Editor’s Note: Fantasy football guru Matthew Berry has joined the team and his two shows have you covered all season long. Spend weekdays at noon with the Fantasy Football Happy Hour and then, every Sunday at 11am getting ready for kickoff with the Fantasy Football Pregame. Watch both shows live on Peacock and catch replays for the weekday show on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel.
The Buffalo Bills fell 13 seconds short of what they believe ultimately would have resulted in a trip to the Super Bowl last season following their loss in the divisional round to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. No way those 13 seconds don’t replay over and over in the minds of General Manager Brandon Beane and Head Coach Sean McDermott as well as every Bills’ fan. Plans for a parade past the Anchor Bar and throughout downtown Buffalo were forced to be put on hold.
To their credit, though, Beane and McDermott did not allow their emotions to take hold of their decision-making as they looked at their roster. Yes, they were talented last season, but Beane and McDermott knew the Bills needed to get better. Running it back with the same group was not a viable option. Over the course of the offseason, Buffalo added Von Miller, Shaq Lawson, and Jamison Crowder among others to create possibly the deepest lineup in the NFL.
The Bills’ Revenge Tour begins Thursday Night in Los Angeles against the Super Bowl Champion Rams. Last offseason, the Rams’ change under center was their big move. The acquisition of Matthew Stafford was the difference for LA as they claimed the Lombardi Trophy.
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To help you out, here are some statistics and suggested picks to two of the seven questions from this week’s game.
Question #1: How many passing yards and touchdowns will Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen throw for on Sunday night vs. the LA Rams?
Yardage Potential Answers:
<240 yards, 240-269 yards, 270-299 yards, 300-329 yards, or 330+ yards
Number of Passing Touchdowns:
0-1, 2, 3, 4+
Josh Allen (+650) is the favorite for NFL MVP in 2022. Last season’s numbers were eye-popping but not as gaudy as his stats in 2020. With all the hype surrounding the Bills’ signal-caller, you might be surprised to learn that he averaged 259 passing yards and a little over two touchdowns per game last season. What makes Allen special is his ability to make the timely and smart plays in order to control the game and ultimately, the outcome.
Sean McDermott and the Bills’ offense want to establish the run. They were 6th in the NFL last season with 2209 yards rushing which translates to just about 130 yards/game. The premise of their offense is to wear down their opponents. Allen and co. do have big play capabilities, but they prefer to run over as opposed to throw over their opponents.
The Rams’ defense is led by All-Pro Aaron Donald who led LA with 12.5 sacks last season. That said, their defense played with a “bend but don’t break” attitude as they allowed 344.9 yards/game (16th in the NFL). With cornerback Jalen Ramsey shutting down half the field, the Rams’ pass defense ranked 11th allowing 241.7 yards per game.
So who wins out? Donald and the LA Pass Defense or Allen and the Bills’ Passing Offense? Rams’ Head Coach Sean McVay is tough at home and has the personnel to control the chess board most nights. The Bills, however, are singularly focused and the Rams’ celebration on Thursday will only fuel them. Expect them to attack the season from the Opening Kick-Off and not let up through Super Sunday in Glendale, Arizona.
Suggested Answer: Again, the Bills want to establish the run. That said, Allen has even more weapons on offense than in the past. Expect him to throw for between 270-299 yards and a couple touchdowns against the Rams.
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Question #3: Who will have more receiving yards Thursday Night – Stefon Diggs or Cooper Kupp? And who will score more touchdowns?
Cooper Kupp had a monster season a year ago. The Super Bowl MVP hauled in 145 balls on 192 targets for 1,947 yards. Those 145 receptions were 22 more than Davante Adams who was second in the category. Two aspects of Kupp’s game leap out at you when you watch the Rams. First, he seems to always be able to get open. His understanding of where the seams are in the opposing defense is unparalleled. Second, his ability to gain yardage after the catch is also a cut above the rest of the league. Kupp led the NFL in YAC/R (yards after the catch per reception) with 846. His two closest competitors in the category were Deebo Samuel (66 yards behind Kupp) and Ja’Marr Chase (195 yards behind Kupp).
Stefon Diggs was Josh Allen’s favorite target catching 103 balls for 1,225 yards. As discussed earlier, the Bills are a run-first team. That said, the former Viking is consistently a threat on the outside. He averaged six receptions on nine targets per game last season. Following his appearance on Happy Hour with Matthew Berry there is no reason to think those numbers dip this season. In fact, with the addition of Jamison Crowder and an enhanced role in the offense expected for Isaiah McKenzie, the field may open up some for Diggs. Some may read that and assume there will be more competition for targets, but Diggs is WR1 and he will demand the ball.
The issue Sunday is the player lining up opposite of Diggs – Jalen Ramsey. The generational cornerback is known for limiting opposing receivers’ touches. It is expected that Ramsey’s recovery from offseason shoulder surgery will not limit him tonight. While Diggs may not be Ramsey’s assignment on every play, he will harass Diggs enough to frustrate him at the very least.
That said, I do expect Diggs to find the endzone on Thursday. He was one of only eight wideouts in the NFL to score ten or more touchdowns last year. No shock to see Kupp at the top of that list with 16. Not a stretch to think both Diggs and Kupp find the endzone Thursday.
Suggested Answer: The Bills as discussed want to establish the run. They will work to do that. The Rams are content to exploit whatever is made available to them. Last season, there always was space for Kupp. No reason to think that will change this season. Expect Cooper Kupp to catch more balls that Stefon Diggs Thursday night. Regarding touchdowns? Each star wideout will find paydirt at some point during the game.
Editor’s Note: Having discussed two of the questions with you, I will leave the rest of the questions for this week’s SN7 to you. Best of luck in securing a share of the $100,000 guaranteed payout. Enjoy the sweat. Click here to get started with the NBC Sports Predictor app.
