Rams vs 49ers NFL Week 15 TNF picks
Two NFC West squads battling to stay in both the division and playoff trace meet up tomorrow night in San Francisco as the Los Angeles Rams travel north to take on the 49ers.
Los Angeles has won two straight and 6-of-8, scoring a big victory Sunday at home with a 44-42 win over the Buffalo Bills. San Francisco put an end to a three-game losing streak with a resounding 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
The 7-6 Rams and 6-7 49ers trail the 8-5 Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West standings. Both teams are currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs. The loser of this contest will see its postseason chances take a debilitating hit. Let’s get into our predictions and best bets for this TNF contest.
Rams vs 49ers Predictions
Pick #1: Rams +2.5 (-105) vs 49ers
Pick #2: Over 49 (-105)
Pick #3: Kyren Williams Over 72.5 Rushing Yards (-114)
Pick #1: Rams +2.5 (-105) vs 49ers
The Rams are going for the season sweep after winning at home against the 49ers in Week 3, 27-24. Los Angeles, without star wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, featured running back Kyren Williams, who rushed for 89 yards and scored 3 total touchdowns in the victory.
The Rams are certainly the hotter side. With Nacua and Kupp fully healthy the past several weeks, Los Angeles has looked much more like the division contender and playoff team they are supposed to be. QB Matthew Stafford threw for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns, Nakua had 12 catches for 162 yards and a score, and Williams added 87 yards and 2 TDs for the Rams against Buffalo last weekend. But the team’s defense made things interesting, surrendering 3 4Q touchdowns to make the final result much closer than it should have been.
The 49ers are the walking wounded. RBs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason are both on injured reserve. Several other players are out as well, and the team could be without Nick Bosa, Trent Williams and Isaac Guerendo on Thursday night. Guerendo had 128 yards from scrimmage and scored 2 touchdowns in the win over the Bears. If he’s out, that means that more than 1,300 yards worth of running backs this season would be shelved.
The Rams are 5-2 against the spread in the last seven games, while San Francisco is 1-4 ATS in its last five. The 49ers are also just 4-10 against the spread in its last 14 home contests. Los Angeles is on a roll right now, and the 49ers, despite having stronger team numbers offensively and defensively, including a +8 turnover margin, don’t have the firepower to hang with them.
Nakua, who is averaging 111.2 yards receiving in his last five games, could be the difference, even against a 49ers pass defense that ranks third in the league in passing yards allowed. Our experts expect the Rams to cover the 2.5-point spread as underdogs tomorrow night.
Pick #2: Over 49 (-105)
These teams combined for 51 points in Week 3. With Los Angeles firing on cylinders offensively, while misfiring on defense, the two NFC West rivals should have no problem replicating that number again. The teams have played to the Over four times in the last five meetings.
Los Angeles’ defense should keep San Francisco in the game. The Rams are 27th in yards allowed and 24th in points allowed at 25.5 per game. San Francisco is allowing 23.7 a contest, but the Rams offense should push that number up.
Pick #3: Kyren Williams Over 72.5 Rushing Yards (-114)
Williams, the third-year RB out of Notre Dame, is building on last year’s breakout season. He is fifth in the league with 1,013 rushing yards, averaging 77.9 yards on the ground per game. He has rushed for more than 72.5 yards three times in the last four contests, including 87 yards and 2 TDs against Buffalo last week and 104 yards and 1 touchdown in a 21-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints the week before.
The 49ers’ pass defense is one of the best in the league, but its run defense is just in the middle of the pack. The Rams will utilize Williams on the ground and out of the backfield enough to open up opportunities downfield for Kupp and Nacua.
