Rams vs. Lions Predictions, Picks & Odds: NFL Week 1, Sunday 9/8
The first Sunday Night Football game of the new NFL season is an incredible one, as it’s a rematch of last year's Wild Card Round between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions. It was an epic one-point game that catapulted the Lions to the NFC Championship Game. Will the Rams get their revenge?
We’re here to help answer that question with our best Rams vs. Lions predictions for SNF, and not only that, we’ll also be sharing how you can lock in your Rams vs. Lions picks with a generous $1,500 BetMGM Sportsbook sign up offer.
Rams vs. Lions Predictions for NFL Week 1, Sunday, 9/8
As mentioned, this is a playoff matchup from just last season, which is surprising in itself. The Rams were expected to take quite a bit of a decline after their recent Super Bowl victory, while the Lions have long been penciled in to miss the postseason.
Of course, Detroit is a far cry from those days at this point, and there is more faith in Los Angeles than last year as well. As far as the betting markets are concerned, the lines are nearly identical to last year’s game. Given that we saw a one-point victory for the home team, we wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how Rams vs. Lions predictions played out again this time around.
Our best bet is going to be focused on the total for this Sunday Night Football game, but first, let’s dive deeper into each squad.
Los Angeles Rams: Dealing With The Lack Of Donald
Starting with the Rams, they had one of the biggest storylines of the early offseason, and not in a way that made them stronger. It feels like forever ago now that the season is upon us, but 10-year pass rusher Aaron Donald called in a career.
It may not have been the longest tenure, but with three Defensive Player of the Year awards under his belt, it was certainly a successful one. That is undoubtedly a blow to their defense, but with guys like rookie WR Puka Nacua bursting onto the scene, the offense seems as strong as ever.
Detroit Lions: Living Up To New Expectations
If it feels like Donald’s retirement was forever ago, Lions fans may have a bit of a gripe, as most would argue it’s been forever since they’ve been successful. However, they ended their playoff win drought last season, and in a big way.
Detroit was within a field goal of representing the NFC in the Super Bowl and based off the first half of their game against the San Francisco 49ers, they deserved to do so. It’s clear that head coach Dan Campbell has built a new culture in the Motor City, and when paired with great draft picks like WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, it’s a recipe for success.
The Lions also brought in key free agents to help live up to this new standard with players like CB Carlton Davis and DT DJ Reader.
Rams vs. Lions Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Before we dive into the best bet from our Rams vs. Lions predictions and your $1,500 sign up bonus, here are the latest odds for Sunday Night Football at BetMGM Sportsbook:
- Point Spread: Los Angeles Rams +3.5 (-110) vs. Detroit Lions -3.5 (-110)
- Money Line: Los Angeles Rams (+155) vs. Detroit Lions (-190)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 52.5 (-110) vs. Under 52.5 (-110)
Rams vs. Lions Under 52.5 Points (-110 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
Primetime unders. We could summarize our Rams vs. Lions predictions with those two words. We won’t, but primetime unders were fantastic for fans last season, and that has been a theme for a handful of seasons now.
Over the past five years, primetime unders have hit at over a 60% clip. That may not be an earth-shattering percentage, but as any successful sports bettor will tell you, that is more than good enough! Not to mention, BetMGM is providing great value, as this is as low as 51 points elsewhere.
Even still, last year’s NFC Wild Card matchup had a total of 53, and we stayed under by six points. We know that Donald being absent hurts the Rams defense, but in totality, we still have enough trust for both sides to do their part with such a high total - it’s the highest of the entire Week 1 slate and the only one above 50 points.
It’s worth noting that Detroit was also the best team in the NFL last season against the spread, so that could also be a consideration for your Rams vs. Lions predictions. Either way, our Rams vs. Lions predictions are focused on under 52.5 points (-110 at BetMGM Sportsbook).
Rams vs. Lions Injury Report & Latest News
Detroit RB Jahmyr Gibbs was one of the most significant injuries in the preseason, and we’ve shared the latest report below:
LA Rams:
- Jonah Jackson (Questionable)
- Puka Nacua (Questionable)
- Rob Havenstein (Questionable)
- Cobie Durant (Questionable)
DET Lions:
- Loren Strickland (OUT)
- Ifeatu Melifonwu (Doubtful)
- DJ Reader (Questionable)
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Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Beat reporter John Hendrix reports that free agent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones is among the 16 players that the Saints will host for their rookie minicamp.
Peoples-Jones last played regular season snaps with the Lions back in 2023, when he caught 13-of-24 targets for 155 yards. He is highly unlikely to return to fantasy relevance at this point but could perhaps sign on as a special teams contributor.
Titans signed fourth-round pick WR Elic Ayomanor to a four-year contract.
Ayomanor will now begin learning behind Calvin Ridley. Although Ayomanor is unlikely to find a meaningful role in year one, dynasty managers should note his status as training camp gets underway this summer. The former Stanford receiver flashed big-play ability in his two college seasons.
Buccaneers signed seventh-round pick WR Tez Johnson to a four-year contract.
Johnson will serve as a rotational deep-threat option for Baker Mayfield. His thin frame (5'10/154) simply does not lend itself to the repeated hits one incurs in a full-time role. Johnson did earn 100-plus targets in his two seasons at Oregon, though. His big-play style make him a better fit in best ball for now, pending any major on-field breakthroughs.
Giants waived DT Casey Rogers.
Rogers was a 2024 undrafted free agent and logged 33 defensive snaps for the Giants in his rookie season. He is credited with zero tackles and/or sacks. He may find his way onto another roster as a practice squad option.
Vikings signed third-round pick WR Tai Felton to a four-year contract.
Felton is quietly in play to challenge Vikings No. 3 WR Jalen Nailor in training camp. Nailor (5'11/190) caught 28-of-42 targets for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year, with the latter category buoying his fantasy productivity. Felton (6'1/183), meanwhile, caught 96-of-143 targets for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.32 yards per route run in his final college season. Fantasy managers should monitor Felton’s training camp reports this summer, as he could have a matchup-based WR5 role if everything falls into place.