Last Updated on December 23, 2010 12:16 am by Anthony Rome
49ers vs. Rams Preview
ST. LOUIS, MO (AP) – In every other NFC division, the St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers would have already been eliminated from postseason contention. They have the benefit of playing in the NFC West, however, and still have a shot at hosting a playoff game.
These teams meet Sunday in St. Louis, and although the outcome won’t make or break the Rams’ postseason chances, the 49ers would finally be eliminated with a loss.
According to latest NFL odds, oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Rams 1.5-point spread favorites for Sunday’s game against the 49ers. Current NFL Public Betting Information shows that 61% of more than 3,457 bets for this game have been placed on the Rams –1.5.
St. Louis and Seattle are tied atop the West at 6-8, while San Francisco is one game back at 5-9. If the Rams get a victory this week and win at Seattle next Sunday, they’ll take the division for the first time since 2003.
They can also win the West even if they lose this week, as long as they beat the Seahawks and the 49ers lose at Arizona in Week 17.
“I don’t look at being fortunate in a division,” St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “I just know that until they tell us we cannot make it to the playoffs, that’s what we’re still shooting for.
“If we happen to get in there, it won’t matter what the record is. It doesn’t matter how you get in, it doesn’t matter whether you’re in there as a wild card or a divisional winner, if you’re in you’ve got a chance to win it all.”
San Francisco can make good on team president Jed York’s declaration that it would come back from an 0-5 start to reach the postseason if it wins its final two games and Seattle loses at least once more.
One more loss by San Francisco, however, would leave it home from the playoffs for the eighth straight year.
“Hopefully we’ll take care of business and we’ll set ourselves up with the playoffs,” 49ers linebacker Takeo Spikes said.
Who will be leading San Francisco in its biggest game of the season is still uncertain.
Coach Mike Singletary has decided which quarterback will start but isn’t revealing that information.
Alex Smith has started the past two games after sitting out the previous five. He threw for three touchdowns in a 40-21 win over the Seahawks on Dec. 12 but was sacked six times as the 49ers were outgained 374-192 in last Thursday’s 34-7 loss at San Diego.
Troy Smith passed for fewer than 200 yards in four of his five starts, but his best performance came against the Rams on Nov. 14, when he threw for a career-high 356 yards and a touchdown in a 23-20 overtime victory.
“It’s something that I don’t really want to announce right now,” Singletary said. “You know, in all honesty, in terms of an advantage or whatever, I just think the only real advantage that we could have is to go there and play well.
“All the other stuff is the cat-and-mouse stuff, but I just think that it’s important for us to prepare well this week and get ready to go.”
There is no such quarterback question in St. Louis, but Sam Bradford is suddenly struggling.
Bradford had 181 passing yards with two interceptions in last Sunday’s 27-13 loss to Kansas City, and he has no touchdowns and five picks in three games this month after throwing for 11 TDs and one interception in his previous six.
The rookie completed 30 of 42 passes for 251 yards with a touchdown in San Francisco last month.
Steven Jackson had 148 scrimmage yards in that game as St. Louis suffered its fifth consecutive defeat in the series.
Last week’s loss was the second straight for the Rams, who fell 31-13 to New Orleans on Dec. 12. Spagnuolo doesn’t want his team dwelling on those defeats.
“We’re in the moving forward stage now,” Spagnuolo said. “This a resilient team in my particular opinion. These guys find a way when they’re challenged to do some good things.”
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