Rams view Bills’ Von Miller as enemy for season opener
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Von Miller calls it messy and the NFL refers to it as good TV.
Miller’s free agency provided plenty of drama with the Rams and Buffalo Bills vying for his services until the final minute. The star pass rusher came close to re-signing with the Rams until the Bills blew him away with a six-year, $120 million offer.
Miller couldn’t pass on the deal, just like the NFL couldn’t pass on having Miller’s first game with the Bills be against the team he won a Super Bowl with last season. Miller will be on the opposite sideline as the Rams unveil their Super Bowl LVI championship banner on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium before kicking off the 2022 NFL season.
“The NFL is just so messy,” Miller told Buffalo reporters this week. “I’m playing in the Super Bowl and then my first game back is right there with a new team. And that’s what the fans want to see. Of course, there will be some emotions there.
“What if the fans boo me, what if the fans cheer me? I’ve already thought about all of these different things.”
Rams fans likely won’t boo Miller, although that can change if he’s in the backfield often to make life difficult for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Miller’s instant impact after arriving in a midseason trade with the Denver Broncos won’t be forgotten, especially not by his former teammates.
Rams star defensive lineman Aaron Donald developed a close friendship with Miller during his short stint in L.A., but he’s putting that aside for one week. Donald said he hasn’t spoken to Miller in the lead-up to the game.
“I feel like he challenged me with some things as a vocal leader and I stepped in when I needed to,” Donald said of Miller. “Always respect and love Von for that. We created some special things so we miss him, but he’s on the opposite side now so he is the enemy.”
Rams outside linebacker Justin Hollins said he learned from Miller on how to improve his pass rushing, techniques he declined to share because they hold too much value coming from “one of the best ever.”
Hollins is grateful for Miller’s mentorship, but he and the rest of the outside linebackers are eager to show they’re still a quality group without the Bills’ star pass rusher.
“I feel like our room is great, not just with me,” said Hollins, who is expected to start next to Leonard Floyd.
“We’re going to have a great rotation. You got me, Flo, T-Lew (Terrell Lewis). We’ll get (Daniel) Hardy back. We got Keir (Thomas). I feel like it’s going to be great in the room regardless.”
Rams coach Sean McVay said there’s some mystery with how the Bills will use Miller in their defensive scheme, but regardless of how, he’s still going to find a way to rush the passer.
“That he does,” McVay said.