L.A. Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers Week 10 NFL Betting Predictions, Picks and Parlays

The Battle for Cali's Crown: Rams Bring Back a Legend to Fix the Kicking Chaos

This Sunday afternoon tilt at Levi’s Stadium is going to be massive. First place in the NFC West is on the table as the 6-2 Los Angeles Rams travel into San Francisco to take on the 6-3 San Francisco 49ers. The Rams have been on fire, having won three games in a row, and have just had their defensive unit be outright suffocating, holding opponents scoreless or to ten points or fewer in each of its last three contests. But everyone has noticed their defensive play, and this week, everybody is buzzing about something that has occurred on special teams.

Listen, the Rams’ field goal operation has been a mess. It’s been so bad that Sean McVay had to pivot, and the solution is something straight out of a Disney movie: they brought back long snapper Jake McQuaide! The two-time Pro Bowler who was with the franchise when they were the St. Louis Rams, through the move to L.A., and right up until 2020. The dude is a legend in that building, and he’s expected to start immediately to stabilize what has been an embarrassing kicking situation. Bringing back an OG like that just to snap the ball? That’s desperation, but it’s a necessary move to protect the precious 4.5-point spread they’re currently carrying.

On the offensive side, the good news for the Rams is that Puka Nacua, who had a scary exit last week with a rib issue, is expected to play. Matthew Stafford is balling out, playing MVP-level football, and Puka is the engine of that passing game, leading the league in receiving yards per game. They'll need every yard, because the Niners still have Christian McCaffrey, who leads the whole darn league in yards from scrimmage.

This is where the game will be won: the Rams' elite defense, which is going for a historic fourth straight game allowing ten or fewer points, against the best running back in football. The Over/Under of 49.5 tells you Vegas thinks this will be a much tighter, higher-scoring affair than the Rams' recent outings. The stakes are huge, the drama is peaking with the special teams shakeup, and the NFC West is about to get a whole lot clearer this weekend.