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The St. Louis Rams [3-3] will host the San Francisco 49ers [2-5] at the Edward Jones Dome this Sunday. The 49ers have won three out of the last four matchups against the Rams, and two of those three came as road wins in St. Louis.
But it’s a new year, and a seemingly improved - at many positions - squad. The 49ers, however, have struggled early in 2015. Can the Rams get above .500 with a win on Sunday? The Turf Show Times’ staff have their predictions:
Sean Wilkinson [@Papa_Lurch]
Last week the Rams finally executed on the blueprint that Jeff Fisher has used to build this roster. The defense was dominant, Todd Gurley was a beast, and they won the turnover battle. The 2015 version of the 49ers doesn't look anything like the Super Bowl team of the not-so-distant past. I will be disappointed if this team can't put aa similar beatdown on the last place hers.
Prediction: Rams win 27-16
sergey606 [@thatsergey]
The San Francisco 49ers have the 32nd worst scoring offense. The Saint Louis Rams have the 31st worst scoring offense. This will naturally be a track meet with whoever has the ball last will win the game.
Earlier in the season I speculated that Rams will win one of two games vs the Cardinals or vs the Packers - both tough teams, but they did just that. I said this last week "Rams will lose one of the two games vs Browns or vs 49ers". They beat the Browns. I sure hope I was wrong.
I don't see this being a 3 to 6 type of game or a 50 to 63 type game either. As sad as this makes me:
Prediction: 49ers win 23-20 on a last second heartbreaking FG.
P.S. I'll be at the game. This is my first Rams game since they played in Candlestick two years ago, so I hope they don't let me down too much. At least I got to see McDonald grab a handful of dong that day.
P.S. I'll be at the game. This is my first Rams game since they played in Candlestick two years ago, so I hope they don't let me down too much. At least I got to see McDonald grab a handful of dong that day.
EddieP [@iAmEddieP_]
The Todd Gurley show is officially in full display. Sadly, that's all we got for an offense.
The Niners will be targeting Gurley & loading up the box (Isn't this what everyone did versus SJ39 too??). If we had any reliable WRs, it'd be easy to take advantage of some single coverages, but we don't. They could leave Britt/Cook/Quick open & it'd be a toss up if they make the catch or not.
Getting Tavon involved early will ease things for Gurley. Cignetti has shown he's capable of doing this.
Luckily for the Rams, San Fran is pitiful this year. Colin Kap is downright awful. I think the Rams pull off the victory, making it a two game win streak.
Prediction: Rams win 23-10
GoRamsGo
Going to keep this one short and sweet. The 49ers offense is one of the few worse than the Rams, and their defense is nothing near the Rams'. Even if the Rams really mess this one up, there's a reason they're favored by nearly ten points right now. They should win this one even if they don't have the best outing--but I wouldn't like to test that theory. This is an important game, and with the team playing well, they should (hopefully) play well here too.
Prediction: Rams win 24-13
VTramsFan [@PeterDunbar7]
The 49ers may be 2-4 and struggling on offense but don't expect them to come in and lay down. This game will not be a layup, and I can see it coming down to one play in the fourth quarter.
Gurley should get his 100+ yards again and the defense should keep Kap contained.
In the end, the Rams win.
Prediction: Rams win 20-17
northwestRAMSfan [@troilus22]
The Rams should have a decided advantage in all three phases of the game. The nature of rivalry games typically means throw out what you expect to hàppen. This is an important game for the Rams if they want to stay in the playoff chase, and potentially compete for the NFC West title. To stay perfect within the division would be nice, to do that the offense needs more than just Todd gurley to show up while the defense needs to contain Kap and Hyde. Overall I expect a hard fought contest entering the fourth quarter where Gurley and the Rams take over.
Prediction: Rams win 20-10.
RamBuck [@lannyosu]
There are two things that worry me about this game: 1) if the 49ers decide to use Kaepernick more in the run game, and 2) if Anquan Boldin decides to go off. Otherwise, I feel ok about the Rams matching up with Carlos Hyde, Torrey Smith and Vernon Davis.
In the past, Kaepernick has had success on the ground (233 yards in 7 games, 7.28 YPC). So far this season, he's had only 6 rushing attempts for 33 yards in the last three games. The Rams will have to be gap sound.
Boldin has had at least 90 yards receiving in each of the last four times he's played the Rams, and touchdowns in three of the last four, so you know he will be amped up with his old man strength.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Rams will really need to keep it balanced to have success. What this means is that they should involve Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin in almost every play, but utilize screens and short passes with high success rates to force the defense to make the tackle. This is more or less an extension of the running game, but until the offensive line can protect Foles for longer than 2.5 seconds it will need to be required.
Prediction: Rams win 17-14
BMule [@_BMule]
Both defenses should show up and play well in this game. The Rams DL is set up to have a feast getting after the QB. I have a hunch we will see the 49ers try and get Kaepernick going in the run game a little more so Barron, McDonald, and Joyner will be key for the Rams. On offense, I'm not sold on the idea that Foles and the WRs will expose the 49er worst ranked pass defense. Kind of "see it to believe it" thing for me. Todd Gurley probably cools down just a bit but still keeps enough drives alive to get Rams in FG range. In the end, I think this game leans more on the sloppy side and the game will come down to the last possession, with the Rams defense shutting it down.
Prediction: Rams win 19-13.
Mike Dietrich [@dvond]
I think this is a tougher game than last week. The 49ers defense have some play-makers but Kap on the road and Hyde playing with a stress fracture will let the Rams grind another one out with the worst passing offense in the NFL.
Prediction: Rams win 20-13
DouglasM [@thenovelroad]
49ers! I love these game each year more than all the rest. A long time Rams fan, this IS one of the greatest of all rivalries. But this year the shoe is on the other foot, or at least it is for the Rams. A perennial NFC West powerhouse, San Francisco has gone through some trying times of late. It's an odd thing to think about, but the Rams' biggest concern this Sunday is not taking the 49ers for granted like San Francisco has done to St. Louis in the recent past.
This game - on paper - doesn't look like a close one, and that's how I see it ending.
Prediction: Rams win 38-3... Yes, it's going to be that kind of day for the 49ers...
misone [@MightyOrMisone]
Never ever take this game for granted. I don't care if it's week 17 and one team is 15-0 and the other is 0-15, when these teams play each other you're getting their absolute best.
This has been arguably the best rivalry in NFL history and just never gets the media attention. It's a constant back and forth battle every year and the record reflects that.
Colin Kaepernick isn't that good, no question about it, and neither his line. His run game hasn't been worth watching very often either. Yet all those reasons are the same reasons to sit on the edge of your seat as there's a good chance this will be the game those facets come together.
On the other hand the 49ers run defense is ranked 20th and rightfully so. They really struggle to consistently stop opposing backs. Todd Gurley wouldn't surprise me one bit if he went for 150 again in this game. Both Gurley and Tavon Austin should have good days.
Austin was slowed a little bit last week but didn't look to be less than 90%. He should be closer to 100% for this game and really could see the end zone more than once albeit by rushing receiving or return.
Foles is also likely to have a decent game. This isn't the 49ers defense of old and they really have struggled a lot this year. Foles may very we'll end the game with 250 yards passing and the bulk coming off some bomb play action throws.
Rams will win, but don't expect a blow out. This will be another classic knock you down roll around brawl and it's just as likely the 49ers win by the same score predicted below for the Rams, it will he that close and that good of a game.
Prediction: Rams win 24-19
3k [@3k_]
Prediction: Rams win 7-3
Brandon Bate [@NoPlanB_]
The Rams are better on both sides of the football, they’re at home, and Todd Gurley is cooler than a polar bear’s toenails.
Prediction: Rams win 20-10
taiko [@RamsHerd]
The Rams are currently rated 7th in Toxic Differential, which is a measure of their ability to generate more big plays and turnovers than they give up. For a 3-3 team, they're playing very good football in many facets of the game. The 49ers are not, but Toxic Differential reveals them as a perfectly average team rather than a horrible one. Jim Tomsula has coached his team to achieve mediocrity as a goal, and you rarely see them take risks or make big plays.
In a rivalry game, of course, those differences often go out the window. No matter the locker room turmoil, the men in red see blue and start foaming at the mouth, and vice versa. That said, this will be a good test of the Rams' ability to step on their opponents' throats early and take that fight out of the game. The GSOT Rams did it in 1999 with big plays on offense -- the 2015 Rams can do it with early points off turnovers, just as they did last week. Particularly with Kaepernick playing like a puppet on strings, if you force the Niners to pass to catch up you have them exactly where you want them.
Prediction: Rams win 28-10.