Rams likely to face best of Bills, even after they clinched the AFC East

The LA Rams may face their most difficult opponent of the entire 2024 NFL season in Week 14. That's going to pose quite the problem for a team that has struggled to rise above .500. And at 6-6 with only five games remaining, the Rams need to claim a victory against a superior opponent.

The Buffalo Bills stomped a mudhole in the San Francisco 49ers in a snowstorm that left all fans, observers, and NFL analysts concluding that they are for real. This is a team that has won the AFC East Division with five games left on their schedule. There was a hope that perhaps having clinched their division so early they may suffer a letdown against the Rams, a.k.a. a trap game.

Don't count on it.

We posed the question of a trap game to Buffalo Downs site-expert Brandon Ray, but learned that the Bills have a great deal of respect for the Rams this season. And as we recently learned at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, good teams cannot be expected to ease off their accelerator as long as they are in the hunt for a top seed in the upcoming 2025 NFL Playoffs.

Right now, the Bills trail the high-flying Kansas City Chiefs by a half game. The Bills handed the Chiefs their only loss of the season, so they have the tie-breaker advantage. If they continue to win and merely tie the Chiefs, they will earn the coveted BYE week.

Now, the Bills have even more momentum on their side. Bills HC Sean McDermott reported this week that everyone will practice for Week 14. That translates into a healthy Bills roster, perhaps even healthier than the LA Rams roster.

I'm thrilled for NFL players who regain their health. But it does elevate concerns for a Rams team that desperately needs a victory. Can the Rams defy the odds? It will be an entertaining game, at least.

Thanks for reading.

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