How to wager on Sunday Night Football’s Week 1 showdown between the Rams and Lions.
Matt Stafford returns to Detroit with the Los Angeles Rams, while Jared Goff aims to maintain his home domination at Ford Field. The quarterback swap has benefited both clubs, with the Rams winning the Super Bowl in 2022 and the Detroit Lions reaching the Conference Championship for the first time in seven years last season, defeating the Rams in the Wild Card stage along the way.
The Lions are a youthful club with plenty of talent, including stud wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, running back combination David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta, last year’s breakout rookie tight end.
The Rams are hoping for another good season from their own breakout rookie, Puka Nacua, and they bring back Cooper Kupp, a healthy experienced pass-catcher. Kyren Williams, a running back, should improve on his late-season breakout from 2023.
The Lions defense, led by edge player Aiden Hutchinson, could improve this season.The Lions allowed the most passing yards per game during the second half of the season.
The Rams’ defense may struggle this season without Aaron Donald. In the second half of last season, the Rams struggled against the pass, allowing the seventh-most passing yards per game.
It should come as no surprise that this game total is the highest of the week.
Spread
Moneyline
Total
51 (Over -108/Under -112)
Rams vs. Lions How to Watch
Date: Sunday September 8, 2024
Game Time: 8:20 pm EST
Venue: Ford Field
How to Watch: NBC
Rams Record: 0-0
Lions Record: 0-0
Lions vs. Rams Betting Trends
Detroit Lions and Rams have each won one game since the Stafford/Goff trade.
The home team won in each of those games
The away team covered in each of those games
The Lions went 8-2 last season as home favorite
The Rams went 2-5 as away underdog
Detroit’s game totals went over 65% of the time in 2023
The Rams went over the game total 50% of the time
Rams vs. Lions Injury Reports
Rams Injury Report
Rams vs. Lions Key Players to Watch
Los Angeles Rams
Cooper Kupp: Keep an eye on Cooper Kupp, who performed well in preseason and should be healthy to begin the season. He should appear with Nacua possibly favoring his knee. Kupp scored 20 touchdowns in his last totally healthy season. In 2023, the Lions allowed the third-most touchdowns to opposing wideouts, with Kupp scoring four in his last five games.
Detroit Lions
Jared Goff has been lights-out at home.In 2023, he averaged 280 passing yards per game at Ford Field and scored 19 touchdown passes.Look for Goff to continue his performance in what should be a shootout, according to DraftKings’ game totals.
Rams vs. Lions Prediction and Pick
The Lions will win this contest, but it should be close.
Matt Stafford has two of the best receiving threats in the game, and Kyren Williams is a force on the ground. The Lions surrendered the most passing yards and touchdowns in the second half of the season. Expect both quarterbacks to air it out, and this should be a high-scoring game.
Pick: Rams +3.5 (-115)
