4:25 pm
January 9

49ers @ Rams

Who will WIN this matchup?

San Francisco 49ers (9-7)

@ Los Angeles Rams (12-4)

 

Current odds:

San Francisco 49ers: (+155)

Los Angeles Rams: (-180)

 

• The spread for the game is Los Angeles by 3.5 points.

• A Cardinals loss Sunday afternoon to the Seattle Seahawks could allow the Rams to clinch the division title even before completing their game against San Francisco. At the same time, if the New Orleans Saints (8-8) were to lose in the afternoon to the Atlanta Falcons, the 49ers would clinch a wild-card spot regardless of their outcome in L.A.

• Despite having won six of their last eight games, the 49ers aren’t assured of one of the NFC’s seven berths yet. They would need a Saints loss or a win or a tie against the Rams. Victories by the 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) would have them finish with the same record, with San Francisco owning the tiebreaker (and claiming the No. 6 playoff seed) due to an earlier win at Philadelphia. A sixth straight win over the Rams might have to occur with a different quarterback than the one who went 15-for-19 for 182 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-10 home win over the Rams in Week 10.

• That was Jimmy Garoppolo, who suffered a partially torn ligament in his right thumb in the Week 16 loss at Tennessee. He sat out last week’s 23-7 home win over the Houston Texans, a game in which prized rookie Trey Lance threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Shanahan has indicated that Garoppolo, if deemed healthy, would get the start against the Rams. It figures to be a game-day decision.

• The Rams, meanwhile, have won five in a row to clinch a playoff spot in the NFC. With a win over the 49ers, they could wind up seeded as high as No. 2 behind the Green Bay Packers. With a loss, they could drop into the first wild-card spot. Rams coach Sean McVay’s biggest decision Sunday, short of possibly pulling key players early should the Cardinals lose, figures to be whether to play star running back Cam Akers for the first time this season. So is the story of Rams wideout Cooper Kupp, who needs 136 receiving yards to pass Calvin Johnson (1,964 in 2012) for the most in a single season in NFL history and 12 catches to break Michael Thomas’ record (149 in 2019) for receptions in a year.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Los Angeles Rams
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