The Los Angeles Rams play host to the Buffalo Bills Thursday night to kick off the NFL season. The defending champion Rams start their journey to get back to the Super Bowl, while the Bills, the Super Bowl favorites, look to make a statement.
The NFL season is finally here, and we'll have an exciting matchup between two of the best teams in the league. The Rams finished at 12-5 last season and rattled off four postseason wins to grab their second Super Bowl as a franchise.
The Rams capped off their campaign with a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, highlighted by Cooper Kupp's touchdown with 1:25 left in the game. Aaron Donald's defensive performance in that game won't be forgotten either. He'll look to secure his fourth Defensive Player of the Year Award this season.
The Bills are the defending AFC East champs and preseason Super Bowl Favorites (+550). They've put together a well-rounded roster over the past couple of years, and they'll be excited to get the wheels in motion.
Quarterback Josh Allen threw for 4,407 yards and 36 TDs last year, and he's also listed as the NFL MVP favorite (+600) heading into the new campaign. He'll have a plethora of weapons to target, namely receivers Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, and TE Dawson Knox. In the backfield, Buffalo will feature Devin Singletary, who rushed for 870 yards and seven TDs last season.
The visitors also added Von Miller, who won with the Rams last year, to a defense that ranked first against the pass and first overall. Look for the Bills' stout defense to try and make life tough on Matthew Stafford, who ranked second in passing TDs and third in passing yards last season. Stafford's main weapon, Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, led the league by a wide margin in receiving yards and TDs.
Los Angeles' defense was pretty good, especially against the run. Aaron Donald is arguably the best defensive player in the league, but they also boast cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Bobby Wagner to round out the defense.
Expect the stars to show out in LA on opening night, as these players are well accustomed to playing in big games under the lights.
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Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills Match Details
Fixture: Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams
Date & Time: Thursday, September 8, 8:20 p.m. EDT
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills Betting Odds
Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills Betting Prediction
The Bills are tabbed as slight favorites, despite being on the road against the defending champs. This is high praise from oddsmakers, but talent-wise Buffalo has arguably the best squad in the NFL. Still, the Rams have much more experience, especially when it comes to winning close contests.
Expect a playoff atmosphere tonight and a tighter game than usual, despite both teams having high-powered offenses. Also, the under has hit in 20 of the Rams' previous 27 home games. Look for the Bills to make noise on the defensive side of the ball.
Prediction: Rams Team Total Under 25.5 Points (-110) & Under 52 (-110)
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