Admin September 8, 2024
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The Detroit Lions host the Los Angeles Rams in a rematch of last season’s NFC wild-card playoff game in the first “Sunday Night Football” game of the 2024 NFL season.
In that game, the Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years to wipe out the league’s longest postseason victory drought. The Lions advanced to the NFC championship game, but were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers. Both the Lions and Rams enter Sunday night’s showcase with hopes of returning to the playoffs.
The Rams-Lions matchup again pits two quarterbacks – Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff – squaring off against their former teams. Stafford enters the 2024 season as the NFL’s 11th all-time passing yardage leader (56,047) and could reach the top 10 by October (Eli Manning, 57,023 yards). Goff had his fourth career 4,000-yard passing season in 2023, while throwing for a career-high 30 touchdowns.
USA TODAY Sports will bring you the latest updates, scores, highlights, wild plays, analysis and more throughout the Rams-Lions game. Follow along.
Rams at Lions will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET from Ford Field in Detroit.
Per usual, NBC will broadcast the “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Rams and Lions. Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst) will be on the call, with Melissa Stark adding reports from the field.
For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo TV. Fubo TV carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.
The Lions are favorites to defeat the Rams, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2024.
- Spread: Lions (-4.5)
- Moneyline: Lions (-225); Rams (+180)
- Over/under: 53.5
Here are the USA TODAY Sports’ expert picks for the game:
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft — is entering his 16th NFL season and has an opportunity to climb into the top 10 of both the all-time passing yardage and passing touchdowns lists.
His target: Eli Manning.
Stafford enters the 2024 season in 11th place with 56,047 career passing yards — 976 yards from Eli Manning’s total (57,023) — and 357 career passing touchdowns — nine short of Manning’s total (366).
Career passing yardage list:
- Tom Brady (2000-2022): 89,214
- Drew Brees (2001-2020): 80,358
- Peyton Manning (1998-2015): 71,940
- Brett Favre (1991-2010): 71,838
- Ben Roethlisberger (2004-2021): 64,088
- Philip Rivers (2004-2020): 63,440
- Matt Ryan (2008-2022): 62,792
- Dan Marino (1983-1999): 61,361
- Aaron Rodgers (2005-present): 59,055
- Eli Manning (2004-2019): 57,023
- Matthew Stafford (2009-present): 56,047
Career passing TDs list:
- Tom Brady (2000-2022): 649
- Drew Brees (2001-2020): 571
- Peyton Manning (1998-2015): 539
- Brett Favre (1991-2010): 508
- Aaron Rodgers (2005-present): 475
- Philip Rivers (2004-2020): 421
- Dan Marino (1983-1999): 420
- Ben Roethlisberger (2004-2021): 418
- Matt Ryan (2008-2022): 381
- Eli Manning (2004-2019): 366
- Matthew Stafford (2009-present): 357
Stafford is the Detroit Lions‘ all-time passing yardage leader. Current Lions quarterback Jared Goff currently ranks fifth in team history, but should move into second place by the end of the season. — Jim Reineking
Aaron Donald, the three-time defensive player of the year and surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer, has left a void in the interior of the Rams defense that the team has come to terms with ahead of the season opener against the Lions. – Tyler Dragon
The NFL’s top 18 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the league’s highest-paid player on Sunday morning, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first non-quarterback on the highest-paid list after striking a four-year, $140 million contract extension this offseason.
Here’s the complete list of the league’s highest-paid players.
Who are the highest paid NFL players at each position?
We have a complete list at every position:
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