Fresh off their bye week, the San Francisco 49ers will be welcomed back into competition by familiar opponents, the St. Louis Rams. The two teams last met each other in a thrilling come-from-behind victory staged by San Francisco on October 13. Will the 49ers sweep their NFC West rivals in the season series? Or will the Rams translate another strong start into a full game effort?
For more NFL action, check out our complete picks and predictions for Week 9 of the 2014 NFL season, highlighted by an intriguing showdown between the AFC’s offensive juggernauts the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots. You can read the complete preview of that game here.
[sc:Football ]St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers Preview
Where: Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco
When: Sunday, November 2, 4:05 PM ET
Line: St. Louis Rams (+9.5) at San Francisco 49ers (-9.5); total 44.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the St. Louis Rams
Quarterback Austin Davis threw a one-yard scoring pass to tight end Lance Kendricks early in the first quarter on Sunday. That was as far as Kansas City would allow for the day as they were outscored 34-0 in the remaining three quarters.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Sunday’s result was similar to the Rams’ first showing against San Francisco two weeks ago. Davis passed for two touchdowns in the first quarter to establish an early lead before the Rams eventually collapsed in the remaining three quarters and were outscored 31-3.
Davis had his worst start of the season against the Chiefs, completing 15 of 25 passes for a season-low 160 yards with one touchdown and an interception. The quarterback was also sacked seven times for a combined loss of 44 yards.
Part of the quarterback’s struggles was playing behind a depleted offensive line. Left tackle Jake Long, right guard Rodger Saffold and center Scott Wells were all injured in the blowout loss against the Chiefs. The injuries also caused the Rams’ running game to stall. Their running back by committee of Benny Cunningham, Zac Stacy and Tre Mason were limited as they combined for 76 yards on 16 carries.
The offensive line isn’t the only one missing players due to injury. The receiving corps will miss Brian Quick to injury while the secondary will be without safeties Cody Davis and Rodney McLeod. However, Quick won’t be missed in this game as he has failed to catch for more than 50 yards in the past three games. Meanwhile, McLeod contributed to the Rams’ excellent first quarter against San Francisco on October 13. He forced a key turnover setting up the Rams’ third drive, which scored their second touchdown in the game.
The Rams will need to sustain the same intensity they’ve had in the opening quarters if they’re to come out with a win in San Francisco. If the offensive line can give Davis enough time, then he may be able to find his receivers to move the chains. Kendrick will be a viable target for the quarterback, as he has a touchdown in each of his last three games. Meanwhile, tight end Jared Cook and wideout Kenny Britt should also factor in this game after combining for 113 yards in the first game against San Francisco.
The Rams are 0-3 SU/ATS in their last three games against the 49ers. They are also 1-4 ATS in their last five division games dating back to last season.
Betting on the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers’ bye week couldn’t have come at a better date. They were missing several key defensive players due to injuries, and had an underwhelming performance against the Denver Broncos on October 19. The 49ers are 4-1-1 after a bye since 2010.
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick initially struggled against the Rams’ in their first meeting. However, he was lights out come the second quarter as he finished the game completing 22 of 35 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns. Kaepernick also avoided being sacked in the game.
Wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Brandon Lloyd were instrumental in the first game against the Rams. Boldin had seven catches for 94 yards and a score, while Lloyd scored the 49ers’ first touchdown of the game from an 80-yard bomb from Kaepernick in the second quarter. Expect to see more involvement from the two receivers in this game.
Meanwhile, Stevie Johnson may also have an increased role in the receiving game. Johnson has three touchdown receptions, tied for the team lead with Michael Crabtree. Johnson also leads the 49ers with six catches of at least 20 yards. He should be a deep threat in this game with the Rams missing a couple of safeties in the defensive backfield.
On the ground, running back Frank Gore will have a second opportunity to crack the Rams’ rushing defense. Gore was ineffective against the Rams in the first game as he ran for 38 yards on 16 carries. He should be able to get considerable yardage this time around, especially after studying the holes exploited by the Kansas City Chiefs in racking up 143 yards and three touchdowns on 34 rush attempts.
On the other side of the ball, San Francisco’s starting cornerback Tramaine Brock returned against the Broncos after suffering a toe injury in the opening game against Dallas. Meanwhile, linebacker Aldon Smith could start as early as this week due to the possibility that his nine-game suspension may be reduced. Should he be able to play, Smith will be a threat in the pass rush after finishing with 12 sacks last season, including the playoffs.
Even without Smith, the 49ers’ pass rush should still be able to exploit the Rams’ injury-laden offensive line. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks and defensive end Justin Smith each have a team-leading 3.5 sacks this season. The 49ers had five sacks against Rams QB Austin Davis in their first meeting.
The 49ers are 7-3 in their last 10 home games dating back to last season.
Writer’s Prediction
The 49ers exploit an injury-decimated Rams side. Take San Francisco to win and cover comfortably at home. Create a betting account now and get yourself deep into all the exciting football action.
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