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Last minute thoughts ahead of Rams-Bills opening showdown

It’s Matthew Stafford and LA vs. Josh Allen and Buffalo

NFL: AUG 27 Preseason - Rams at Bengals Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Football is finally back - and it all starts on Thursday night with Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams taking on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

For Los Angeles it’s a return to SoFi Stadium, where they were just crowned world champions after winning Super Bowl LVI. The Rams will hang their 2021 championship banner and turn the page to 2022, though they may be the most underrated defending Super Bowl champion in recent memory.

For Buffalo it’s about redemption - and the last time they were on the national stage they were 13 seconds away from advancing to the AFC Championship game. Widely regarding as the favorite to win the top seed in their conference, can the Bills start this season off on the right foot?

It all comes down to the star players. Can Allen outpace Stafford and the Rams? Will Jalen Ramsey be able to mitigate Stefon Diggs and a deep Buffalo receiving corps? How will a re-built Bills offensive line fare against Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines, and A’Shawn Robinson? Are the three young corners for the Bills - Dane Jackson, Kaiir Elam, and Christian Benford - ready to cover veteran receivers like Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson?

Kenneth Arthur and JB Scott discuss this and more on the Week 1 edition of Last Minute Thoughts - and we will have more for you all season long just 24-hours ahead of each game.