The injuries for these two NFC West rivals continue to mount heading into Week 3, as the San Francisco 49ers (1-1) are likely to be without both Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, while the Los Angeles Rams (0-2) are down Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Kickoff is set for 4:25 PM EST on September 22nd at SoFi Stadium.
Nothing went right for either of these teams in Week 2, as both teams lost critical depth on offense while also going a combined 0-2 overall. San Francisco couldn’t get the job done on the road in Minnesota after falling behind early following an impressive Week 1 victory over the Jets on Monday Night Football.
Los Angeles also suffered multiple losses last Sunday during their trip to Arizona, getting destroyed 41-10 by the Cardinals in a game that star wideout Cooper Kupp was forced to leave at halftime. The Rams were already without Puka Nacua after his Week 1 injury, so Matthew Stafford’s options on offense are severely limited.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the 49ers listed as 7-point road favorites. The spread has tightened by a full point after early betting, as San Francisco is currently available at -6 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 44 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised on FOX. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
San Francisco 49ers Lose Battle With Minnesota
The 49ers got off to a slow start in Minnesota in Week 2 and never fully recovered, losing 23-17 despite outscoring the Vikings 10-3 in the fourth quarter. QB Brock Purdy played fairly well, completing 28 out of 36 total passing attempts for 300+ yards and a touchdown through the air. Deebo Samuel led the way for the receiving corps, hauling in eight catches for 110 yards. However, Samuel is currently listed as doubtful for Week 3 after injuring his calf in the loss.
Jordan Mason continued to fill in admirably for Christian McCaffrey on the ground, rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown on a game-high 20 carries. TE George Kittle also had a big outing despite the loss, finding the end zone on one of his seven receptions for 76 yards.
The Niners defense struggled to slow down the Minnesota offense for much of the game, surrendering well over 400 total yards of offense and two touchdowns. San Francisco got embarrassed by star WR Justin Jefferson, allowing him to torch the secondary for 133 yards and a touchdown despite only making four catches.
Los Angeles Rams Get Crushed By Cardinals
There were definitely signs of a Week 1 hangover following the Rams unfortunate overtime loss in Detroit, as Los Angeles was blown out of the water by the Cardinals last Sunday. To make matters even worse, Cooper Kupp was forced to leave the game before the start of the third quarter and is currently listed as doubtful for Week 3.
QB Matthew Stafford struggled to find any sort of consistency on offense in the loss, going just 19/27 for 216 passing yards. Stafford will now be tasked with establishing quick chemistry with a number of different depth receivers including Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson. The anemic rushing attack didn’t do Los Angeles any favors in Week 2 either, as Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for just 53 rushing yards on 20 total carries.
It was an embarrassing effort for the Rams on the other side of the ball against Arizona after a strong start to the season, as they surrendered almost 500 total yards of offense and four touchdowns. Los Angeles was especially poor at defending against the pass as rookie Marvin Harrison exploded for 130 yards and two touchdowns after struggling mightily in Week 1 against Buffalo.
Our 49ers vs Rams NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
What could have been one of the most entertaining games on the schedule here in Week 3 has definitely lost a little bit of its luster simply due to the sheer number of injuries to critical players on both offenses. Oddsmakers would have likely set the total for this matchup around 50 points, so it goes to show just how much of an impact injuries to Kupp, Nacua, McCaffrey, and Samuel have considering the game total currently sits around 44.
San Francisco should still find a way to score several touchdowns in this particular spot, as Kittle, Aiyuk, and Mason all have above average matchups against a defense that really struggled to slow down Kyler Murray, James Conner, Marvin Harrison Jr. and the rest of the Cardinals last weekend. Despite losing Deebo Samuel, the offense has already had plenty of time to adjust to previous injuries whereas Los Angeles is now being forced to rely on receivers that usually are only targeted a handful of times each game.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: 49ers -6
I really don’t see how Matthew Stafford can keep pace with a skilled 49ers offense without his top two wideouts, especially when considering the fact that San Francisco still has multiple game-breaking weapons in Kittle and Aiyuk. While Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson have both performed admirably when called upon, the Niners defense should be able to make life pretty difficult offensively for the Rams.
Even though this 49ers team is also nowhere near 100% full strength, I still think that they offer the most value in this NFC West battle. Jordan Mason has looked good since taking over as the starting running back and he should continue to roll against a Los Angeles team that just allowed James Conner to rush for 122 yards and a touchdown. Lay the six points and take the road underdog to cover the spread!
