Rams vs. 49ers: NFL Week 10 betting odds, preview, and pick
Los Angeles Rams running back Darrell Henderson (27) carries the ball. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire)
November 14th, 2021
The Week 10 edition of Monday Night Football promises to be must-see TV, as the new-look Los Angeles Rams square off against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers.
Odell Beckham Jr. is attempting another fresh start in L.A. beginning this week, and he could be a major focal point of Sean McVay’s offense with the news of wide-out Robert Woods’ torn ACL coming to light on Saturday.
Let’s dive into the matchup and give out our best bet for the evening.
Los Angeles Rams (7-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-5), 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Rams can't win if Kupp, Henderson don't show up
Matt Stafford’s first year in L.A. has been a roaring success, thanks in no small part to the exploits of wide-out Cooper Kupp. The overlooked Eastern Washington product currently leads the NFL in receptions (74), receiving yards (1,019) and receiving touchdowns (10) through nine weeks.
Cooper Kupp's got WHEELS 🏃♂️💨
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 19, 2021
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/LRFdKNmtxA
Woods was having a solid season in his own right, but the Rams will now have to hope that Beckham can replace him adequately, lest teams key on Kupp and take him away as a viable option for Stafford on most plays.
Stafford will need Darrell Henderson to have a good game on the ground this week in order to open up a stingy San Francisco secondary (fourth in passing yards against). The third-year tailback from Memphis is averaging a solid 4.6 yards per carry from 121 attempts with five touchdowns.
Darrell Henderson RB1 szn pic.twitter.com/OqoGrP3bad
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 8, 2021
He’ll take on a Niners defense that’s quite soft in the middle, allowing the seventh-most rushing yards per game in the league (131.6).
Can Jimmy G and company keep up?
San Fran would love to have running back Elijah Mitchell record a big game on the ground this week, but that doesn’t seem likely to happen against a Rams defense that allows fewer than 100 rushing yards per game. That means the ball will be in the hands of Jimmy Garoppolo quite a bit, and that’s not a recipe for success here.
Jimmy Garoppolo throws a pick in a blowout loss to the #Cardinals pic.twitter.com/JV0YT94DnC
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 8, 2021
“Jimmy G” was sacked a season-high five times against the Arizona Cardinals last week, and threw one of his five interceptions on the year. He’s thrown only eight touchdowns to counteract those picks.
L.A. allows the fourth-lowest opponent passer rating in the NFL (82.9), and their tenacious pass rush (28 sacks, tops in the league) has plenty to do with that.
Rams vs. 49ers injury report
| Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers |
|---|
Robert Woods: Out (knee) | Mohamed Sanu: Out (knee) |
Brian Allen: Questionable (elbow) | Dre Kirkpatrick: Out (ankle) |
Von Miller: Questionable (ankle) | JaMycal Hasty: Out (ankle) |
Darious Williams: Questionable (ankle) | Jimmie Ward: Questionable (quad) |
Ben Skowronek: Questionable (forearm) | Josh Norman: Questionable (ribs) |
Rams and 49ers betting trends
- The Rams are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a double-digit loss at home
- The 49ers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall
- The Under is 21-7-1 in the Rams’ last 29 games as a favorite
- The Over is 4-1 in the 49ers’ last five home games
The verdict
The Rams boast the superior offense, and their defense should bait Jimmy Garoppolo into enough mistakes to secure the victory.
Score prediction: Rams 27, 49ers 21
NFL pick: Rams -3.5
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