Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season is here, and Sunday Night Football is officially on the agenda. As the third prime-time game of the season, it will be a big-time matchup between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams.
Who will be the announcers, and what’s to know about the game?
Rams-Lions Announcers, Broadcast Details, and More
- Start time: Sunday, Sept. 8, 8:20 p.m. ET
- Location: Ford Field, Detroit
- TV Channel: NBC
- Announcers: Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), and Melissa Stark (sideline reporter)
- Streaming options: Peacock, Fubo, NFL+
- Radio Station: WDVE 102.5FM, WXYT 97.1FM, SiriusXM.
- Betting lines:
- Spread: Lions -4.5
- Total: 53.5
- Moneyline: Lions -225, Rams +180
The game will be on TV nationally through NBC with the channel’s usual crew of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark. The game will also be viewable through Peacock, Fubo, and NFL+.
Rams vs. Lions Preview
It’s only Week 1, and this game by no means will define anyone’s season, but it could still turn out to be a very impactful game later on in the year. Both the Lions and Rams are projected to be in playoff contention, and a game like this could change seeding or even someone getting into the dance in its entirety.
For the Lions, they bring in a high-powered offense that was one of the league’s best in 2023. Jared Goff leads things at quarterback, but he’ll have the liberty of throwing to Amon-Ra St. Brown and should also benefit from a running game featuring both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
The Lions’ defense was a weakness at times last season, but there’s a good chance they improve. In just the secondary, the Lions added Carlton Davis III through trade and Terrion Arnold through the NFL Draft. If their secondary can improve, star EDGE Aidan Hutchinson should have a good chance to dominate once again.
On the Rams’ side of things, they bring back a veteran offense led by quarterback Matthew Stafford. He’ll have his receiving core healthy, featuring Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Both of those receivers have had a season with 1,400+ yards. Nacua, specifically, had 105 receptions for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie last season.
The Rams’ defense loses arguably the best defensive player of all time, though, as Aaron Donald retired after last season. They added Braden Fiske and Jared Verse through the NFL Draft in an attempt to replace him. Additionally, they traded linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Tennessee Titans ahead of the season opener.