Former coach Mike Holmgren would have a tough time fixing the 49ers mess. The Super Bowl-winning coach and former Niners assistant many moons ago, has expressed an interest in the job. A half-empty jewel of a stadium, the most losses since 2007 and an apathetic fan base likely has the Niners brass seriously considering a move.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
San Francisco 49ers +3
St. Louis Rams -3
Over/Under 37
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Rams are rolling and the Niners are reeling. A line that was wagered to St. Louis -3.5 seems like a gift. SF has played a bit better at home, but not much. St. Louis is coming off an outright win as 11.5-point dogs in Seattle and is 3-0 SU and ATS in its last three. The total is the lowest on the board at 37 and the Niners have a tough time scoring.
KEY INJURIES
Mark Barron – The Rams’ hybrid linebacker/safety left last week’s game with a concussion and is questionable to play on Sunday. The team also lost defensive linemen Ethan Westbrooks and Nick Fairley to head injuries. All three players entered the league’s concussion protocol and are questionable, but feeling better according to coach Jeff Fisher.
Quinton Dial – Played only 30 snaps against Detroit before exiting with a back injury. The Niners starting defensive tackle is listed as day-to-day for Sunday’s game. Tank Carradine could see more snaps if Dial is limited.
Marcus Martin – San Francisco’s starting left guard and backup center could miss his second straight game with a concussion. He is eligible to play Sunday but must clear the league’s protocol for head injuries in order to do so. Andrew Tiller took his spot on the line last weekend.
KEY MISMATCH
There is another player who has been as good as J.J. Watt and is as deserving of the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year as the Texans’ stud lineman. That player is Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who in his second year has emerged as one of the most unstoppable forces in football. Donald certainly has the stats to make a case for the award. With one game to play, he has 67 tackles, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, 22 tackles for loss, 44 quarterback pressures and 25 quarterback hits. Those are the obvious stats that can easily be compared to Watt and others. But what puts Donald in the same conversation is how he alters the game when he’s not racking up the sacks or making plays that jump off the game film. Take last week’s game against Seattle, for example. Donald didn’t have a sack, but he had a whopping nine quarterback pressures and a tackle for loss and was so disruptive in middle of the line that Russell Wilson had little time to step up in the pocket and make throws. When all is said and done, Donald probably won’t win the honor, but if it doesn’t happen this year, expect his name to be at the top of the list for years to come.
KEY STAT
14.6 – San Francisco’s points per game average. The 49ers are dead last in the NFL in scoring by a wide margin. They face a Rams defense that limited them to six points in an earlier meeting and ranks 13th in scoring defense.
BETTING ANGLE
The final quarter of the NFL schedule has seen St. Louis start to put the pieces together. The Rams are 3-0 SU and ATS in their past three games while outscoring opponents 75-54. They beat a red-hot Seattle team on the road last week as 11.5-point dogs. The Rams improved to 7-8, allowing them to match their highest win total since Fisher arrived in 2012. It also gave them a three-game winning streak for only the second time under Fisher and gives them a chance to get to 8-8 for the first time since 2006 if they can beat the Niners, who St. Louis unraveled 27-6 in Week 7. It also ensured the Rams a winning record in the NFC West, where they improved to 4-1.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
There’s no sugar coating this: the 49ers suck. When Blaine Gabbert, a backup quarterback at best, is your top offensive player, there really is no denying it. The Rams’ late season surge has a lot to do with a re-imagined offense. Since taking over as offensive coordinator, Rob Boras has simplified the gameplan and Case Keenum has been able to take care of the football. They haven’t been explosive, but the Rams have been able to put more points on the board and collect a few wins. Watch for Donald to spend plenty of time in the Niners backfield as he attacks an offensive line that has surrendered the most sacks in the NFL. When Gabbert does have a chance to throw, corners Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins will be waiting.
St. Louis 20, San Francisco 9
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