Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock) features what could be the next great rivalry in the NFL as the Detroit Lions host the Los Angeles Rams.
In a rematch of last year's NFC Wild Card Game, the matchup pits both quarterbacks against their former teams.
Matthew Stafford was drafted by Detroit and played his first 12 seasons there. Over that time he threw for 3,898 yards and 282 touchdowns while earning Pro Bowl honors. He was traded to the Rams in 2021 for draft picks and...Jared Goff.
See how the earlier games went
Both sides won the trade as Stafford took Los Angeles to a Super Bowl the following season and Goff has thrived in a new environment. Goff threw for 4,575 yards and 30 scores last season en route to Detroit's first playoff win in 32 years.
How will both teams fare against this year? It all starts Sunday night. Stay with NBC News all night for updates from the matchup.
The Rams will have to find a way to replace future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, who retired this offseason. Donald wrecked havoc for years since being drafted in 2014, constantly blowing up the line to get the opposing QB. His lack of presence will be felt.
L.A. used five of its first six picks on defense, including Florida State DL teammates Jared Verse and Braden Fiske with their top two picks.
This is a rematch of last season’s highly anticipated wild card matchup, which Detroit won 24-23 as Rams QB Matthew Stafford made his return to Detroit. Lions QB Jared Goff, who was drafted and played multiple seasons in L.A., beat his former team by throwing for 277 yards and a touchdown.
It was Detroit's first playoff win in 32 years.
After a down year in 2022, the Rams returned to form in 2023 despite a 3-6 start to the season. Puka Nacua’s emergence helped ease Cooper Kupp’s absence at the beginning of the season.
However, after Kupp returned to the roster, the duo thrived, completely changing the dynamic of the Rams offense and giving QB Matthew Stafford two solid pairs of hands to target. Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell return to be depth, but it was preseason standout Jordan Whittington who turned heads in August. Will he add a third bona fide star to the Rams WR room?
However, Nacua wasn’t the only player that broke out last season. After a solid start to the season, Rams RB Kyren Williams saw an impressive start to 2023 before getting slowed by an ankle injury in the middle of the season. After a brief stint on injured reserve, Williams returned better than ever, finishing an eye-popping season as the Rams RB1.
The Rams are looking for some success in the NFC, but the same can be said for the Lions. After a long period of struggles, head coach Dan Campbell finally got Detroit a playoff win for the first time since 1991. With the franchise moving in the right direction for the first time in the 21st century, the expectations are higher than ever, and for good reason.
QB Jared Goff continues to look solid after being traded for Stafford. Meanwhile, the offensive playmakers keep getting experience with every season under their belt. RB Jahmyr Gibbs has been a bit hampered by a hamstring issue in the preseason, but the Lions’ 2023 first-round pick is healthy and ready to go for Week 1.
Amon-Ra St. Brown headlines the receiving room, but 2022 first-round WR Jameson Williams is finally ready to show the Lions what he can bring to the table after missing the first four games of the 2023 season due to a betting suspension. However, the WR depth is scarce outside of Williams and St. Brown, with Tre’Quan Smith and Antoine Green on IR.
As for the defense, Detroit added another secondary piece in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting CB Terrion Arnold with the 24th overall pick. With a relatively young age across the defense, the Lions continue to add to the talent while adding offseason additions like CB Carlton Davis III and Marcus Davenport to strengthen the unit further.
WHEN
September 09, 2024 at 5:00pm - 8pm
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