San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams Betting Preview
NFC West rivals will square off Sunday evening with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line as the San Francisco 49ers (12-7) square off with the Los Angeles Rams (14-5). The Rams will host this one at SoFi Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 pm ET.
Last week, the 49ers did the unthinkable and took down the top-seeded Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field 13-10.
The 49ers did not score an offensive touchdown in the win. Their scores came from a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown and two Robbie Gould field goals.
After leading 20-3 over the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers at halftime, the Rams were able to salvage a victory with a last-second field goal to win the game.
Matthew Stafford threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. Cooper Kupp led all receivers with 183 yards receiving and a score.
This will actually be the third time these two teams have played this season. The 49ers took the first two games, including a 27-24 road victory in the regular-season finale.
The Rams are the favorites playing at home. They are -180 to win while the 49ers’ moneyline sits at +152. The spread features San Francisco +3.5 (-114), and the over/under for total points is 45.5.
More Odds
The Rams have the second-best odds of winning the Super Bowl this season at +210. The 49ers have the third-best odds at +460.
By The Numbers
The Rams have one of the best offenses in the NFL this season. They rank sixth in the league in scoring averaging 27.6 points per game. The 49ers rank 14th, averaging 24.4 points.
Defensively, it is the 49ers with the edge. They rank fifth in scoring defense, allowing opponents an average of just 20.6 points per game. The Rams rank 12th, allowing 21.6 points (19.7 at home).
49ers Need Jimmy Garropolo To Step Up
For as good as the defense is, the 49ers will need more from quarterback Jimmy Garropolo if they want to win the NFC championship. Last week, he threw for just 131 yards and an interception in the victory.
This season, Garoppolo threw for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The most lethal weapon for the 49ers is Deebo Samuel. He is a triple threat as he has 1,405 yards and six touchdowns receiving, 365 yards rushing and eight touchdowns rushing, and even threw for a touchdown.
Defensively, San Francisco is led by Fred Warner (137 tackles), Nick Bosa (15.5 sacks), and Jimmie Ward (two interceptions).
Rams Hope Third Time’s A Charm
The last time that the Rams hosted the 49ers at SoFi Stadium, they watched as a 17-3 halftime lead dissipated and ended in a 27-24 overtime loss. In their third matchup of the season, the Rams are hoping that this time they can best their division rivals.
Matthew Stafford leads a dangerous offense. During the regular season, Stafford threw for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.
His leading receiver is the stellar Cooper Kupp. In 17 games this season, Kupp had 145 receptions, 1,947 yards, and 16 touchdowns.
On defense, the stat leaders include Jordan Fuller (113 tackles), Aaron Donald (12.5 sacks), and both Taylor Rapp and Jalen Ramsey (four interceptions apiece).
Expect A Close Game
With how familiar these teams are with one another, expect these two to grind out an epic battle that could boil down to just one or two possessions.
It would not be shocking if the Rams finally buck the trend of six straight losses to San Francisco, but the 49ers’ physicality could continue to give Los Angeles fits.
For that reason, there is a lot of value in taking the points in this one. In this case, that means taking San Francisco +3.5.
