The Rams host the Bills and we have some picks
The NFL season kicks off Thursday night when the Los Angeles Rams play host to the Buffalo Bills. L.A. will have some festivities this evening set as the defending Super Bowl champions, but Buffalo is expected to be one of the best teams in the NFL this season and will look to spoil the party in Los Angeles.
Here is some information from the NFL Week 1 capsule followed by staff picks.
Bills Notes
• QB JOSH ALLEN totaled 4,407 passing yards & 42 TDs (36 pass, 6 rush) last season & had career-high 763 rush yards. Is 1st player ever with 100+ TD passes (103) & 30+ rush TDs (31) in 1st 4 seasons. Had 311 pass yards & 5 TDs (4 pass, 1 rush) for 128.9 rating in last meeting. Has 6 TDs (5 pass, 1 rush) vs. 2 INTs for 122 rating in 2 career games on Thursday. Has 3+ TD passes in 4 of his past 5 in primetime.
• RB DEVIN SINGLETARY had career-high 1,098 scrimmage yards (870 rush, 228 rec.) & 8 TDs (7 rush, 1 rec.) in 2021. Had 121 scrimmage yards (71 rush, 50 rec.) in last meeting.
• WR STEFON DIGGS led team with 103 catches & 1,225 rec. yards in 2021. Since 2020, ranks 3rd in NFL with 230 catches. Had 60+ rec. yards in all 8 road games in 2021. Had rec. TD in last meeting. Has 120+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 on Thursday.
• LB VON MILLER makes Buf. debut. Appeared in 12 games with LAR in 2021 & totaled 9 sacks & 18 TFL (incl. postseason). Leads all active players with 115.5 career sacks. Has 2.5 sacks in 2 career games vs. LAR.
• LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS led team with 108 tackles in 2021. • S JORDAN POYER had 91 tackles & 5 INTs last season & is only DB in NFL with 90+ tackles in each of past 5 seasons. Had career-high 13 tackles in last meeting. Has INT in 2 of his past 3 in primetime.
• S MICAH HYDE tied career-high with 5 INTs in 2021 & ranks tied-5th among all safeties with 22 INTs since 2013.
Rams Notes
• QB MATTHEW STAFFORD ranked 2nd in TD passes (tied career-high 41), 3rd in pass yards (4,886) & 6th in rating (102.9) in 2021. Became 3rd QB (Tom Brady & Trent Dilfer) to win SB in 1st season with new team & 4th QB ever with 2+ TD passes in 4 games within single postseason. Had 2,349 pass yards (293.6 per game) & 21 TDs vs. 6 INTs for 107.7 rating in 8 home starts last season.
• RB DARRELL HENDERSON set career highs in scrimmage yards (864), rush yards (688) & scrimmage TDs (8) in 2021. Rushed for 114 yards & TD in last meeting.
• WR COOPER KUPP became 4th player since 1970 to lead NFL in receptions (145 – 2ndmost in single season all-time), rec. yards (1,947 – 2nd-most in single season all-time) & rec. TDs (16) in same season in 2021. Had most catches (33) & 2nd-most rec. yards (478) in single postseason ever & became 8th WR to win SB MVP. Has 5+ catches in 21 straight games, 3rd-longest streak ever. Had 9 catches for 107 yards & rec. TD in last meeting.
• DL AARON DONALD led team with 12.5 sacks in 2021 & is only player with 10+ sacks in each of past 5 seasons. Can become 3rd player since 1982 with 8+ sacks in each of 1st 9 seasons. Had 2 sacks, FF & FR in last meeting.
• LB BOBBY WAGNERmakes LAR debut. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 170 tackles in 2021 & is only player with 100+ tackles in each of past 10 seasons.
• LB LEONARD FLOYD had 9.5 sacks in 2021. Had sack in last meeting.
• DB JALEN RAMSEY set career highs in tackles (77) & TFL (9) in 2021.