The Bills, and Allen, are coming due

Their first step toward a possible Super Bowl was a strong win at L.A.

The film session will be simple and satisfying for most of the Buffalo Bills, and uproarious for Carlos “Boogie” Basham.

The second-year defensive lineman came up with an interception, a Christmas morning bicycle for all players his size. But then Basham was taken down expertly, with perfect tackling form, by….Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford.

That is almost as shameful as getting pancaked by a kicker. Since the Bills routed the world champs, 31-10, Basham’s teammates will be ragging him with impunity.

But, viewed another way, it was a measure of Buffalo’s completeness. After all, Stafford wound up with as many tackles (1) as touchdown passes, or completions to new receiver Allen Robinson.

Stafford gets major points for physicality, for a guy whose elbow was questioned through training camp. He was tagged 15 times by various Buffalo pass rushers, and he absorbed seven sacks. He was also by far the second-best quarterback at SoFi Stadium Thursday night. Most quarterbacks who play on the same field with Buffalo’s Josh Allen will share that fate.

Allen’s continuing improvement is astonishing. He came into the league as a rock-thrower whose best ability was running past tackles when he wasn’t vaulting them. But check out his past three games:

— At New England in the 2021 wild card game: Five touchdowns, no interceptions, 21 for 25 for 308 yards, a passer rating of 157.6, nine of 10 third down conversions.

— At Kansas City in the 2021 Division Playoff game: Four touchdowns, no interceptions, 27 for 37 for 329 yards, a passer rating of 136.0 , six of 14 third down conversions.

— At the Rams: Three touchdowns, two interceptions, 26 for 31 for 297 yards, a passer rating of 112, nine of 10 third down conversions.

The Rams could do little with Allen or receiver Stefon Diggs, and this time Von Miller was harassing Stafford, not helping him. Most of those pressures came without the benefit of a blitz, which meant the seamless safety combo of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde could hang back. Cooper Kupp caught 13 of Stafford’s 29 completions and was the only Rams receiver to take a pass 20 yards.

Robinson, signed to replace the departed Robert Woods and ease the pain left by the injured Odell Beckham Jr., was targeted only twice. The offensive line wasn’t considered much of a question mark in preseason, even though Andrew Whitworth had retired and rookie Logan Bruss was hurt, but it will be now.

It is not unusual for the visiting team to act ornery and play violently whenever its opponent is celebrating last year’s championship. The Rams dropped their championship banner before the game. The Bills were coming off a shocking playoff loss to Kansas City and stewed their way through the intervening months without a chance to validate their Super Bowl papers. They seemed bent on fixing that, although 16 games and untold trials remain.

Allen was part of the storied 2018 quarterback draft, in which Baker Mayfield went first and Lamar Jackson went 32nd. The Bills were in the 12th slot but gave that pick to get Tampa Bay’s seventh choice, and gave up two second-rounders. The Bucs got defensive end Vita Vea, and the Bills chose Allen.

There was heavy weather immediately. Suddenly the world was seeing racist tweets from Allen’s account, six years prior, before he could even introduce itself to his new locker room. He got quick testimonials from those in his hometown of Firebaugh, Ca., which is 91 percent Latino. “But it almost broke me,” Allen said at the time.

Quarterback coach Ken Dorsey, now the offensive coordinator, and private QB coach Jordan Palmer broadened Allen’s pitch selection and tightened his command. The rest was just competitiveness and athletic ability, both of which are limitless. Add a little vinegar, too. Allen wasn’t offered a chance to play for Fresno State, his dream school, and had to go to Reedley CC before earning a ride to Wyoming. Two eight-win seasons, and tales of his arm strength, brought out the scouts.

This might sound familiar to followers of Aaron Rodgers, who was recruited but not offered by Illinois, and had a one-year stopover at Butte CC before coming to Cal and introducing himself.

Despite these examples and many others, some folks will make judgments on a team’s “talent” by the number of recruiting stars its players amass. But it doesn’t matter how good you are at 18. It matters what you become in the following years, and it takes imagination to find those answers.

Josh Allen has become the most DVR-worthy quarterback in football at the moment, thanks to talents both obvious and hidden. But there are surprises everywhere. For instance, who knew Matthew Stafford could tackle? Carlos Basham is his reference.