Broncos to Play at Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day

So much for kicking off the 2022 season at SoFi Stadium. The Broncos, instead, are ringing in the holidays against the reigning Super Bowl champs.

The NFL announced Tuesday that Denver will face the Rams in Los Angeles on Christmas Day, a Week 16 affair broadcast simultaneously on CBS and Nickelodeon.

Forget primetime. Welcome to Slime Time.

SLIME TIME ON CHRISTMAS?!?! 🎄✨@Broncos vs. @RamsNFL is getting the @Nickelodeon treatment on Christmas Day this season!

📺: 2022 NFL Schedule Release -- Thursday at 8pm ET on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/roJw7FoNgO
— NFL (@NFL) May 10, 2022

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The teams are set to meet for only the 15th occasion in league history; the Rams hold a 9-5 all-time series lead, punctuated by four straight victories over Denver dating back to 2006. Their last matchup — a 23-20 Los Angeles win — came in 2018.

This year's edition pits Matthew Stafford versus Russell Wilson, Aaron Donald versus Patrick Surtain II, Sean McVay versus Nathaniel Hackett. And, to a lesser extent, Dre'Mont Jones versus Justin Hollins.

Let the smack-talk commence.

#Broncos DE Dre'Mont Jones talking some early trash to friend/former Bronco Justin Hollins on IG, r/e Denver playing his defending champ Rams on Christmas at SoFi pic.twitter.com/tT8biEZXWF
— Kyle Newman (@KyleNewmanDP) May 10, 2022

Such is the second Broncos game on the 2022 docket to be leaked ahead of Thursday's full schedule release. The club is also slated to battle the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London on Oct. 30.

As for its season-opener, there have been whispers that Denver will play the Seahawks in Seattle, pitting Wilson against his former team — assuredly, no less, in a nationally-televised tilt.

The sense I got at the draft — and it could be wrong — is that the #Broncos will open the 2022 season at Seattle.
— Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) May 2, 2022

Follow Zack on Twitter @KelbermanNFL

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