The Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 6 finds the Los Angeles Rams traveling to the Bay Area to face the division rival San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers lead the all-time series 70-67-3 and won both matchups in 2019. Los Angeles enters the game 4-1 on the season, while San Francisco holds a 2-3 record. The 49ers have struggled all season with injuries and inconsistency at the quarterback position, and it has shown on the scoreboard. This is a must-win game for San Francisco if they hope to have any playoff aspirations in a tough NFC West. They are also desperately in need of a win at home, where they are 0-3 so far this season.
Los Angeles Rams
Offense
Jared Goff had an impressive game against the Washington Football Team in Week 5. He passed for 309 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception for a 111.7 rating, while adding a rushing touchdown for good measure. Goff will also be attempting to extend two streaks this week. He will be seeking his third straight road game with 300 or more passing yards, as well as his seventh in a row on the road with two or more touchdown passes.
Darrell Henderson recorded 68 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving) in Week 5. It was his first career game posting two touchdowns.
Robert Woods racked up 71 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in Week 5. He will also try to continue a streak: his fourth straight road game with at least one touchdown. Cam Akers posted a career-high 61 rushing yards last week, Cooper Kupp had five catches for 66 yards, and Gerald Everett recorded 4 receptions for a team-high 90 receiving yards.
Defense
Aaron Donald is arguably the best defensive linemen in the league this season, producing big in Week 5. Donald had 4 sacks, tying his career-high, and tacked on a forced fumble. He is just the fifth player since 2000 to have two games of four or more sacks.
Troy Reeder recorded ten tackles and three sacks last week. The sacks were the first three of his career, and this was his third career game with at least ten tackles. Rookie Jordan Fuller also contributed to the defensive line with a pair of pass deflections.
Leonard Floyd is going for this third game in a row on the road with at least one tackle for loss, while safety Taylor Rapp will be looking for his third game in a row versus San Francisco with five or more tackles.
San Francisco 49ers
Offense
In Week 5, both Jimmy Garoppolo and C.J. Beathard saw time on the field. Garoppolo passed for a scant 77 yards and threw two interceptions, while Beathard threw for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Raheem Mostert, who was sidelined earlier in the season, put up 119 scrimmage yards last week and is aiming for his fourth game in a row with 100 or more scrimmage yards. He is also seeking his third game in a row with a touchdown on Sunday Night Football.
Kendrick Bourne logged his first receiving touchdown of the season last week against the Miami Dolphins. Deebo Samuel recorded a rushing touchdown in the last meeting and seeks his third game in a row with at least one rushing touchdown versus an NFC West opponent.
Defense
The 49ers defense is still crippled by injuries, and the defensive line was nearly absent in last week’s loss against Miami. The team as a whole accounted for two sacks and six tackles for loss. They also failed to record a pass deflection against the Miami offense.
Fred Warner led the team last week with 11 tackles. He is likely to log his seventh game in a row at home with eight or more tackles against the NFC West. Jimmie Ward recorded eight tackles last week, Jaquiski Tartt put seven on the board, as did Dre Greenlaw.
Kwon Alexander recorded his first sack of the season against Miami last week, and has 14 tackles and a pick-six in two career games against the Rams.
Kerry Hyder also recorded a sack last week and has two and a half sacks in three home games this season.
Game Info
Date: October 18, 2020
Time: 5:20 P.M. pst
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Venue: Levi Stadium
TV: NBC
Betting Odds Sponsored by Jazz Sportsbook
Point Spread: LAR -3 (-110) | SF +3 (-110)
Moneyline: LAR -155 | SF +125
Over/Under: O 51.5 (-110) | U 51.5 (-110)
This could be a high-scoring, close game. However, it could be a lopsided low-scoring event depending on the teams’ defensive lines. San Francisco has been in trouble defensively all season, while Los Angeles has the league’s best defensive lineman in Donald to make stops. Both teams are going to play with heart and come out grinding, determined to get the win. The over is probably going to be the winning bet on this game.
Prediction
San Francisco has a lot to prove this week and they are going to come into this game with the motivation and drive to secure their first home victory. Undoubtedly, the 49ers offense is going to put points on the board, but the true question will lie in the defensive line’s ability to stop Goff and Henderson. San Francisco will squeak by with the victory in a high-scoring affair, but it will be a close one and will come down to the final drive.
*Final Score: Los Angeles Rams 31 – San Francisco 49ers 35*
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