Finally, it’s here. It’s game week for the Los Angeles Rams and the start of the 2022 NFL season.
As proud winners of Super Bowl LVI, the Rams earned the right to host the first game of this season at SoFi Stadium. The NFL always tries to set up a marquee match-up to open up with and they got it with the Rams hosting the Buffalo Bills Thursday night.
The last time America saw the Bills in a meaningful football game was the epic AFC Divisional Round game against the Kansas City Chiefs, with the Chiefs winning in overtime.
Here’s everything you need to know about NFL Kickoff 2022:
What Time is Game? What Channel?
Kickoff: 5:20 p.m. local time, 8:20 p.m. Eastern Time
Screens: NBC on your television, and Peacock or the NBC Sports app for streaming.
Announcers: Mike Tirico takes over officially for Al Michaels as NBC’s play-by-play man. (Michaels went to Amazon to do Thursday night games). Cris Collinsworth will be the color man. Remember, his pre-game ‘slide’ next to Michaels became a viral meme. Melissa Stark is the sideline reporter.
What Do the Oddsmakers Say?
The Bills, a bit surprising being on the road, are 2.5-point favorites. The over/under is 52.5 points. Cooper Kupp is the favorite to score the game’s first touchdown.
The Bills are the favorite to win the Super Bowl at +600 while the Rams are third at +1100.
What’s the NFL Kickoff Game?
The NFL used to put a big season-opening game on Monday Night Football in Week 1, but then formally made it so that the defending Super Bowl champ started the season at home (usually) against another contender in 2004.
They call the event the NFL Kickoff Game. This is the 19th game in the series. 18 of those 19 have featured the defending Super Bowl champ. The only time it didn’t was in 2019 when the NFL celebrated its 100th season by having two of its oldest franchises, the Bears and Packers meet.
Defending Super Bowl champs are 14-3 in NFL kickoff games, with only the Giants (2012), Ravens (2013) and Patriots (2017) losing.
Expect there to be a brief pre-game ceremony when the Rams drop their Super Bowl championship banner.
Key Numbers – Spread Talking
This is the opener, so we can only reflect on last season’s spread numbers. The Rams won the Super Bowl, but were 10-11 against the spread in 2021. The Bills were 10-7-2 against the spread.
As underdogs in 2021, the Rams went 3-0 straight up, beating the Bucs and Cardinals in the regular season and the Bucs again in the playoffs.
The Bills were listed as favorites 14 times in 2021 and went 9-5 straight up in those contests.
Key Numbers – Over/Under
The 52.5 points is the second highest over/under number on the board at the Caesars sportsbook for Week 1 in the NFL. Only the Chiefs/Cardinals game is higher.
Looking at the 52.5 compared to last season, only seven of 21 Ram games went over that number in 2021. Bills games went over that number eight times.
Last Five Meetings
As two teams who play in different conferences, the Rams and Bills haven’t met very often, but they were connected this season because as returning division winners they crossover in the NFL’s schedule matrix. The Bills lead the series 8-5 and have won four of the last five games.
Sept 27, 2020: Bills 35, Rams 32 – Josh Allen threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score, but this game is better remembered by Ram fans for the Rams’ comeback after being down 28-3 and a late pass interference penalty on Darious Williams that kept the Bills alive.
Oct. 9, 2016: Bills 30, Rams 19 – Former USC star – and future Ram – Nickell Robey-Coleman ran back a pick-six and Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw a pair of touchdown passes.
Dec. 9, 2012: Rams 15, Bills 12 – Rams quarterback Sam Bradford threw a touchdown pass with 48 seconds left for the win in Buffalo.
Sept. 28, 2008: Bills 31, Rams 14 – The Rams were 0-3 coming in against the undefeated Bills, but the game was close until the Bills erupted for 18 fourth-quarter points, highlighted by a pick six by Jabari Greer.
Nov. 21, 2004: Bills 37, Rams 17 – Drew Bledsoe threw three touchdown passes for the Bills to tight end Mark Campbell, while Rams quarterback Marc Bulger threw three picks in Buffalo.
Last 10 Rams Season Openers
- 2021: Rams 34, Bears 14
- 2020: Rams 20, Cowboys 17
- 2019: Rams 30, Panthers 27
- 2018: Rams 33, Raiders 13
- 2017: Rams 46, Colts 9
- 2016: 49ers 28, Rams 0
- 2015: Rams 34, Seahawks 31 OT
- 2014: Vikings 34, Rams 6
- 2013: Rams 27, Cardinals 24
- 2012: Lions 27, Rams 23
Last 10 Bills Season Openers
- 2021: Steelers 23, Bills 16
- 2020: Bills 27, Jets 17
- 2019: Bills 17, Jets 16
- 2018: Ravens 47, Bills 3
- 2017: Bills 21, Jets 12
- 2016: Ravens 13, Jets 7
- 2015: Bills 27, Colts 14
- 2014: Bills 23, Bears 20 OT
- 2013: Patriots 23, Bills 21
- 2012: Jets 48, Bills 28
Rams X-Factor
Weather won’t be a concern inside of SoFi Stadium and its vented roof. If there is one match-up to watch out for, it is new Rams starting tackle Joseph Noteboom trying to stop the Bills pass rush led by former Ram/Bronco Von Miller. If Miller has a big night, the Rams are in trouble.
