Surging LA Rams seek revenge in rematch with slumping Niners
SAN FRANCISCO (4-6) at LOS ANGELES RAMS (7-3)
Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE - Rams by 6 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - 49ers 5-5; Rams 6-4
SERIES RECORD - 49ers lead 72-67-3
LAST MEETING - 49ers beat Rams 24-16 on Oct. 18, at Santa Clara, California
LAST WEEK - 49ers lost to Saints 27-13; Rams beat Buccaneers 27-24
AP PRO32 RANKING - 49ers No. 19, Rams No. 4
49ERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (15), RUSH (17), PASS (13).
49ERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (7), RUSH (10), PASS (9).
RAMS OFFENSE - OVERALL (5), RUSH (9), PASS (5).
RAMS DEFENSE - OVERALL (1), RUSH (5), PASS (2).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - The longtime California rivals meet for the first time in Inglewood at SoFi Stadium, where the Rams have started 4-0. ... San Francisco has won three straight over Los Angeles after largely dominating a 24-16 victory last month. ... The 49ers have lost three straight games by at least 10 points for the first time since the final three games of their 0-9 start in 2017. They have lost four in a row by at least 10 points only once in the past 16 years: 2016. ... San Francisco is 1-6-1 following a bye the past eight seasons. ... Niners coach Kyle Shanahan is 4-0 against the Rams with Jimmy Garoppolo starting at QB and 0-3 with anyone else since taking over in 2017. Garoppolo will miss this game with a sprained ankle. ... 49ers QB Nick Mullens passed for 282 yards, three TDs and three INTs in his only start vs. the Rams in the 2018 season finale. ... The Niners are looking to sweep the season series in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2008-09. ... Brandon Aiyuk's five TDs for San Francisco are tied for the fifth most among rookies and second to Pittsburgh's Chase Claypool's 10 among rookie WRs. ... Leading rusher Raheem Mostert and No. 1 WR Deebo Samuel could return from injuries for the 49ers this week. Mostert has missed four games with a sprained ankle and Samuel has sat out the last three with a hamstring injury. ... Los Angeles has returned from its bye week impressively with victories over fellow NFC contenders Seattle and Tampa Bay to move into first place in the NFC West. ... The Rams will be without three key starters due to injury: LT Andrew Whitworth, leading tackle Micah Kiser and S Taylor Rapp. ... Jared Goff has passed for 300 yards in three straight games after doing it twice in the Rams' first seven games. He hasn't had four straight 300-yard games since early in LA's Super Bowl season in 2018. ... Marin County native Goff is 3-4 in his career against his favorite team as a kid. ... Three members of the Rams' quiet rookie class are looking to build off career firsts last week at Tampa Bay. WR Van Jefferson and RB Cam Akers scored their first touchdowns, and S Jordan Fuller made his first two interceptions. ... Rams WRs Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp had 10 catches apiece last week for the first time in their 3 1/2-year partnership. ... Rams DT Aaron Donald hasn't had a tackle in the last two games, a career first. He's still third in the NFL with nine sacks. ... LB Leonard Floyd had at least two sacks in the Rams' last two home games. ... The Rams' defense is tops in the NFL with 291.9 yards allowed per game under rookie coordinator Brandon Staley. ... New K Matt Gay missed a field goal in his debut last week, but hit the winner late and boomed his kickoffs. Gay was the Rams' third kicker in four weeks, but coach Sean McVay seems happy with him despite the miss. ... McVay is 32-0 in his career when leading at halftime. ... Fantasy tip: Kupp is seeing the ball constantly in recent weeks, with Goff targeting him a whopping 40 times in the last three games for 27 catches and 305 yards.
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