The Rams' overtime loss to the Lions on Sunday Night Football was one of the most entertaining games of Week 1, and there were some fun statistical trends. Matthew Stafford continued his dominant passing streak from last season, and Cooper Kupp was his primary target.
Los Angeles endured a slew of injuries, including wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Joe Noteboom and Steve Avila. Still, they overcame those hurdles in a dog fight with a star-studded Lions team to start the year.
Here are five interesting stats from the Rams' season opener in Detroit:
69% of the Rams' pass plays included pre-snap motion
Pre-snap motion is incredibly useful in the pass game, as it can help quarterbacks and pass-catchers recognize coverages before the play. The Rams utilized that on most of their passing snaps, ranking fifth in the league in that stat. Kupp was one of the primary motion men, but a variety of players were moved around the formation, including some plays where multiple people were motioned.
The Rams had the second-highest pre-snap motion rate on all plays last season. It's a staple of the offense and will certainly be used heavily throughout the season.
Stafford has now passed for over 300 yards in his last four games, dating back to last season
Stafford has been one of the best passers in football over his last four games. He finished with 317 yards on 49 attempts last night, continuing his streak of games with at least 300 passing yards and a touchdown. He fought through a minor ankle issue and heavy pressure throughout the game to keep the Rams' offense driving down the field.
On Sunday night, Jared Verse led all pass rushers in separation from the quarterback at the throw or sack point (3.99 yards), per Next Gen Stats
Rookie edge rusher Jared Verse had an eventful professional debut. He became the fourth rookie in Rams history to record a sack in his first pro game, and he also got two QB hits while leading all pass rushers in average distance from the quarterback. What that means is he was the closest pass rusher to the quarterback on any given play.
Verse's pass rush win rate of 33% was tied for the sixth-best in Week 1 thus far, and his six QB pressures are also tied for sixth. It was an extremely promising debut for the rookie going against one of the best tackle duos in the NFL, Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell.
The Rams dominated time of possession even without an overtime drive
Despite their heavy passing volume (74%) and not getting the ball in overtime, the Rams still possessed the ball for 5:11 more than the Lions. They also outgained the Lions by 24 yards, as they sustained longer drives with more first downs (26-21). The Rams ran 74 plays to the Lions' 61.
In regulation, the Rams won the time of possession battle by 9:55, but the Lions' quick drives down the field ended up playing to their advantage near the game's end.
Kupp traveled 436 yards in pre-snap motion on 42 snaps, per Next Gen Stats
Kupp was sent in motion more times than any other player in the last seven seasons, and his 42 motion snaps yielded 12 touches. He moved all over the field and was asked to contribute in the pass and run game as the motion man. His 436 yards run in motion was the second most by any player since 2018. The top spot is also Kupp in Week 14 of last season.
It was a classic Kupp game in Week 1, and a sign of things to come as he's fully healthy entering the season for the first time in a while.
