Even after the Rams botched a fake-punt attempt and turned over the ball on their 25-yard line with 2:37 remaining, the defense could have saved the day once again.
That is what it has been doing all season: Alec Ogletree’s game-sealing fumble recovery against the Seahawks in Week 2; Ethan Westbrooks’ 77-yard fumble return for a touchdown against the Buccaneers in Week 3; the five turnovers the Rams forced against the Cardinals last week.
Except that play never came in the Rams’ 30-19 loss to the Bills at the Coliseum on Sunday. The defense just wasn’t equipped to make it. The defensive line was missing three starters — ends Robert Quinn (shoulder) and William Hayes (ankle), and tackle Michael Brockers (hip) — and the Bills ran for 193 yards, the most a team has gained on the Rams this season.
LeSean McCoy accounted for 150 of them, including the back-breaking run after the Rams’ failed fake punt. On the first play of the Bills’ ensuing drive, McCoy ran 24 yards to the Rams’ one-yard line. Three plays later, Tyrod Taylor found Marquise Goodwin for a six-yard touchdown that iced the game.
“I just think we didn’t play our best as a defense. I feel like we were missing tackles,” Donald said. “Up front I feel like we didn’t dominate as we usually do.”
1/21
Rams quarterback Case Keenum (17) sits on the ground after being sacked by Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (57) on the Rams last offensive possession of the game in a 30-19 loss to the Bills.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 2/21
Rams quarterback Case Keenum (17) gets taken down by Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (57) on the Rams last offensive possession of the game in the 4th quarter.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 3/21
Rams quarterback Case Keenum (17) can’t escape incoming Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Jerry Hughes (55) in the 4th quarter.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 4/21
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (88) celebrates his late 4th quarter touchdown to take a commanding lead against the Rams.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 5/21
Rams running back Todd Gurley is brought down after a nine yard pass reception on third and thirteen, late in the fourth quarter against the Bills at the Coliseum.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6/21
Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (88) celebrates his touchdown against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Troy Hill (32) to give the Bills a commanding lead late in the 4th quarter.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7/21
Rams running back Todd Gurley, right, battles Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore for possession after a second-half fumble. Gurley fumbled twice in the game; he recovered this one but lost the other. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
8/21
Rams quarterback Case Keenum (17) talks with coach Jeff Fisher during the 30-19 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 9/21
Rams receiver Bradley Marquez is stopped short of a first down on a fake punt late in the second half, during a failed drive to overcome a four point deficit to the Bills.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10/21
Bills cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman heads to the endzone for a pick-six as Rams receiver Pharoh Cooper falls to the turf in the third quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 11/21
Rams safety Mark Barron battles Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor for a deflected ball late in the second quarter at the Coliseum. The ball fell to the groud for an incomplete pass.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 12/21
Rams linebacker Josh Forrest and defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks chase down Bills running back LeSean McCoy after a fourth quarter gain.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 13/21
Rams defensive tackle Cam Thomas (92) celebrates with Los Angeles Rams defensive end Ethan Westbrooks (93) after he blocked an extra point attempt by Buffalo Bills kicker Dan Carpenter (2).
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 14/21
Bills running back LeSean McCoy pulls away from Rams safety Mark Barron for a first quarter gain.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 15/21
Teammates congratulate Rams running back Todd Gurley after he scored a second quarter touchdown.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 16/21
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) dives to the 1 yard line against Buffalo Bills cornerback Ronald Darby (28) to set up the Rams 2nd quarter tying touchdown.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 17/21
Rams outside linebacker Mark Barron (26) tackles leaping Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25) in the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 18/21
Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) fumbles the ball and Buffalo Bills free safety Corey Graham (20) recovers in the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19/21
Rams receiver Tavon Austin hauls in a second quarter pass over Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20/21
=Rams running back Todd Gurley is grabbed by the facemask by Bills defensive end Corbin Bryant during a second quarter drive.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 21/21
Bills running back Reggie Bush takes the field for pregame warmups before taking on the Rams at the Coliseum.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Donald, the only regular starter on the line, was joined by defensive tackle Cam Thomas and ends Ethan Westbrooks and Eugene Sims. Dominique Easley rotated in at tackle while Matt Longacre did so at end. Donald said he was doubled and slashed by the Bills’ offensive line, but not because of the thinned personnel.
He sees that every week, and he did not use the absence of Quinn, Hayes and Brockers to rationalize the Rams finishing with two sacks or McCoy running all over the field.
“I just have to find ways to beat it, you know? I can’t use that as an excuse, I still have to get to the quarterback some way, somehow,” Donald said. “... It’s been like that every week, so you just have to find a way.”
McCoy did most of his damage in the first half, running for 111 yards on just nine attempts.
The Bills rode 148 rushing yard to 16 first-half points, and then didn’t score another offensive touchdown until Taylor found Goodwin with 1:04 left in the game. By that time, the Rams’ fate was already spelled out.
In two losses this season, the Bills have run for fewer than 100 yards. In their three wins, they have gone for 208, 134 and 193.
The key for the Rams was to stop the run. The absence of three key players made it very hard to do so.
“They’re our horses, so it’s a big part,” Sims said of Quinn, Hayes and Brockers. “They bring a lot to this game, those three being out means a lot to us. We have the next-man-up rule, but losing those three was a big part.”
jesse.dougherty@latimes.com
Follow Jesse on Twitter: @dougherty_jesse
