2022 NFL season preview: how to watch and who to watch out for

By Ben Morse, CNN

Updated 1101 GMT (1901 HKT) September 7, 2022

The Los Angeles Rams celebrate after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022.

(CNN)Surprises, schemes and supreme skill — the NFL is back.

The US' most popular sport returns on Thursday as the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams, host the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. Heading into the season as reigning champions, the Rams will see their championship banner lifted into the rafters of the stadium to commemorate the moment. But Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford isn't getting wrapped up in the emotion of it.«I'm going to be ready to play football. I'm going to be ready to go out there and play against Buffalo,» he said. «It's a brand-new year, brand new group of guys that we have, brand new season. It'll be cool to see it, but at the same time, we got a task at hand. We're ready to go.»Read MoreFollowing another season of thrills and spills last time out, 32 teams stuffed full of talented players and innovative coaches prepare to do it all again with the ultimate prize waiting at the end of the tunnel: eternal immortality in the shape of a Super Bowl ring. So ahead of kickoff in California, here's a look at the runners and riders, as well as the new signings, rookies and MVP contenders to keep an eye on this year. ContendersThat glittering, sparkling ring given to the eventual Super Bowl winner is quite the carrot. That light at the end of the tunnel is what teams are playing for: the opportunity to be crowned the best team in the NFL for the 2022 season. As well as the two Super Bowl LVI participants — the Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals — there are a whole other host of high-powered teams vying