The quest for the Los Angeles Rams to defend their title as Super Bowl champions begins on Thursday night versus the Buffalo Bills. It’s been months since the Rams took down the Cincinnati Bengals to secure their first Super Bowl victory since 1999, but it’s now time for them to shift their focus to the 2022 season.
Both teams in Thursday’s season opener are among the favorites to win the Super Bowl this season. The Bills are coming off a 2021 campaign in which they looked poised for a Super Bowl run themselves before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round.
With the Rams looking to prove that they are here to stay as Super Bowl contenders for years to come, let’s take a look at five players to watch in Week 1 against the Bills.
1
QB Matthew Stafford
One of the most talked about subjects this offseason surrounding the Rams was Matthew Stafford’s elbow. The veteran signal-caller is dealing with an elbow injury he sustained last season and Sean McVay has been quoted as saying it’s an “abnormal” issue for an NFL quarterback.
Los Angeles has managed Stafford’s practice workload this offseason to prevent overworking his arm before the season begins. Both the coaching staff and Stafford have said he won’t have any limitations in Week 1, so he’ll get the green light to throw the ball often.
Seeing the videos of him throwing in practice, it doesn’t appear that Stafford will be hindered by his elbow ailment to begin the season. A strong performance in Thursday’s season opener could — at least momentarily — put the talks of his elbow injury to rest.
2
WR Allen Robinson
Stafford will have a new weapon to target this season with the signing of Allen Robinson in free agency. Despite having a forgettable season in 2021, the Rams aggressively pursued Robinson, showing just how highly they think of him.
While the former Pro Bowl wideout is accustomed to being the No. 1 target at wide receiver, he’ll now serve as the No. 2 option behind Cooper Kupp. Robinson could see more single-coverage this season than he’s ever season in his career, which should bode well for a bounce-back campaign in 2022.
Besides his pristine route-running ability, Robinson is efficient in contested catch situations and he can be a lethal threat in the red zone. Look for McVay and the Rams to get their new wide receiver heavily involved in the aerial attack on Thursday night against the Bills.
3
Joe Noteboom
Losing a future Hall of Famer at the left tackle position is never an easy piece to replace in the NFL. Andrew Whitworth retired from the Rams this offseason, putting Joe Noteboom in a position to be the team’s new left tackle moving forward.
Los Angeles handed Noteboom a three-year, $40 million contract this offseason, showing just how confident they are in his ability to replace Whitworth. Noteboom has operated as the Rams’ swing tackle in recent years and he’s made 17 starts in his first four seasons in the league.
The new blindside protector for the Rams will be tested on Thursday night when Von Miller makes his return to SoFi Stadium to face the team he just won the Super Bowl with.
4
LB Bobby Wagner
While the Rams signed a veteran in Robinson to improve their offense, they also brought in Bobby Wagner on the defensive side of the ball. The All-Pro inside linebacker was released by the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, only for Los Angeles to add him to a defense that already features Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.
Even at 32 years old, Wagner still has plenty left in the tank, and he’ll be joined by an up-and-coming inside linebacker in Ernest Jones in the middle of the defense. After recording a career-best 170 combined tackles in 2021, Wagner has now tallied 104-plus tackles in each of his first 10 seasons.
The Rams have never had their inside linebacker position be a strength on their defense, so it will be interesting to see how Wagner performs in his debut.
5
OLB Justin Hollins
Along with Whitworth retiring, one of the biggest losses the Rams experienced this offseason was Miller signing with the Bills in free agency. The All-Pro edge rusher was crucial in the team’s Super Bowl run a season ago and he now leaves a massive hole at the edge position opposite Leonard Floyd.
Instead of bringing in a veteran or taking someone in the 2022 NFL draft, the Rams are electing to give Justin Hollins an opportunity to replace Miller. Even though it will take a couple of players to fill Miller’s shoes, Hollins could have a breakout season this year with an expanded role.
Hollins has combined for six sacks in his first three years in the NFL, but he could begin making a name for himself on Thursday night against the Bills.
