When: Sunday December 30th, 2018 1:25pm PST (FOX)
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
Line: Rams -10, total at 49.5
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams got healthy in the form of a 31-9 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the desert and will look to keep their confidence up against another NFC West bottom-dweller. The Rams' offense in 2nd in yards per game, 3rd in points per game, 4th in weighted offense, 4th in passing yards per game and 3rd in rushing yards per game.
Los Angeles Rams' defense is 16th in yards allowed per game, 17th in points given up per game, 18th in weighted defense, 13th and 22nd in passing and rushing defense, respectively.
Jared Goff is 6th with a DYAR of 966 and 11th with a total QBR of 65.8. Los Angeles is 7th in weighted DVOA, 6-8-1 against the spread (ATS), 7-8 to the over/under, 2-4-1 ATS as home team and home favorite, 6-8-1 ATS as a favorite and 5-2 to the over/under as the home team and as a home favorite.
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners fought hard literally and figuratively but it would not be enough to overcome the stout defense in their 14-9 loss to the Chicago Bears. San Francisco's offense is 16th in yards per game, 23rd in points per game, 28th in weighted offense, 15th in passing yards per game and 13th in rushing yards per game.
The Niners' defense is 10th in yards surrendered per game, 24th in points conceded per game, 21st in weighted defense and 12th in both passing and rushing defense.
Nick Mullens is 22nd with a DYAR of 298 and 18th with a total QBR of 57.9. San Francisco is 27th in weighted DVOA, 5-10 ATS, 8-7 to the over/under, 2-5 ATS as away team, 1-4 ATS in division games, 2-9 ATS in conference games and 4-2 to the over/under as an away underdog.
Prediction
Prior to their last meeting, a 39-10 blowout win for the Rams, San Francisco had covered five straight and won four of those five covers straight up against Los Angeles.
But the Bears game against the Vikings will be played at the same time as this one, and the Bears will be trying for a win and hoping the Rams lose to secure the second seed, meaning the Rams can't wait and see how hard they need to play against the Niners to keep the second seed.
So if Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams are giving it their all in this match up, taken together with the 49ers truly having nothing but pride and potentially worse draft position to play for, we can't see how the Rams don't win and cover. Pick: Rams -10
Season
4-10 (ATS)
9-5 (SU)
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