NFL Week 2 Preview: San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams Odds and Best Bets

The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams face off in an early-season NFC West battle on Sunday as one of the top Week 2 matchups in the young NFL season. Both California squads enter at 1-0 with high hopes for the 2023 season. We preview 49ers vs. Rams with a look at the odds and our three favorite bets for the showdown at SoFi Stadium.

The 49ers dominated a strong Pittsburgh defense in Week 1, putting up 30 points. Los Angeles too showed out on offense against Seattle, scoring 30 of its own. But heading into this week’s contest, the Rams have a much tougher matchup. San Francisco enters Sunday’s game as an eight point favorite on FanDuel Sportsbook at -110 odds. We like the 49ers to cover the spread and convincingly secure their second win of the season.

San Francisco has dominated Los Angeles in recent history, winning eight of the last nine matchups. The 49ers have the superior offensive line, running back, wide receivers, and tight end. The Rams’ best offensive weapon, Cooper Kupp, won’t play.

And the quarterback position isn’t one-sided. San Francisco slinger Brock Purdy is 7-0 in the regular season with 15 touchdowns and only four interceptions. LA’s Matthew Stafford has a strong reputation, but Purdy is currently playing better than the veteran.

On defense, it isn’t close. San Francisco has the best unit in the NFL. Since 2019, the 49ers have outscored the Rams by an average of almost nine points. San Francisco has the better roster. Eight points may seem like a lot, but the 49ers are firing on all cylinders. It’s hard to contain Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle. Take San Fran and don’t look back–this will be a 10+ point win.

The 49ers’ recent dominance over the Rams isn’t the only trend betters should use this weekend. In Brock Purdy’s seven non-postseason wins, the 49ers scored a touchdown in the first quarter over 80% of the time. For the Rams, a similar stat line exists. In Stafford’s last ten starts, the team scored in the first quarter seven times. These trends spell early points this weekend. The current line for points in the first quarter is set at 8.5 on PointsBet at -110. Trust the offenses to combine for at least a touchdown and a field goal off the bat.

In Week 1, the 49ers scored 10 in the first quarter against a Steelers defense that is better than Los Angeles’. The Rams performed too in a tough Seattle environment, scoring a touchdown. With the game’s total set around 44 points, this is a much safer pick. The 49ers defense can contain the Rams over the course of the matchup, leaning towards the under. But San Francisco’s offense is also good enough to blow the contest open. With uncertainty surrounding those odds, turn to the first quarter. Nine points shouldn’t be an issue in the first 15 minutes of this game.

We understand the Rams just scored 30 points in their first game of the season. But, like we previously said, the 49ers defensive unit is another animal. Think of an angry hippopotamus that hasn’t eaten in three weeks. In 2022, San Francisco tied the league lead with 20 interceptions, ranked second in opponent rushing yards, and was top ten opponent passing and rushing touchdowns. In Week 1, the Niners had five sacks, two interceptions, and allowed just one touchdown. That’s a tough task in front of the LA offense. The Rams points total is set at 17.5 against the 49ers on DraftKings Sportsbook. Snag the under for LA at -122 and run with your money.

In the last nine meetings between the two squads, the Rams scored more than 17 points less than 50% of the time. Los Angeles didn’t eclipse that number in either of their matchups against San Francisco last season. And in 2022, SF opponents only scored more than 18 points four times. That is absolutely insane.

With the Rams currently without Cooper Kupp and the team still trying to figure out its complete offensive depth chart, this isn’t the greatest matchup for Los Angeles. History, and roster construction, is not on LA’s side. We already said that San Fran should win by at least eight points. The Niners stifling the Rams on offense (after the first quarter) will play a heavy part in that.

While you get ready for Week 2, Sidelines has you covered. Check out our top-five picks for the second week of the NFL season along with pro bets to consider.