Bills Rams Prop Bets and Key Mismatches for 2022 NFL Opening Kickoff
The most incredible season of the year is upon us with football games on five of seven days of the week and endless amounts of bets to cash.
This Thursday opens the 2022 NFL season as the Buffalo Bills (-2.5) take on the defending Super Bowl champion, the Los Angeles Rams.
While I love the game line, there are several Bills Rams Prop Bets that are worthy of looking into. Before we dive into it, make sure you’re bankrolling all of your NFL Bets this season with The Liberty Line. Our promo codes will put a FREE $350 in your pockets.
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Over the past nine seasons, previous Super Bowl winners are 8-1 SU and 5-3-1 ATS. After concerns about Matthew Stafford’s throwing elbow escalated over the offseason, Sean McVay said that Stafford would be “ready to go with no limitations.”
As of 9/6, the Rams money line is +110, but I am going to move that for even more value.
Rams Adjusted Line: -2.0 (+130)
WR Gabriel Davis vs. CB David Long Jr
With Jalen Ramsey shadowing Josh Allen’s go-to target in Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis has a tantalizing matchup on the outside against David Long Jr. The Bills’ fourth-round pick enters his third season and is prime for a breakout campaign.
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Davis had yet to eclipse 600 yards in a season during his first two years but tallied six touchdowns and a 72.7 contested catch percentage in 2021 (8 for 11). The former UFC Knight stands 6-foot-three, weighing 212 pounds against David Long Jr, who is 5’11” and 196 pounds.
The size mismatch is there for a potential fade route touchdown near the end zone, but in his first full-time action last season, David Long had his struggles. The 2019 third-round pick allowed a 65.1 catch percentage and 14.1 yards per catch. Ramsey and Diggs should have a fantastic battle on the outside but expect Josh Allen to look Gabe Davis’ way early and often.
Parlay Palace: All About Gabe
Davis OVER 64.5 rec yds, Davis 4+ recs, Davis TD = +300
WR Cooper Kupp vs. NB Taron Johnson
This one seems very obvious, and even with the addition of Allen Robinson, I think Cooper Kupp continues to thrive in the slot. The Eastern Washington product put up one of the greatest statistical receiving seasons in NFL history in 2021.
Not only did Kupp win the Super Bowl MVP and Offensive Player of the Year but also became the league’s first Triple Crown winner since Steve Smith Sr in 2005, leading in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Kupp’s 1,947 yards were second in NFL history to Calvin Johnson (1,964) in 2012, and his 145 receptions were second to Michael Thomas (149) in 2019.
With all that said, Kupp enters his second year with Matthew Stafford under center, and it’s crazy to say that things might get even better for the NFL’s new breakout wide receiver.
All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White begins the year on the Reserve/PUP list following that torn ACL in Week 12. In his first week, Kupp matches up against Taron Johnson, the Bills’ 2018 fourth-round pick out of Weber State.
In his four seasons with Buffalo, Johnson has played almost exclusively slot corner and, with his 4.5 forty-yard speed, can hang vertically with most receivers. The big difference in this matchup is Cooper Kupp is not “most receivers.”
The fourth-year cornerback allows a 67.9 reception percentage over his career, but since becoming the full-time slot cornerback, he’s allowed 10.2 yards per reception in 2020 and 11.8 in 2021. Betting Cooper Kupp props are chalky, but sometimes you must be basic with your bets in Week One.
- Cooper Kupp OVER 90.5 rec yds (-115)
- Cooper Kupp OVER 7.5 recs (+110)
- Cooper Kupp Anytime TD Scorer (-140)
Parlay Palace: The Kupp Parlay
Kupp OVER 99.5 rec yds, Kupp TD = +180
Leonard Floyd and Aaron Donald vs. Bills Offensive Line
There is not much to be said about Aaron Donald other than he is the most dominant football player on both sides of the ball currently in the NFL. Not many other players can destroy an opponent’s game plan from the interior of the defensive line while fighting through constant double and triple teams.
After the Chicago Bears traded Leonard Floyd to the Rams in 2019, he has become the Fulton Reed to Aaron Donald’s Dean Portman.
(Shoutout to whoever got that Bash Brothers reference from the Mighty Ducks without reading this first).
The seventh-year veteran finished second to Donald in terms of sacks in both seasons with the Rams and has an opportunity to get constant pressure over the Bills’ right tackle, Spencer Brown.
PFF ranks the Bills’ offensive line as their 20th unit under Tier 4: “At Least One Good Tackle.” That good tackle refers to Dion Dawkins, as this line’s success relies on the emergence of Spencer Brown.
The “project” third-round tackle quickly earned the starting spot, playing 849 snaps as a rookie last season. However, despite exceeding expectations for where the Bills drafted him, he finished with a 49.1 PFF pass-blocking grade.
Leonard Floyd typically lurks around the left side of the defensive line, right over where Spencer Brown will be anchoring his position.
The Bash Brothers Bets
Lottery Ticket SGP (please use responsible units):
- Gabriel Davis OVER 64.5 rec yds
- Gabriel Davis 4+ catches
- Gabriel Davis Anytime TD
- Cooper Kupp OVER 89.5 rec yds
- Cooper Kupp Anytime TD
5-Leg Parlay = +700
Rams ML w/ Parlay = +1400
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Image Credit: Pro Football Talk on NBC
