The Detroit Lions open the 2024 season against the Los Angeles Rams but it’s a different team than they faced in the Playoffs last season—especially on defense.
In what was the shortest offseasons in my lifetime, football has returned to our lives. The NFL schedule makers came up with a good way to start the 2024 NFL season with a rematch of last year’s NFC Wild Card game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams on “Sunday Night Football.” The Lions are aiming to win the Super Bowl this year—no, seriously, it’s a real thing and even a local furniture store is running a promotion about it.
This is a tough game to start the season with, as the Lions will once again face their former quarterback Matthew Stafford at Ford Field. When these teams faced off in the Playoffs last season, one of the week’s biggest storylines was, “Will Stafford get booed?“ and the answer was a convincing yes. Will that change this time around? Probably not.
Lions fans were close to tasting a first-ever Super Bowl appearance last season, and this year they want to make it to the big game and even win the whole thing. It doesn’t matter who is in their way, even if it’s their old franchise quarterback.
The Rams though, won’t just lay down and let the Lions win. They want revenge for what happened last year and they have their own high aspirations for this season. Three years removed from their Super Bowl title in 2021, the Rams’ honeymoon period came and went. With the NFC seeming to have improved over the offseason, their chances are only getting tougher. What also makes it even more challenging, is how the retirement of defensive lineman Aaron Donald changed the defense and overall team’s future. Their chance to start a new championship begins Sunday night, so let’s look at the Rams in our Week 1 scouting report for the 2024 season.
Los Angeles Rams
Last Season
- 10-7 record (2nd in NFC West)
- 8th in points scored, 19th in points allowed
- Overall DVOA: 17th (7th on offense, 22nd on defense)
Last season for the Rams was similar to the Lions back in 2022, a rough start but a strong finish. In the first nine games, the Rams were 3-6 and were started to be counted out, but a bye week rejuvenated the team and they finished the season going 7-1 (a 10-7 record) and making the playoffs.
The offense found some help in rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, who finished the season breaking countless rookie records, with his most notable being most yards (1,486) and catches (105), to go along with his six touchdowns. This helped the Rams’ passing game as wide receiver Cooper Kupp was able to take a step back as the number one option in the offense. Kupp was still effective though, registering 59 catches for 737 yards and five touchdowns on the season.
It wasn’t just the passing game that helped out, as another young player stepped up in running back Kyren Williams. He finished with 1,144 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, along with 32 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns. The balanced attack with Williams on the ground and Nacua and Kupp in the air gave the Rams some balance in their offensive game plan.
The defense was the biggest issue for the Rams, as it wasn’t as dominant as it once was, yet Donald still produced 53 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and three pass deflections. Kobie Turner, a rookie defensive tackle, finished with 57 tackles, a team-high nine sacks, eight tackles for loss, and two pass deflections. Regarding the secondary, safety Jordan Fuller was their only playmaker recording 94 tackles, eight pass deflections, three forced fumbles, three interceptions, and a tackle for loss. The Rams were tied with three other teams with the fewest turnovers produced last season with 18.
2024 Offseason
Key additions: LG Jonah Jackson, TE Colby Parkinson, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, CB Tre’Davious White
Key losses: DL Aaron Donald, S Jordan Fuller, LB Ernest Jones IV, QB Carson Wentz, C Coleman Shelton, C Brian Allen
2024 NFL Draft picks
Round 1: DE Jared Verse
Round 2: DT Braden Fiske
Round 3: RB Blake Corum
Round 3: S Kamren Kinchens
Round 5: DE Brennan Jackson
Round 6: DT Tyler Davis
Round 6: K Joshua Karty
Round 6: WR Jordan Whittington
Round 6: C Beaux Limmer
Round 7: G KT Leveston
The biggest change is obviously the loss of Donald, who is a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer and will certainly be missed in the trenches. With that said, the Rams replaced him with multiple defensive linemen in the draft, including two edge rushers, and two defensive tackles. The Rams know how much attention Donald got from opposing offensive lines and with him out of the picture, Turner is probably their main defensive line threat.
The offensive line and secondary got some help, too, with former Lion Jonah Jackson to give them a starting guard/center option. Cornerback Tre’Davious White boosts the secondary, as someone who can make plays.
There was some drama just a few days ago as starting middle linebacker and team captain Ernest Jones supposedly requested a trade…until he didn’t. The confusion ended after he was traded to the Tennessee Titans, followed by Rams head coach Sean McVay saying he didn’t request a trade and the move was a football decision. Jones was the Rams leading tackler with 145 tackles last season and now the job could be had between veterans Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder, or younger guys who stood out in the preseason and training camp in Jake Hummel and Omar Speights.
2024 season outlook
The Rams are looking for a new beginning on defense with Donald’s departure, but I think his loss will be felt heavily this season as the team learns to adjust to life without him. Additionally, they are in a tough division with the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers, who continue to keep their core together. The Seattle Seahawks barely missed the playoffs last season and should still be in contention for a wildcard. Even the Arizona Cardinals will be better this season with the return of a healthy Kyler Murray, and rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who looks like he will take the league by storm.
The Rams know Stafford is at the tail end of his career and want to get the most out of him before he retires. With him at quarterback, the dynamic duo of Nacua and Kupp, along with the running game led by Williams—and the addition of Michigan running back Blake Corum—the offense will still be a strong threat. If the defense can improve from last year’s efforts, the team could be the 49ers’ biggest threat in the division.
Injury Notes
Key players ruled out: LT Alaric Jackson (suspension), TE Tyler Higbee (PUP)
Key players to monitor: LG Jonah Jackson (shoulder), RT Rob Havenstein (ankle)
Biggest strength: Wide receivers
As mentioned throughout the article, the Rams have a good dynamic duo of receivers in Kupp and Nacua. There is some depth behind them though, as Tutu Atwell (39 catches for 483 yards and three touchdowns last season) and Demarcus Robinson (26 catches for 371 yards and four touchdowns last year) can also contribute. With Higbee out the first four weeks, those two players need to step up and become helpful for Stafford with Nacua and Kupp getting the most attention.
Biggest weakness: Offensive line
Any other week I would put the defensive line because we haven’t seen what the unit will be like without Donald, but due to injuries and suspensions this week, the offensive line is the biggest weakness heading into the matchup as injuries and suspensions are afloat.
The Rams are already down their starting left tackle Alaric Jackson, as he was suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, and starting right tackle Havenstein just returned to practice this week after missing a month of training camp. While the interior of the offensive line is mostly healthy in Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila, Jackson is just returning from a bruised scapula—he missed six weeks since the end of July—and doesn’t have a clear position, as the Rams could actually move him over to center instead of at left guard. The move could shake up the chemistry on the offensive line starters, and make it even a more entangled mess.
Additionally, the Rams also lost two offensive tackles to injured reserve—KT Leveston and Conor McDermott—so the depth on the offensive line is already thin. With a banged-up offensive line and confusion as to where the starters will play, the Lions defensive line could have a big game on Sunday night.
Key matchup: Lions secondary vs. Rams wide receivers
Last year in the playoffs, it was a tough day for the Lions secondary as Nacua showed off his skill set, accumulating nine catches for 181 yards and a touchdown. Robinson had three catches for 44 yards, and Atwell only had one catch, but it was a 38-yard touchdown. The surprise was Kupp’s performance, who only produced five catches for 27 yards.
That was the old Lions’ secondary, and with the revamped cornerback room, it should be a tougher day for the Rams passing attack to get going. Just because the Lions got better players in the secondary, though, doesn’t mean it will automatically turn into success. The Lions have a rookie cornerback in Terrion Arnold, who Stafford may target early and often to test how good he really is.
If the Lions can get some pressure on a Rams’ offensive line that is already doing some serious shuffling, their secondary might have an easier time defending the wide receivers. If the Lions’ defensive line can’t get home and sack Stafford, it’ll be up to the secondary to hold up their end and do well in coverage. If the Rams’ passing game gets going on the Lions’ secondary, this game could once again turn into a shootout.
Vegas line for Sunday: Lions favored by 3.5
