Bills at Rams: Anticipation Builds for NFL Schedule Release

A poll of NFL Network analysts reveals this game to be their top choice for the NFL Kickoff Game.

We already know the Los Angeles Rams will open the season at home in the NFL's Kickoff Game that marks the official start of each season on a Thursday night. That's because it has become a tradition for the defending Super Bowl champs to open the following season that way.

What we don't know yet — and won't likely know until the league's official schedule release on May 12 — is which of the nine home opponents on their schedule will be visiting that night.

Of course, the Buffalo Bills are one of them, and even though they're a small-market team, momentum could be building for them to be the favorites for this matchup because they are the favorites, according to Las Vegas oddsmakers, to win the next Super Bowl .

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At least that's how three of six NFL Network analysts feel.

In a poll released Tuesday, Joe Thomas, Marc Ross and DeAngelo Hall agreed that the Bills would be the best choice.

Ross makes perhaps the most compelling case.

"It wouldn't get better than Bills at Rams," he wrote. "The former was one overtime possession away from the AFC Championship Game in January, and Josh Allen gets the opportunity to start the Bills' Super Bowl march and begin making his own MVP case with a signature win over the defending champions. And, of course, there would be the drama of Von Miller coming back to torment his former team. It's too good to be true."

Adds Thomas: "I'm dying to see more Josh Allen after what he did in last year's postseason. Who isn't?! I'm curious to see what the dynamic QB, along with the Bills' offense as a whole, looks like after the departure of offensive coordinator Brain Daboll — and there's no better measuring stick than the defending champions."

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In an interview with Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk PM on Monday, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said he most anticipates the Week 1 matchup every season.

"Where does it start?" he asked. "Are you home? Are you away? Is it Sunday at 1? Is it a prime-time start? Is it a division team? You know, those are always good, you know, our division has gotten very competitive. ... So I always look week one where our division games and then the finish, you know, are we finishing with two on the road to at home? What does it look like? What are our weather games potentially going to be?

"And that's kind of how I break it down and, you know, we'll kind of see where it goes. We're excited for what's in store."

The 49ers, Broncos, Cardinals, Cowboys, Falcons, Panthers, Raiders and Seahawks are the other teams who will visit the Rams this season.

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Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.