RAMS (6-2) at 49ers (6-3)
When: 1:25 p.m. Sunday
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
TV/Radio: FOX (Ch. 11)/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 382, 226
Line: Rams by 3.5
Notable injury designations
Rams: QUESTIONABLE: WR Jordan Whittington (back).
49ers: OUT: WR Ricky Pearsall (knee), DE Mykel Williams (knee); QUESTIONABLE: LB Tatum Bethune (thigh), QB Brock Purdy (toe), LB Dee Winters (knee), G Ben Bartch (ankle), DT Alfred Collins (hip), DT Kalia Davis (ankle), DE Keion White (groin).
What’s at stake? The winner of this game moves ahead of the other in the win column in the NFC West race. The 49ers can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rams with their second win over the in-state rival this season.
Who’s better? This one’s a tossup. The Niners won the last matchup, but are so banged up especially in comparison to the Rams and their clean sheet of health. And there’s no edge in a coaching matchup between Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan.
Matchup to watch: Rams cornerbacks vs. 49ers wide receivers. This was the decisive matchup the last time these teams met; because the Niners pass catchers got open so quickly, it negated the Rams’ vaunted pass rush and kept the San Francisco offense on the field. The Rams need Emmanuel Forbes and Darious Williams to keep up the strong level of play they have exhibited the last three games, not even with PBUs but to give Jared Verse, Byron Young, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner time to get home.
Rams win if: They can limit RB Christian McCaffrey to less than 80 yards rushing. … New kicker Harrison Mevis doesn’t miss any attempts in his NFL debut. … The Rams can put pressure on backup QB Mac Jones and sack him three times after being limited to one in the first matchup.
Fantasy sleeper: Rams TE Davis Allen. The Rams were hunting up a touchdown for Allen against the Saints last week and would have gotten it if not for a facemask penalty on a stiff arm by the third-year tight end. Look for him to get involved again in the red zone this week.
Prediction: Rams 24, 49ers 21. Beat reporter’s record: 7-1 for the season; 6-2 against the spread.
