The two lowest scoring teams in the NFL meet in an NFC West tussle when St. Louis hosts San Francisco. The Rams look like geniuses for taking Todd Gurley with the 10th pick in the draft. Gurley has rushed for 433 yards in his past three games and reportedly isn’t even 100 percent yet. The rookie back has kept St. Louis from having a worse offense than the 49ers. The Rams will play as the betting favorite against SF for the first time since 2010, going 2-5-1 SU and 4-4 ATS in the eight games in between.
ODDS
St. Louis opened as a 7.5-point favorite and the line was wagered to -9. San Francisco is 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS in its three road games. The total hit the board at 39, the lowest of any NFL game this week, and has value with two teams that rank at the bottom in scoring.
KEY INJURIES
Carlos Hyde – Has clearly been bothered by an injury to his left foot and his production has dropped. It’s an injury many feel will heal itself if given rest, but Hyde hasn’t been resting and coach Jim Tomsula expects him to suit up Sunday.
Antoine Bethea – Was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a shoulder injury sustained in the 49ers loss to Seattle. Rookie Jaquiski Tartt will likely be inserted into the starting safety spot.
Chris Long – Hyperextended his right knee at Green Bay before the Rams bye and isn’t expected back for a few more weeks. William Hayes took Long’s place at defensive end last week and had a pair of sacks and forced fumbles.
KEY MISMATCH
Colin Kaepernick has come under fire again from critics that say he has regressed, that he can’t read a defense, and has lost confidence. These things happen when a team gets dominated like the Niners did in their most recent outing, a 20-3 loss to the Seahawks. There’s also little reason to believe things will change against the Rams and their fearsome defensive line. The Niners’ quarterback was sacked six times last week, the second-most he’s taken in a game in his career. And if the Seahawks, who entered the game tied for 11th in the league in sacks, can have their way with the 49ers’ offensive line, what will the Rams, whose 23 sacks are the second-most in the NFL, do to Kaepernick?
KEY STAT
14.7 – San Francisco’s league-low scoring average. The Niners were held to a single-digit scoring total for the third time this season in last week’s 20-3 loss to Seattle. St. Louis gives up 19.8 points per game and held Cleveland without a touchdown in a 24-6 win.
BETTING ANGLE
When the 49ers got rid of Jim Harbaugh after the 2014 season, they also got rid of Kaepernick’s biggest supporter, which is bad news for the team because apparently the quarterback could use some support right now. According to reports, not only is Kaepernick’s confidence “completely shot,” he’s not really getting along with his teammates either. It’s not that his teammates dislike him, it has more to do with the fact that Kap’s a loner, who’s currently “on an island” because he doesn’t connect well with them. Reports also claim Kaepernick was called out by a teammate in a players-only meeting and the discussion got heated. Even if Kaepernick doesn’t have the support of the locker room, he does have the support of coach Jim Tomsula, who says there is no quarterback controversy. He will likely be answering that question after every Niners loss.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
There are plenty of reports flying around Niners camp and none are good. I guess that’s what happens when you stink. The Niners had a little extra time to lick their wounds after the beatdown Seattle gave them and things won’t get any easier facing a Rams squad that’s looking to bury SF after years of being a punching bag. San Francisco’s offense has been horrible this season, ranking last in total yards and scoring average, and next to last in passing. The woeful numbers have many calling for backup Blaine Gabbert to take over, but even a change won’t help. Besides, it’s not like Gabbert is any better than what they have. The Rams are pitiful on offense, too, sitting just ahead of SF in scoring average and total offense, and below them in passing offense. But the emergence of Todd Gurley, who’s rushed for 433 yards in the last three games, has everyone in St. Louis excited. The Rams’ superior defense will get after Kaepernick and limit SF’s scoring chances. While the total is the lowest on the board this week, there’s plenty of value on the under with very few points out there.
St. Louis 24, San Francisco 9
The NFL odds for this Sunday game were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. The Rams were pegged as 7.5-point chalk while the total opened at 39. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem, BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The game between the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams will take place Sunday, November 1, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at the Edward Jones Dome. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
