Rams come through in the clutch in Buffalo

Preseason Pick: LOSS 14-0, 4th in NFC West (3-10)
Actual Results: WIN 15-12, 3rd in NFC West (6-6-1)

The Rams ground out another close win against the Bills to make it a 3-game winning streak. The deciding play was a last second touchdown pass from Sam Bradford to Brandon Gibson in the back of the end zone. Offensively, the Rams have struggled all season, and played another miserable game that they should've lost (George Wilson had two picks right in his hands). Defensively, the Rams were surprisingly stout once again, and were markedly improved from last week (although the Bills made some really good adjustments). The Rams are but a whisper in the NFC Wild Card race, and had it not been for a few games, they could easily be in the thick of things with a 9-4 record. Alas, this Rams team won't make the playoffs, but at least they're not giving up hope.

Offensively, the Rams struggled mightily. Sam Bradford looked inaccurate at times, and the receivers couldn't get separation against Buffalo's stingy man coverages. Steven Jackson looked like a wild man again, but change of pace back Daryl Richardson has been quiet the past few weeks. The O-line continues to surprise. When left tackle Rodger Saffold got injured twice in the game, backup tackle Wayne Hunter performed admirably in his place. Right tackle Barry Richardson was also surprisingly good enough to keep Mario Williams out of the action for most of the game. Later in the game (particularly on the last drive), Bradford performed better (but was still somewhat inaccurate), and receivers Austin Pettis, Chris Givens, and Brandon Gibson stepped up big time on some acrobatic catches. A far cry from years' past since the era of Bruce and Holt.

Defensively, this D-line keeps the Rams in these close games. The D-line applied pressure to Ryan Fitzpatrick all day, and despite Buffalo's adjustment to a quick paced passing attack in the second half, the defense managed to keep up. The secondary played much better this week than last week, providing some press coverage (at last) as the Bills came out flying. Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller were a threat all day, but the Rams managed to contain them well. Overall, it was still a sloppy game, but I was more impressed by the defense this week than last week.

Special teams was strong in limited action. Johnny Hekker proved he can be a reliable punter, getting an amazing punt off on a bad snap before being drilled to the ground. Greg Zuerlein didn't have many chances to show off his leg in the rainy Buffalo weather, but perhaps that was for the best. Austin Pettis continues to improve on kick returns and make smart decisions with the ball.

Overall, a very sloppy but good win for the Rams. The defense really saved the terrible showing by the offense in this one. It's now been three wins in a row for the Rams, but you couldn't define any as signature wins. The Rams have played teams close all season, and the next step would be to start putting on some blowouts. Unfortunately, the Rams play three very tough teams in the last three weeks, all of which I see as losses right now. Nevertheless, a good season thus far.

LOOKING AHEAD: Next week the Rams head back home to take on a Vikings team led by runningback Adrian Peterson. Peterson is within grasp of Eric Dickerson's record for rushing yards in a season, and it should only make sense that the Rams would be one of the teams to try and prevent that. I predicted the Rams to win this one in the preseason, but I'm not so sure any more considering this dangerous Vikings team. The Vikings are also in the playoff hunt, so they'll be playing with added passion to AP's quest of the record.