Tyler Bass put the Rams through overtime and then presented them with the receipt. His 45-yard field goal in the final two minutes gave Buffalo a 37-34 win, a game with enough scoring to make the last kick feel almost impolite. All that work, settled by one foot.

The Rams now face another subtraction. ESPN reports that left tackle Alaric Jackson is expected to receive a two-game suspension without pay for punching the Bills' Chubb. Buffalo took the game. Jackson could lose the wages, and Los Angeles the player protecting the quarterback. The payroll saving comes with a vacancy nobody wanted.

Across town, the Dodgers have reached their own unpleasant discussion about availability. Milwaukee's 7-4 win put them down 2-0, with 10 singles among the Brewers' 12 hits. Milwaukee kept handing the Los Angeles bullpen small problems until the pile became an emergency.

On October 1, this paper described the Dodgers waiting for their next opponent with a healthy Shohei Ohtani. Now ESPN reports that lingering injuries could warrant sitting him, although the club will keep playing him if he considers himself healthy.

That leaves Los Angeles trying to survive October while asking its most consequential player whether he can supply the next shift.