| Steven Jackson enters the season 31st on the NFL's all-time list with 9,093 career rushing yards. (Getty Images) |
Rams vs. Lions -- Week 1
Where: Ford Field, Detroit (FieldTurf)
When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Spread: Lions by 7
2011 records -- Rams (2-14); Lions (10-6)
Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Oct. 10, 2010: Lions 44, Rams 6. November 1, 2009: Rams 17, Lions 10. Series record: Lions hold 42-39-1 edge.
What matters: St. Louis Rams rookie CBs Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson don’t get to ease in. Jenkins, a starter, and Johnson, the third corner, face a Matthew Stafford-led passing offense that ranked fourth in the NFL last year (300.9 ypg). Veteran Cortland Finnegan graded out as the top cover corner last year, allowing 4.3 yards per attempt, but at 5-foot-10 he’ll struggle to match up with 6-foot-5 Calvin Johnson (1,681 receiving yards, 16 TDs in 2011). DEs Chris Long and Robert Quinn must get quick pressure to disrupt Stafford’s rhythm.
Who matters: RB Steven Jackson looked spry in preseason, running 17 times for 89 yards (5.2 ypc). Jackson has to move the chains to keep the heat off of Sam Bradford. Backups Isaiah Pead and Daryl Richardson also should see action in this run-heavy offense. Look for St. Louis to run right often, behind tackle Barry Richardson and guard Harvey Dahl.
Key matchups: The Rams gave up a league-high 55 sacks and tied with Seattle by allowing a league-worst 114 QB hits last year. Their revamped O-line has been shaky in pass protection this preseason. Now they have to deal with one of the deepest and nastiest defensive fronts featuring Ndamukong Suh, Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch. The Lions will get a good push, but will they overpursue and pick up personal fouls?
Injuries of note: Starting DT Michael Brockers, the Rams’ first-round pick, is out with a high ankle sprain. Reserve DT Darell Scott (knee) also is out. Fellow reserve DT Matt Conrath (knee) didn't practice again Thursday. If Conrath can’t go, the Rams would have only three DTs: Kendall Langford, Kellen Heard and Jermelle Cudjo.
Inside stuff: The Rams’ secret weapon could be rookie Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein, who thrives when kicking indoors. Zuerlein made five of six field goals in preseason, the only miss a 62-yarder. He hit four field goals of at least 52 yards.
Connections: Before taking over the Lions, coach Jim Schwartz spent 10 seasons working under Jeff Fisher with the Titans. Schwartz was Fisher’s DC from 2001-08. The Titans made the playoffs in four of those eight years. Vanden Bosch and MLB Stephen Tulloch played for Fisher in Tennessee before joining the Lions. Tulloch was in the same Titans draft class with Finnegan, now the Rams’ top corner. "We talk about it all the time that we're the two guys left from our class,” Tulloch told MLive.com. “The rest of the class is gone. It's always good to compete against him."
Stats you should know: Fisher is 10-6 in season openers. … Danny Amendola played in only one game last year due to a dislocated elbow. But in 2010 he made 85 catches and led the NFL with 2,364 all-purpose yards. He’ll start at WR and return punts.
Record watch: Jackson, the Rams’ all-time leading rusher, enters the season 31st on the NFL all-time list with 9,093 career yards. He needs 1,181 this season to move into the top 25.
Looking ahead: Three of the Rams’ first five games are winnable, at home against Washington, Seattle and Arizona. Almost no one expects St. Louis to win at Detroit. With 16 rookies, the Rams are the NFL’s youngest team. They find out Sunday how big the gap is between them and a playoff team.
Prediction: Lions 31, Rams 24
Get more Rams updates and analysis from Larry Hartstein @CBSSportsNFLSTL.