New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (7) is tackled at the knees by Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant (14) during the fourth quarter of the game at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (Staff photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune | [NOLA.com](http://NOLA.com))
STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD
The New Orleans Saints (1-7) take on the Los Angeles Rams (5-2) Sunday at SoFi Stadium. Here are the predictions from our staff.
**Jeff Duncan (Season record: 5-3)**
**Rams 30, Saints 19:** Tyler Shough is being thrown into the deep end for his starting debut. The Rams are Super Bowl contenders and boast one of the stingiest defenses in the league. Still, I like the Saints to keep it close for a half or so thanks to the "new quarterback" bump. Rams have too much talent, though, to succumb to an upset.
**Zach Ewing (Season record: 5-3)**
**Rams 31, Saints 13:** The good news about this game for the Saints is that it will all be over soon. The schedule lightens up significantly for the final eight games, but Tyler Shough would be hard pressed to find a tougher team for his maiden voyage as a starter. The Rams' pass rush might be the best in the NFL, and the L.A. offense is plenty good enough to put the pressure on.
**Luke Johnson (Season record: 6-2)**
**Rams 31, Saints 17:** Weird things happen in the NFL, but there's nothing about this matchup that makes me feel good about the Saints chances. Matthew Stafford is playing at an elite level and he has two All-Pros to throw to, and on the flip side, the Los Angeles pass rush is one of the best in the league. The good news is the schedule gets lighter after this week.
**Matthew Paras (Season record: 5-3)**
**Rams 33, Saints 14:** As much as it's tempting to focus on Tyler Shough's first start, keep a close eye on the Saints' offensive line. That'll determine how much of a chance they have against the Rams, who have one of the best defensive lines in football. It didn't go well over the summer when the two teams had a joint practice, and I expect similar struggles Sunday. Shough and the line will compete, but I don't think they have enough to keep pace with a high-powered Rams offense.
**Rod Walker (Season record: 6-2)**
**Rams 37, Saints 13:** The Rams' potent offense is averaging 360.1 yards per game. So the Saints' defense will be tested. The Rams' defense is giving up just 16.7 points per game (second best in the league). This is probably the best overall team the Saints have faced this season. The results will show it.