We don’t yet know who will play in the opening game of the 2022 NFL season. But we can speculate.
The 2022 NFL schedule will be released Thursday, May 12. The highlight of the announcement is the NFL Kickoff Game matchup that officially begins the regular season. It is usually held on the Thursday after Labor Day and usually features the defending Super Bowl champion at home.
Bookies.com oddsmaker Adam Thompson has revealed his predicted NFL odds for the potential matchup for the 2022 NFL kickoff game:
2022 NFL Kickoff Game Odds
| Match | opportunities |
| Cowboys at Rams | +150 |
| Broncos at Rams | +300 |
| Bills at Rams | +325 |
| Raiders at Rams | +650 |
| Falcons at Rams | +800 |
| The field | +900 |
Odds are projected for entertainment purposes only and do not reflect odds that may be available on legit betting apps.
LA Rams host NFL kickoff game
First, we’ll pretty much confirm the date and the home team. The game will be played on Thursday, September 8th at SoFi Stadium and will feature the Los Angeles Rams as they begin defending their Super Bowl championship.
The NFL kickoff game has featured the defending champion at home in all but two seasons since the plan was implemented in 2004. In 2013, the Ravens couldn’t play at home because of a conflict with an Orioles home game that night. In 2019, the Patriots were skipped over to allow the NFL to begin its 100th season with a Bears-Packers faceoff.
There’s no way the NFL won’t be making this game in LA at SoFi Stadium. The Rams are harboring someone. Who will they play? We can limit the number of teams on the sportsbook by looking at past matches.
Who could the Rams face in the 2022 kickoff game?
Here are the 2022 LA Rams home opponents: San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills.
First, we can all but eliminate the 49ers, Cardinals, and Seahawks. There have only been two divisional rivalries since the game began in 2002, and zero since 2008.
The games usually featured a team that had made the playoffs the year before. That gives the Cowboys, Raiders and Bills a leg up. But another big trend is emerging. A whopping 18 of the 21 all-time matchups featured opponents from the same conference.
When it comes to the NFC, a playoff opponent, and a marquee match, the Cowboys are the only team that ticks all the boxes. The only downside against choosing Dallas is that they played at the 2021 NFL Kickoff and lost a thriller to Tom Brady’s Buccaneers.
Because of this, it’s possible that one of AFC’s opponents may buck the trend. The Bills are favorites to win the Super Bowl in most NFL futures markets, Russell Wilson is making his debut for the Broncos, and the Raiders are the Raiders. All three are solid options.
NFL Schedule Release Date Information
The NFL schedule will be officially confirmed on Thursday, May 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network. It will also be available on NFL.com and the NFL App. Some select games will be announced before that date. They are:
- First Thursday Night Football Game on Prime Video (Week 2, September 15) – Announced Thursday, April 28, during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft
- International Games – Announced Wednesday 4th May
- Featured Games – announced week of May 9th
- Clubs announce first home opponent – Thursday 12 May at 6pm ET
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