Bills-Rams preview: Week 1 NFL guide, analysis, prediction

The NFL returns Thursday and the march to Super Bowl LVII begins with the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams playing host to the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium.

FOX Sports’ staff of NFL writers has assembled a guide to every game that will be played in Week 1. Be sure to check back throughout the coming season for weekly matchup analysis and game predictions.

Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Rams (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)

Overview: The Bills lead the season series 8-5 (postseason included), winning seven of the past nine matchups and taking the past three road games against the Rams.

Los Angeles lost the most recent meeting between the two teams 35-32 in Buffalo in Week 3 of the 2020 season. The defending Super Bowl champion Rams will celebrate their title by hoisting a banner to the rafters of SoFi Stadium before this nationally televised Thursday night contest.

The last time the Bills played the Rams in L.A., Buffalo won 30-19 in 2016.

Matchup to watch: Bills QB Josh Allen vs. Rams DL Aaron Donald

The Rams will have their hands full trying to contain the Buffalo QB, one of the favorites to win this year’s MVP award. Allen fuels the Bills’ potent passing game and finished third among all signal-callers with 763 rushing yards last year. He will have to deal with a game-wrecker in Donald, who totaled six combined tackles and two sacks against Buffalo two years ago. Donald needs two sacks to become the seventh active player to record 100 career sacks.

Key stat: The Rams are 5-0 in season openers under coach Sean McVay.

Prediction: Even though the Bills are slightly favored, the Rams are the healthier team and should be properly motivated to defend their home turf. They will kick off the NFL season by celebrating their Super Bowl title on the field where they won it in February. Rams 31, Bills 27 — Eric D. Williams