The final match of the opening Sunday of the NFL 2024 season comes along in the Sunday Night Football which this week takes us to motor city as the Detroit Lions go up against the Los Angeles Rams in a battle between two top NFC sides.
The Lions won the NFC North title last season and went all the way to the Championship game and they’ll be looking to back that campaign up this time around. The Rams made the playoffs as a wildcard and will be eyeing up more this term so the opening Sunday night of the season looks a good one.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions had been building something under Dan Campbell for a couple of seasons but sport, as in life, is all about taking your chance when the opportunity arises and last term felt like the best chance for the Lions to come through and do something special. The NFC North appeared significantly weaker with the absence of Aaron Rodgers and to their credit the Lions took full advantage of their spot in the cycle to come out on top.
The used home advantage to good cause too and made it through to the NFC Championship game and now they have the test of backing that up as much more of a hunted side rather than still largely being the hunters. They have an offense which should in theory get better if they can keep players fit and with another year under their belt the potency should be there and if Aidan Hutchinson can continue to rip o-lines apart then they will pressure the quarterback at will so it is only really the pressure of expectation which could go against them.
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Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams have been through the part of their cycle where they have been the hunted having won the Super Bowl three seasons ago and all of the pressure and everything else that comes with it. They have had to transition a little since then as successful teams in this league have to do but you get the feeling that they have the offense at least to go really well this season and in a league in which scoring is becoming more and more important that is no bad thing.
The big question for the Rams will be how they deal with the absence of Aaron Donald who retired after last season. Having him putting opposing quarterbacks under pressure took some of the pressure away from the secondary and if there is nobody to do that then you wonder how the backfield is going to hold up in this campaign. Until we know for sure you would imagine that the Rams are going to be involved in a lot of shootouts.
Betting
I never used to like taking the overs on the opening week of the season but each term the rules seem to change to profit point scoring more than more and rather than the offensive combinations needing time to gel it is now that the defences take a week or two in a competitive scenario to come to terms with the different rules and nuances and things and as a result we see more higher scoring games to open up the season. I can’t see this bucking that trend.
I think the Rams defence is going to be torched a few times this season and Jared Goff and his potent Detroit offense certainly have the tools to so the torching but the positive for Los Angeles is that with Cooper Kupp back, Matthew Stafford has the ammunition to go toe-to-toe with anyone. This is largely the same Detroit offense which averaged 30.5 points per game at home last season and with the Rams’ offense having weapons back a high looking 52 line suddenly doesn’t look high enough. I’ll play the over.
Tips
Back Over 52 points for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with Coral
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