Rams Slightly Favored in Thursday Night Matchup with 49ers
Who: Los Angeles Rams v. San Francisco 49ers
When: Thursday September 21st, 2017 8:25PM EST
Where: Levi’s Stadium—Santa Clara, California
The 49ers, Rams matchup this Thursday is not the most enticing Thursday night affair of the season, and it is pretty easy to see why. Not only are neither of these teams being labelled as potential playoff contenders, neither has had a particularly bright start to their respective 2017/18 campaigns.
If we were to pick the team who has had the better start, it would have to be the Rams. The Los Angeles team burst out of the season’s starting gate by absolutely dismantling the weakened, injured Colts by a final score of 46-9. Despite the Colts’ well-known weaknesses, this win was nothing short of surprising. Jared Goff, who has finally shrugged off at least some of his “inexperienced” label, threw for just over 300 yards and 1 touchdown in the season’s opener. Though the Rams’ fortunes faded in their 2nd game of the season, Goff still threw for 224 yards and a touchdown, while Todd Gurley rushed for 12 shy of 100 years. If their defense can sure up some things in the secondary, I think the Rams will be a threat far beyond their matchup with the 49ers.
While the Rams have surprised to some extent, the 49ers have fallen right in line with what was expected of them. After 2 games the 9ers have yet to record a win, and their likelihood of doing that seems no greater in their matchup on Thursday night. Through 2 games, San Francisco has not scored a single touchdown and has only scored a total of 12 points. In their first matchup, they were absolutely blown out by the time the dust settled, but their defense held things together against the Seahawks and if it weren’t for a late Russel Wilson touchdown toss they very well might be 1-1. Alas, the 49ers are struggling straight from the start of the season and there is no reason to believe their struggles are going to end on Thursday.
Game Overview and Analysis
The -2 (-112) Rams (-130) will enter their third game of the season as favorites, and it is pretty easy to understand why. Jared Goff is quickly looking more and more like a force to be reckoned with at the starting quarterback position, and Todd Gurley can provide just enough of a ground threat to keep opposing defenses honest. Though the Rams are not going to see this game as a walk in the park thanks to a tough, hardnosed 49ers defense, but I do like their chances of really opening the game up with a nice combination of pass and run.
On the defensive side of the ball, there is both good and bad news for the Rams. On the good news side of things, Los Angeles will welcome back Troy Hill, who has completed his 2-game suspension thanks to his violation of the NFL’s player conduct policy. Though it is still unclear if Kayvon Webster will be ready to go, the Rams’ secondary will at have some depth.
As far as the +2 (-108) 49ers (+110) are concerned, their odds do not properly reflect just how poorly they have played up to this point. As was mentioned above, the 49ers have not yet scored a touchdown this season. Their offense is currently led by Brian Hoyer, and he has been almost totally ineffective up to this point. To put that in perspective, Hoyer had just 99 yards on 15 completions in his game against the Seahawks this past weekend.
The 49ers have a solid defense that can keep talented opponents at bay, as we have seen, but I think Jared Goff will prove to be too much for the 49ers. The 9ers do not have much of a secondary, and definitely not one that can take care of Goff’s prowess.
Betting Prediction
As far as the moneyline is concerned, I think it is a no-brainer that you have to go with the Rams (-130). They have the better offense and a defense that is competent enough to shut down an offense led by Brian Hoyer.
With regard to BetOnline’s listing of the Rams as -2 favorites (-112), I think this is another easy wager to make. I really like the -2 point spread because I think, even if the game is close, that the Rams should be able to win by at least 3. The only thing that works against the Rams is the fact that they are playing away from home. Having said that, the reality of the matter is that Levi’s Stadium is not an overly tough place to play football. All in all, I think the Rams are the best pick in this game.
The over/under for this game is an even 40 points (-110/-110), and this is a wager I would stay away from. Neither of these two teams are consistent enough to have a realistic opinion either way.