LOS ANGELES -- Case Keenum sat on the turf at Los Angeles Coliseum late Sunday afternoon, looking away from the play because he already knew the result.
His hopeless scramble on fourth-and-18 had resulted in a wobbly pass that ended in his second interception with less than two minutes remaining, sealing a 30-19 loss to the Buffalo Bills that snapped a three-game winning streak.
Perhaps the Rams lost this one before it even began.
Three of their starting defensive linemen were unable to suit up for Sunday's Week 5 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, and the Rams had a hard time making up for it. With Robert Quinn, Will Hayes and Michael Brockers all out, the Bills gained 193 yards on the ground, extending drives and ultimately putting too much pressure on a Rams offense that is not built to come from behind.
By halftime, Bills running back LeSean McCoy had rushed for 111 yards and quarterback Tyrod Taylor had scrambled for an additional 26.
Perhaps just as impressive was that the Rams -- with an offense that entered Sunday ranked last in the NFL in yards per game -- actually gave themselves a chance. They had it midway through the third quarter, with the score tied at 16. Keenum tried to hit Pharoh Cooper on the outside, but Bills corner Nickell Robey-Coleman, a USC alum, jumped the route, intercepted his first of two passes and ran in for the score.
It was the second time Keenum had an interception returned for a touchdown this season, and it wound up being the difference.
"Can't do that," Keenum said. "Can't put my team in that situation. The game came down to one or two plays, and that was one play I want back."
Rams offensive coordinator Rob Boras did a nice job of mixing it up, designing unique ways for Tavon Austin and Todd Gurley to produce. Gurley rushed for 72 yards on 23 carries and scored his third touchdown of the season, which became the first Rams touchdown at the Coliseum since December 1979. And Austin made a season-high seven catches while gaining 85 yards from scrimmage.
But the Rams were only able to come up with one touchdown despite getting into enemy territory on seven of their first nine possessions.
They had fourth-and-4 at the Bills' 4-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, on a drive that included a 31-yard pass to Brian Quick and then a 26-yard screen to third-string running back Malcolm Brown. But Rams coach Jeff Fisher settled for a field goal, prompting boos from a home crowd of 83,679 and keeping the Rams within four.
They then had fourth-and-5 from their own 23 when Fisher called for a fake punt that fooled nobody. Bradley Marquez took the direct snap but gained only a couple of meaningless yards, prompting the Bills to ice the game with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to Marquise Goodwin four plays later.
"We definitely didn't play well enough to win this game," Rams middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. "I felt like we really just lost the game ourselves."