8 | 0 | 26 |
| Mack Hollins | 4 | 6 | 57 | 14.3 | 1 | 21 |
| Ty Johnson | 2 | 3 | 55 | 27.5 | 1 | 41 |
| Curtis Samuel | 2 | 3 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 11 |
| James Cook | 2 | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 |
| Dawson Knox | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
Los Angeles Rams
| Player | Receptions | Targets | Yards | Average | TDs | Longest Catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puka Nacua | 12 | 14 | 162 | 13.5 | 1 | 21 |
| Cooper Kupp | 5 | 8 | 92 | 18.4 | 1 | 37 |
| Tutu Atwell | 3 | 3 | 45 | 15.0 | 0 | 21 |
| Colby Parkinson | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 |
| Kyren Williams | 2 | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 6 |
Nacua caught 12 of 14 targets, controlling the middle of the field throughout. Stafford concentrated on his top two receivers: Nacua and Kupp combined for 17 catches, 254 yards, and both passing touchdowns. The surgical focus kept Buffalo’s defense from sitting on any single route.
Cooper’s six catches on 14 targets (95 yards) showed Buffalo spread their attack despite tight coverage throughout. Shakir’s 51 yard touchdown in the third quarter cut the deficit to 31 to 21, but Los Angeles answered every scoring burst.
Johnson scored on a 41 yard screen pass in the second quarter. Allen dumped it short left. Johnson found his blockers, then raced down the sideline untouched. The Bills cut the deficit to 17 to 14.
Defense Breakdown
Buffalo Bills
| Player | Position | Total Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | Pass Deflections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damar Hamlin | S | 13 | 7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taylor Rapp | S | 13 | 8 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrel Bernard | LB | 10 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | CB | 8 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 |
| Taron Johnson | CB | 7 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rasul Douglas | CB | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Epenesa | DE | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
Los Angeles Rams
| Player | Position | Total Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | Pass Deflections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Rozeboom | LB | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darious Williams | CB | 6 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamren Curl | S | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Omar Speights | LB | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Young | LB | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamren Kinchens | S | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 |
Zero sacks on either side.
Buffalo managed two quarterback hits from Ed Oliver and Von Miller. The Rams generated five pressures but never brought Allen down. Both teams combined for 902 yards of total offense.
Hamlin and Rapp topped Buffalo with 13 tackles each, spending much of the game in constant pursuit. Those high safety numbers indicated the Rams consistently reached the second and third levels. Rozeboom recorded a team-high eight tackles for Los Angeles.
Douglas left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury, weakening Buffalo’s secondary during the Rams’ final two scoring drives. Nacua caught the game winner after Douglas departed.
Bills coach Sean McDermott addressed the defensive struggles: “They did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Defensively and special teams, neither were good enough to help us win this game.”
Special Teams
Kicking
| Team | Kicker | FG Made/Att | FG % | Long | XP Made/Att | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | Tyler Bass | 0/0 | N/A | N/A | 6/6 | 6 |
| Rams | Joshua Karty | 1/1 | 100% | 22 | 5/6 | 8 |
Karty’s missed extra point after the Rams went up 44 to 35 with 1:54 left nearly proved fatal. The miss kept Buffalo within nine points instead of 10, allowing the Bills to pull within two on their final drive rather than needing a two point conversion.
Punting
| Team | Punter | Punts | Yards | Average | Inside 20 | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | Sam Martin | 2 | 101 | 50.5 | 0 | 55 |
| Rams | Ethan Evans | 2 | 95 | 47.5 | 0 | 53 |
Jacob Hummel blocked Martin’s second quarter punt. Hunter Long scooped it at the Buffalo 22, returning it 22 yards for a touchdown.
Seventeen to seven Rams.
Buffalo hadn’t allowed a blocked punt touchdown since the 2021 season opener against Pittsburgh. The Rams hadn’t blocked a punt since 2018. Los Angeles never trailed after the special teams score, controlling possession and extending leads that Buffalo chased the rest of the afternoon.
Returns
Kick Returns
| Player | Team | Returns | Yards | Average | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Whittington | LAR | 3 | 82 | 27.3 | 33 |
| Brandon Codrington | BUF | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 20 |
| Ray Davis | BUF | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 14 |
Punt Returns
| Player | Team | Returns | Yards | Average | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Smith | LAR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 |
Team Totals
| Category | Buffalo Bills | Los Angeles Rams |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 25 | 28 |
| Total Yards | 445 | 457 |
| Yards Per Play | 8.2 | 6.3 |
| Total Plays | 54 | 72 |
| Passing Yards | 342 | 320 |
| Rushing Yards | 103 | 137 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 0 |
| Third Down Conversions | 5/9 (55.6%) | 11/15 (73.3%) |
| Fourth Down Conversions | 0/0 | 1/1 (100%) |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 3/3 (100%) | 5/6 (83.3%) |
| Time of Possession | 21:30 | 38:30 |
| Penalties | 7 for 59 yards | 9 for 99 yards |
Buffalo averaged 8.2 yards per play but ran only 54 offensive plays. The Rams ran 72 plays at 6.3 yards per attempt, a volume advantage that sustained drives and kept Buffalo’s offense on the sideline. Los Angeles converted 11 of 15 third downs at a 73.3 percent success rate.
This became the first game in NFL history where both teams scored over 40 points with zero turnovers, according to Pro Football Reference. The 86 combined points marked the season’s highest scoring affair.
Allen Makes History
Allen became the first player in NFL history to throw three passing touchdowns and run for three rushing touchdowns in the same game. The six total touchdowns matched his career high and tied a Bills franchise record.
He passed Cam Newton for most career games with at least two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. Allen now has 23 such games compared to Newton’s 22.
The 27 year old reached 4,000 career rushing yards, joining Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Randall Cunningham, and Steve Young as the only quarterbacks with 25,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards. Allen set the Bills franchise record with his 27th career 300 yard passing game, breaking Jim Kelly’s mark of 26. This marked his sixth consecutive season with 3,000 passing yards, another franchise record.
Despite the historic performance, Allen focused on the loss. “Hate losing,” Allen said after the game. “If you lose by two or lose by 100, it doesn’t matter, you are still losing. Offensively, we have to find ways to score before and after the half. We didn’t do our part.”
He dismissed his six touchdown performance: “I have to make one more play than they do. It was a total team loss in three phases. We didn’t play up to our standards.”
His passing touchdowns went to Johnson (41 yards), Shakir (51 yards), and Hollins (21 yards). His three rushing scores all came from one yard out.
The week before, Allen threw, ran, and caught a touchdown against San Francisco, becoming the first quarterback to accomplish that triple in one game. Two consecutive historic weeks for Buffalo’s franchise signal caller.
Hummel’s Blocked Punt
Second quarter. Bills punting from their own 48. Rams leading 10 to 7.
Hummel burst through the line unblocked. He got both hands on Martin’s punt. The ball bounced backward. Long grabbed it at the Buffalo 22 with a clear lane to the end zone.
Touchdown Rams.
The seven point swing mattered in a two point game. Los Angeles never trailed after the special teams score. They held the ball and kept extending leads that Buffalo had to chase the rest of the afternoon.
Stafford’s Surgical Performance
Stafford completed 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. His 132.6 passer rating came from precision on third downs and relentlessly feeding his top two receivers.
Pro Football Focus graded Stafford at 93.5, among the highest single game grades of the 2024 season. He recorded four big time throws without any turnover worthy plays.
Stafford found Nacua for the go-ahead score with 1:54 remaining. The 19 yard catch and run on the right side gave the Rams a 44 to 35 lead. Karty’s missed extra point kept it a nine point game.
Stafford’s other touchdown went to Kupp late in the third quarter. The 17 yard strike extended the Rams lead to 38 to 21. Buffalo mounted a comeback from there, but Los Angeles had built enough cushion.
Stafford averaged 10.7 yards per attempt without taking a sack against Buffalo’s typically fierce pass rush.
Cooper Kupp described the offensive challenge: “Obviously, offensively, what those guys have been doing is very impressive. Seeing it firsthand, they’re a really good football team, so we needed everything we had as a team today.”
Rams coach Sean McVay praised Allen while crediting his defense: “Josh Allen is an alien. Some of the stuff that he can do and the things that he can create, we knew he was capable of that. He’s shown that. That’s why he’s as well-respected and well regarded in this league as he is. But our guys made just enough plays to be able to come out on top.”
Third Down Control
The Rams converted 11 of 15 third down attempts, good for 73.3 percent. Buffalo went 5 for 9, converting at 55.6 percent.
Those conversions allowed Los Angeles to sustain drives and wear down Buffalo’s defense. Stafford’s third quarter completion to Nacua on third and six from the Rams 41 kept a scoring drive alive that ended with the touchdown to Kupp. His second quarter completion to Kyren Williams on third and four from the Buffalo 25 set up the Rams at the one yard line for Nacua’s rushing touchdown.
On fourth and five from the Buffalo 35 with 3:52 remaining and the Rams leading 38 to 35, Stafford completed an 11 yard pass to Atwell. The conversion extended the drive. Five plays later, Nacua caught the decisive touchdown.
Buffalo converted all three red zone trips into touchdowns. The Rams reached the red zone six times, scoring five touchdowns and one field goal. Los Angeles simply had more scoring opportunities because they held the ball longer.
Final Two Minutes
Buffalo trailed 44 to 35 with 1:54 left and all three timeouts.
Allen completed a 25 yard pass to Cooper.
On fourth and 15 from midfield, Quentin Lake committed a 34 yard pass interference penalty.
Buffalo had first down at the Rams 16.
Allen scrambled nine yards.
Another pass interference call, this time on Darious Williams, moved the ball to the one yard line.
Time showed 1:11.
Allen tried a quarterback sneak. Omar Speights stuffed him for no gain.
Buffalo called timeout with 1:06 remaining, burning their second timeout.
Sean McDermott defended the decision afterward. “We used what we thought was our best play all year, which is a one yard quarterback sneak by Josh,” McDermott said, per the Bills’ official recap. “Had to use a timeout. Just felt like that was the best course of action for us right there.”
Allen scored on the second attempt with 1:00 left.
The score stood 44 to 42.
With only one timeout remaining, they kicked the extra point instead of attempting a two point conversion.
Tyler Bass’s onside kick went to Ronnie Rivers, who recovered for the Rams.
Los Angeles ran three plays.
Buffalo used their final timeout at 56 seconds.
A delay of game penalty pushed the Rams back.
Evans punted with seven seconds remaining.
The clock expired during the return.
Playoff Race Shifts
Buffalo’s defensive vulnerabilities cost them in the playoff race. They fell to 10 and 3, ending their seven game winning streak. The Bills had clinched the AFC East title the previous week, becoming the first team to secure their division with five games remaining since the 2009 Indianapolis Colts.
Kansas City’s 11 and 1 record now held a two game advantage over Buffalo for the AFC’s top seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Allowing the Rams to hold the ball for 38 minutes and convert 73 percent of third downs revealed issues that better offenses could exploit in January.
Los Angeles climbed to 7 and 6, staying alive in the NFC West race. With the 49ers struggling at 5 and 7, the Rams positioned themselves for a potential playoff berth. Sean McVay’s team moved above .500 for the first time all season.
The win proved the Rams could compete with AFC playoff contenders. Williams’s 29 carries showed their commitment to controlling tempo even when averaging just 3.0 yards per rush.
Injury Report
Rasul Douglas left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury, weakening Buffalo’s secondary during the crucial final drives. The Rams attacked his replacement successfully, culminating in Nacua’s game winning touchdown.
Casey Toohill suffered a rib injury for Buffalo. DeWayne Carter, who had just returned from missing five games with a wrist injury, appeared limited throughout the game.
For Los Angeles, Demarcus Robinson injured his shoulder in the third quarter but the top three receivers stayed healthy. The offensive line remained intact.
Next Week
Buffalo’s defensive struggles against Los Angeles foreshadowed their next challenge. Detroit awaited the Bills on December 15, a critical game for playoff positioning and keeping pace with Kansas City.
San Francisco visited Los Angeles on Thursday night, December 12. The 49ers desperately needed wins to stay alive in the playoff race. The Rams could strengthen their position with a division victory over their struggling rival.
The official NFL game recap and Rams team coverage provide additional analysis from this Week 14 offensive showcase.
The Bills vs Rams game recap and box score from December 8, 2024 shows 86 combined points and historic quarterback performances. Los Angeles won with 11 of 15 third down conversions and a 17 minute possession advantage. Buffalo’s offense couldn’t overcome extended time on the sideline. Allen’s six touchdowns came in only 21:30 of possession, proving that even historic efficiency can’t overcome a 17 minute time disadvantage when your defense can’t get stops.
