Despite losing quarterback Sam Bradford in the preseason, the SB Nation panel of experts still believe the St. Louis Rams will take care of business at home against the Vikings.
NFL picks and predictions, Week 1: Vikings vs. Rams
The Rams lost Sam Bradford for the year, but they’re still favored to beat a Vikings team trying to rebound from a forgettable season.
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The Rams were feeling pretty darn good about themselves heading into this season. That is, until Bradford went down with a torn ACL. Now, the team is going to roll with Shaun Hill and hope it can carve out a good season with a young defense that is quickly becoming dominant.
Minnesota has chosen Matt Cassel as its starting quarterback -- a move that will surely in no way look terrible by the end of the year -- forcing rookie Teddy Bridgewater to watch from the sidelines for now.
But even with Hill at quarterback, SB Nation’s analysts favor St. Louis in the matchup.
| Week 1 | Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | Matt Ufford | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | PFT Commenter |
| MIN vs. STL | MIN | MIN | STL | STL | STL | STL | Tie |
It doesn't come as a surprise to see the picks lean toward St. Louis. Not only are the Rams at home, but Minnesota had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season. Plus, there are still plenty of offensive weapons in St. Louis to get past the Vikings.
In other realms, the Rams are also given the edge. Between the experts at CBS and Yahoo! Sports, the matchup is 6-4 in favor of St. Louis as everyone is waiting to see what Shaun Hill can bring to the Rams and whether or not Cassel will implode this early for the Vikings.
