The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams close out Week 5 of the NFL season on Monday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with kickoff set for 8:15 pm ET. It is a matchup between the top two teams in the Super Bowl betting market, and it doubles as a meeting of the last two NFL MVP winners at quarterback: Buffalo’s Josh Allen, the 2024 honoree, and Los Angeles’ Matthew Stafford, who claimed the award for the 2025 season.
The records tell an interesting story. Buffalo arrives at 3-1 after New England handed the Bills their first defeat of the season in Week 4, a 29-26 home loss to the defending AFC champions. Los Angeles sits at 2-2, with defeats to the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos offset by a dramatic 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week, a game the Rams trailed by ten points with less than four minutes remaining before rallying to win.
How to watch Rams vs Bills
The game kicks off at 8:15 pm ET (5:15 pm local time) at SoFi Stadium, 1001 S Stadium Dr, Inglewood. In the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event carry the broadcast, with streaming available through NFL Game Pass via DAZN on subscription. Canadian viewers can watch on TSN or stream via DAZN CA.
The entertainment lineup at SoFi Stadium
The Rams have put together a full evening of music around the game. Singer-songwriter Morgan St. Jean, a Los Angeles-based artist and content creator known for her song “Not All Men,” will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” before kickoff. Members of the Los Angeles Police Department will stretch an 80-yard American flag across the field during the anthem.
Los Angeles DJ duo Two Friends, made up of Eli Sones and Matthew Halper, are also scheduled to perform before kickoff. At halftime, singer and actress JoJo leads the show, with the performance expected to begin around 9:45 pm ET. Australian DJ and trumpet player Timmy Trumpet is slated to appear during the third quarter.
There is a giveaway angle too: the Rams will honor Stafford’s 2025 NFL MVP achievement during the game, and fans at the stadium can pick up a special MVP rally towel featuring the quarterback at entry, while supplies last.
A quarterback duel of the last two MVPs
The headline attraction is the matchup under center. Stafford won MVP honors for the 2025 season, following Allen’s award-winning 2024 campaign, and both quarterbacks arrive with something to prove after uneven starts to the year.
Allen has been prolific in the red zone, scoring seven rushing touchdowns already this season, but he has also thrown three interceptions. Buffalo’s red zone conversion rate sits at just 68.8%, a figure the Bills would like to improve, and offensive coordinator Joe Brady has shown a willingness to call his quarterback’s number when Buffalo gets deep into opponent territory.
Stafford’s Rams have been harder to pin down. Their offense ranks 19th in scoring at 21.3 points per game, though it sits second in total yards, and the team needed that late comeback to get past Philadelphia. The Rams have also struggled with ball security, giving the ball up more than seven times this season, the same turnover count as Buffalo.
What the numbers say about both teams
Buffalo owns the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense at 31.8 points per game, but the defense has been a weak point. The Bills have allowed the fifth-most yards in the league at 1,489, and all but one of their opponents has scored four touchdowns against them this season. Last week’s loss to New England exposed the issue, with the Bills’ defence giving up 405 total yards, including 143 on the ground.
Los Angeles presents a stiffer defensive test. The Rams have allowed the second-fewest total yards in the NFL at 990 and the second-fewest passing yards at 582, and they rank ninth in scoring defense at 20.8 points per game allowed. The unit features established names such as Aaron Donald and Trent McDuffie. In their only true home game so far this season, the Rams held the New York Giants to six points.
The Bills’ schedule deserves a mention as context for that 3-1 record. All four of Buffalo’s opponents so far made the playoffs last season, and Monday makes five straight playoff teams from 2025. It has not been an easy start, even by NFL standards.
Players who could decide the game
For the Rams, running back Kyren Williams is the reliable hand. He leads the team with 294 rushing yards this season, has reached the end zone in three of his four games, and scored both of Los Angeles’ late touchdowns against the Eagles. Williams has earned a bigger share of the backfield work than expected, with 54 rush attempts compared to just 33 for teammate Blake Corum.
Buffalo counters with James Cook, who has scored rushing touchdowns in three straight games and averages 105.3 rushing yards per contest this season, with two games of 135 yards or more. He topped 20 carries in games against the Lions and the Chargers, rushing for over 130 yards in both, and he finished joint-sixth in the NFL with 12 regular-season rushing touchdowns last season. His average of 6.0 yards per carry leads into a matchup against a Rams defense that has been especially strong against the pass, which could push Buffalo toward the ground game.
On the Buffalo side of the passing game, wide receiver DJ Moore is inactive for the game with a shoulder injury. That puts more attention on Keon Coleman, who has produced explosive plays in each of the last three weeks with long receptions of 22, 37 and 34 yards, with or without Moore in the lineup.
How the betting market sees it
Despite Buffalo’s better record, the home side is the favorite. At bet365, the Rams are priced at 25-44 on the money line with the Bills at 37-25, and Los Angeles is laying 3.5 points. The total points line is set high at 54.5, reflecting expectations of a shootout between two of the league’s top offenses.
The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, leans the other way on the spread, backing the Bills to cover as 3.5-point underdogs in 52% of simulations. The model also sees value in the Under on 55.5 total points, which hits in 63% of its simulations, a nod to the strength of the Rams’ defense. SportsLine expert Megan Shoup has highlighted Coleman’s longest reception prop, noting his recent big-play streak in what she expects to be a close, high-scoring game.
One caution for anyone eyeing the Over: both teams have been careless with the football, each giving it up more than seven times this season. If those trends continue, the shootout many expect could look messier than the total suggests.
Why this game matters beyond Week 5
With the Bills and Rams tipped as the top two teams in the Super Bowl betting, Monday night has the feel of a January preview, even in October. Both franchises entered the season with championship expectations, and both have shown flaws through four weeks: Buffalo’s defense, Los Angeles’ consistency. The winner leaves Inglewood with a statement result and a clearer path toward the top of the conference picture. The loser adds another question mark to a season that has already produced surprises.
FAQ
What time do the Rams play the Bills on Monday Night Football?
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 pm ET (5:15 pm local time) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with the halftime show expected to begin around 9:45 pm ET.
Who is singing the national anthem at Rams vs Bills?
Los Angeles singer-songwriter Morgan St. Jean, known for her song “Not All Men,” will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with LAPD members stretching an 80-yard American flag across the field.
Who is performing at the halftime show?
Singer and actress JoJo leads the halftime show, and Australian DJ and trumpet player Timmy Trumpet is scheduled to perform during the third quarter. The DJ duo Two Friends will play before kickoff.
Who is favored in Bills vs Rams?
The Rams are home favorites at 25-44 with the Bills at 37-25 at bet365, with Los Angeles laying 3.5 points. The SportsLine Projection Model, however, projects the Bills to cover as 3.5-point underdogs in 52% of simulations.
Is DJ Moore playing for the Bills against the Rams?
No. Bills wide receiver DJ Moore is inactive for the game with a shoulder injury.