Buffalo Bills (0-0) vs. Los Angeles Rams (0-0)
September 8, 2022 8:20 pm EDT
The Line: Los Angeles Rams +2.5 / Buffalo Bills -2.5; Over/Under: 52.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills square off in Thursday Night Football in week 1 NFL action at SoFi Stadium. The Buffalo Bills are coming off 11 wins and enter the sixth year under coach Sean McDermott. The Los Angeles Rams are fresh off a Super Bowl title and enter the sixth year under coach Sean McVay.
The Buffalo Bills have won 5 of their last 8 road games. The Bills have watched quarterback Josh Allen become a superstar in the NFL, and he’s surrounded by talent in Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Devin Singletary and Dawson Knox. Buffalo’s defense left a sour taste in our mouth after last year’s playoffs, but this unit was first in yards allowed and points allowed, and that side of the ball added Von Miller. On paper, the Bills check a lot of boxes, and it’s why they’re currently the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. While a long season, this game will make a statement for the Bills moving forward, whether good or bad.
The Los Angeles Rams have won 5 of their last 8 home games. The Rams still have their head coach, quarterback in Matthew Stafford, star receiver in Cooper Kupp and possibly the best player regardless of position in Aaron Donald. However, the Rams lost a lot of production from last year’s championship team. Players such as Von Miller, Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr., Darious Williams and Andrew Whitworth are no longer around. Heck, even offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell left to become head coach of the Vikings. There’s still pieces in place and the Rams remain a top-five team for the Super Bowl in terms of betting odds, but people will question if they lost a little too much this offseason. A win here could silence some of these concerns.
The Bills are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games in September and 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Rams are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite and 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games in September. The over is 5-2 in Bills last 7 games overall. The under is 20-7 in Rams last 27 home games. The Bills are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
The Buffalo Bills have become the new sexy team that everybody loves to hype up. Sure, the Bills are loaded on both sides of the ball and appear ready to take that next step, but I’m always a little more hesitant than the betting public. Let me see something before I just make you favorites on the road against the defending champs. The Los Angeles Rams aren’t the same team from a year ago, but there’s still enough here to be a contender yet again, and they’re a well coached team that can still move the ball. Everybody and their brother seems to be pounding the Bills, and it turns me off just a little. Not a great feel for this spot, but I’d lean Rams and the points if forced to pick.
