49ers vs Rams Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions
It doesn’t get much better than this: A divisional game in Week 18 between two teams who both have a lot on the line. Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers need their recent domination of Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams to continue if they are to ensure a spot in the postseason, which they can clinch with a win. Meanwhile, the Rams, who have won five games in a row, need a win or an Arizona loss to clinch the NFC West.
The Los Angeles Rams are a pretty slim four-point home favorite on Sunday based on the current NFL point spreads.
Game: San Francisco 49ers (9-7) at Los Angeles Rams (12-4)
Location: SoFi Stadium
Day/Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Television: FOX
49ers vs Rams Betting Lines
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
| San Francisco 49ers | +4½ (-110) | +180 | o44½ (-110) |
| Los Angeles Rams | -4½ (-110) | -220 | u44½ (-110) |
Head-to-Head
San Francisco has dominated the Rams in recent years, winning the last five meetings between the two teams. In Week 10, the 49ers crushed Los Angeles 31-10 as Jimmy Garoppolo, Elijah Mitchell, and Deebo Samuel had big games while Matthew Stafford threw two interceptions.
The 49ers lead the all-time historical head-to-head record 74-67-3.
San Francisco 49ers
Next game: TBD
Last Game
The 49ers didn’t make it look easy but they managed to use a big second half to hold off the Houston Texans in a 23-7 win last weekend. San Francisco was down 7-3 at halftime and was losing until rookie Trey Lance — starting in place of the injured Garoppolo at quarterback — found Mitchell for an eight-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. The 49ers never looked back, adding 13 fourth-quarter points to seal the deal.
San Francisco managed to cover as 13½-point home favorites despite the slow start. The over (44 points) never really had a chance.
Injury Report
As has been the case all season, the 49ers’ injury list is lengthy. Garoppolo, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst are all listed as questionable while linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is doubtful. Cornerbacks K’Waun Williams, Dontae Johnson, and Jimmie Ward were also placed on the COVID/reserve list on Monday and could miss Sunday’s game as a result. Running back Raheem Mostert is on the COVID/reserve list as well.
Los Angeles Rams
Next game: TBD
Last Game
Los Angeles didn’t play very well last Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, but the Rams used a fourth-quarter surge to come back from a late nine-point deficit and win 20-19 on an Odell Beckham Jr. touchdown catch with less than a minute left in regulation. The Rams were down 16-7 before Stafford led a pair of crucial touchdown drives to bring his team back.
The Rams didn’t cover as seven-point road favorites against a really undermanned Ravens team, so it wasn’t the most impressive win. The under was in the clear essentially all game.
Injury Report
Los Angeles’ running back room continues to be ravaged by injury. Cam Akers, sidelined since tearing his Achilles in July, is questionable for Sunday while Darrell Henderson Jr. (knee) is still on injured reserve. Linebacker Ernest Jones (ankle) is on IR as well while safety Nick Scott broke his thumb in Sunday’s win over Baltimore.
Betting on the Game
It’s impossible to ignore how well the 49ers have done against the Rams in recent years, even with the pronounced talent differences between the two teams. There’s clearly some kind of game-planning quirk that Shanahan and his coaching staff have picked up on in the McVay-led offense, which has made it so hard for Los Angeles to compete with San Francisco since the start of the 2019 season.
But, it’s also impossible to overlook how the Rams just keep winning games — five in a row since a three-game losing streak — with a top-10 offense and a defense that isn’t so impressive statistically but features elite talent all over the place. If you’re making NFL picks against the spread, this is a tough game to get a read on.
The thing going in the Rams’ favor is that they have been able to win as of late even with Stafford struggling, especially in terms of turning the ball over. Of course, it’s not great that he has looked more like the Detroit Lions version of himself in recent weeks with five touchdowns and six picks in the last three games. However, he has been great overall this season and is due for a bounce back. Plus, the 49ers’ have the fourth-fewest interceptions among NFL defenses, which should help LA.
One big reason why the Rams have been able to stay afloat even during some subpar performances has been Stafford’s ability to step up late in games. His fourth-quarter numbers have been remarkable this season and they indicate that some of his issues are being corrected and adjusted as the game progesses.
Matthew Stafford has been playing his best ball in the 4th quarter this season 💪 #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/mLLhi0zfvU
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 3, 2022
The Rams opened as six-point favorites on the BetUS Sportsbook but are now just 4½-point favorites. The line has moved a lot this week so expect even more movement before kickoff on Sunday.
As for the total, it might be smart to take the over if you’re betting online. It’s a pretty low 44½ points and while the 49ers aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut with Garoppolo or Lance under center, they’re averaging nearly 27 points in their last eight games. Couple that with the Rams’ middle-of-the-pack scoring defense and LA’s own explosive offense and there could be a lot of points scored in this one.
