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The Los Angeles Rams will travel to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in a rematch of last season’s NFC championship game. Kickoff is 7:15 p.m. Monday.
Los Angeles (2-1) won its second straight game last Sunday, a 20-12 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Cooper Kupp and Cam Akers had touchdown runs while the Rams defense gave up over 300 yards passing to Kyler Murray but kept the Cardinals out of the end zone.
San Francisco (1-2) fell short in a 11-10 loss to the Denver Broncos. It was a miserable game with neither team looking good coming out of it. Jimmy Garoppolo threw a touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk and did very little else except accidentally step out of the end zone while the 49ers were backed up at their goal line.
Caesars Sportsbook, the official odds partner of Bet Chicago Sports, has listed the 49ers as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 42.5.
Let’s take a closer look at the odds and trends:
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Time/TV: 7:15 p.m. Monday, ESPN & ESPN2
Point spread (from Caesars Sportsbook): 49ers -1.5
Money line: 49ers -125; Rams +105
Over/under: 42.5
Analysis: The Football Power Index from ESPN gives the Rams more than a 60% chance of winning. This line has dropped from the opening point of 49ers -2.5. Garoppolo is a much better quarterback at home, but the 49ers offense just looks out of sync right now. It’s safe to wonder if Mike McDaniel, not Kyle Shanahan, was the man behind the success given what we’ve seen this season.
This game is going to be close and likely come down to the final possessions. That’s how most Rams/49ers games have gone since the former moved back to California. San Francisco won six straight against L.A. before blowing a 10-point lead in the NFC championship game. That felt like a different team, though. The 49ers need Garoppolo to be better with the football. They also need more from running back Jeff Wilson Jr., wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle. San Francisco will eventually right the ship, but for now the Rams defense is too tough.
Matthew Stafford and Kupp make enough plays on offense, Jalen Ramsey will get an interception to set up a score and Aaron Donald will force a fumble late in the fourth quarter to give the Rams a nice road win.
Prediction: Rams 23, 49ers 17