Week 10 Monday Night Football Preview: Rams at 49ers
What’s gone wrong with the 49ers?
The Kyle Shanahan experience isn’t going well, is it. Well, it was fine, until they lost the Super Bowl to the Chiefs, apart from that year, the 49ers have been a bit of an oddity. They have a good defence, they have good skill position players, and they have a decent QB in Jimmy GQ. So why the trouble?
Remember when Scolari went back to Brazil to coach them for the 2014 World Cup? And remember how they managed to paper over the cracks, you could see them, but Brazil had some players to make up for the overall poor quality of the team, particularly defending. Scolari was the one to bring back glory to the team, just like in 2002, but now, well, football had moved on, and Germany were the team that the football gods had selected to bring all of Brazil back to earth.
Well, the football gods have sent the Los Angels Rams to drive another nail into the 49ers season. This shouldn’t be the end of the line for Shanahan, but it is a slip towards a bigger question, why can’t he get this team ready to play a big game. He got a QB he wanted with Jimmy GQ, he also has the rookie QB he wanted in Trey Lance, but neither are able to play consistently enough to win games. The 49ers have been unlucky with injuries but you don’t get much sympathy in this league for being injured. In a game where you are intentionally running huge men into huge men, injuries happen, the Packers famously won the 2010 Super Bowl while having 17 players get season ending injuries, 9 of which were starters. Shit happens and you have to accept it and keep going.
The Rams are going all in on this season, and it will likely lead them to a good run, and the playoffs, but they have to be careful how they do this. Bringing in players with big salaries and big egos isn’t going to be the best solution to winning the Super Bowl. The Real Madrid galacticos never won the UEFA Champions League, the Philadelphia Eagles tried to build a Dream Team in 2011 but ended the season 8-8 and missing the playoffs. This Rams team looks more set than these other examples, but it’s a worry that an ego player like Odell Beckham Jr is coming into the team, he’s been more of a problem than a star, in 8 years as a pro, he’s been in 1 playoff game and had 4 catches for 28 yards. It’s a lot of ego to put up with for little reward.
Prediction (27-17 through week 9)
I think the obvious prediction is a Rams win. Unlike last night, where we all knew the Chiefs where about to blow the doors off the barn at some stage, they have a solid history of doing that, the 49ers don’t, so expecting anything from them in this game is foolish. This is a divisional game so it’s likely to be closer, but in just about ever stat and player matchup, the Rams are clear favourites. The tape also is pretty clear, the Rams can scheme around you, they can play through you, or they can pass over you. The 49ers are most likely to run through you, but, with their team facing one of the best defensive lines in football, being good at running doesn’t mean much tonight.
Final Score: Rams 34 - 20 49ers.
Tips
3.5 points isn’t much for the Rams to over come so i’d be happy to take the spread for the Rams. Also, Elijah Mitchell (6/4) would be a good bet for the 49ers - anytime touchdown for him, he’s the most likely candidate for short yardage and goal line play.
This one is for the gamblers out there, and I’m nearly expecting this to happen, but Trey Lance is 10/1 to score a rushing touchdown tonight. There are three reasons this could happen, the Rams blow out the 49ers and Lance comes in to replace Jimmy GQ, the Rams knock Jimmy GQ out of the game, or, the 49ers use Lance for some trick plays. All possible outcomes.
We’re up 25% ROI through week 9.