Rams 49ers Betting – 49ers Look To Emphasize NFC West Turnaround Against Visiting Rams

A year ago at this time the St. Louis Rams were still in contention for an NFC West title, a division that eventually went to the Seattle Seahawks on the final day of the season despite the fact that they finished with a 7-9 record. That was then, and as the Rams travel to the Bay area this weekend to face the San Francisco 49ers, they could be exposed to a harsh reminder of just why a sub-.500 record won’t be good enough to win the division this season.

St. Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers

The last time that the 49ers lost a game, they rebounded to win eight straight games and establish a dominant lead in the NFC West. On the heels of just their second loss of the season, San Francisco has the chance to potentially clinch the division against the team that many sports betting experts predicted would win the division before the season got underway.

Rams 49ers Betting Preview: St. Louis Rams

While those that predicted that the Rams would compete for a division title were wrong, it is for different reasons than that the talent level simply isn’t there for head coach Steve Spagnuolo’s team. The biggest of those reasons has been the injuries that the team has been forced to fight through this season, as they truck on without their starting offensive tackles and leading receiver from a year ago on a team that was already thin enough at those two positions. If the Rams are going to have a chance to at least keep this one close, they will need to find a way to tighten up the league’s worst run defense against a San Francisco rushing attack that ranks seventh in the NFL.

Rams 49ers Betting Preview: San Francisco 49ers

One of the biggest reasons for the 49ers’ success this year has been their ability to run the ball and control the clock, something that in theory should work to perfection. San Francisco has been able to dictate the pace of their games, and their rushing presence has allowed Alex Smith even more time to go over the top. That extra time and space has helped Smith to become a more efficient player and shed the label of “draft bust”. Just as important as the 49ers’ ability to run the ball has been their ability to stop the run, which they have done better than any other team in the NFL.

Rams 49ers Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The online wagering spread for this game is at 13 because of San Francisco’s ability to control the flow of the game, and the way in which they have gotten up for every game under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh has been a master motivator just as much as he has been a teacher and coordinator, and with the chance to clinch their first division title since 2002, he will undoubtedly have his troops fired up.