National Football League

NFL odds: 3 reasons to bet on the Rams against the 49ers

Updated Jan. 27, 2022 6:50 p.m. ET

By Sam Panayotovich
FOX Sports Betting Analyst

With only three games left this NFL season, things are starting to get real.

The Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday night with a spot in Super Bowl LVI on the line. Kyle Shanahan’s bunch won the first two meetings in the regular season, and now they’ll try and complete the sweep for NFC supremacy.

Not so fast.

When it comes to betting on this big matchup taking place Sunday on FOX, I have you covered. Here are three reasons why the L.A. Rams are going to the Super Bowl — with odds via FOX Bet.

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams (6:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX)

Jimmy Garoppolo vs. the Rams defensive front

Just typing that line out made me feel good about the Rams.

I saw a stat that Jimmy Garoppolo is 15-4 ATS in his career as the betting underdog. That’s the best cover percentage by any quarterback in the Super Bowl era. It’s also the most misleading trend of all time.

The Niners win — and cover — because they’re a good team.

But they’ll need Jimmy G to play a clean game if they want any chance to make it back to the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons. Garoppolo hasn’t even thrown a touchdown this postseason and has already hurled two terrible interceptions over the last two rounds.

Los Angeles will undoubtedly bring a ton of heat towards the pocket with Aaron Donald and Von Miller leading the way. A pressured Garoppolo making decisions on the move sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Matthew Stafford is absolutely locked in

Stafford has been extremely efficient this postseason, and he completed a fourth-quarter dagger to Cooper Kupp to bounce Tom Brady and the defending champion Buccaneers out of the playoffs.

The former Detroit Lion completed 41 of 55 passes (74%) for 568 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions against Arizona and Tampa Bay, and he’s playing with as much confidence as I’ve ever seen.

Los Angeles traded for Stafford to win games like this. He’ll likely have left tackle Andrew Whitworth back this weekend and the Rams have so many weapons for Stafford to utilize.

Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr., Van Jefferson and Tyler Higbee headline an offensive weapon group that San Francisco just can’t match.

If Stafford plays to his potential, the Rams will advance.

Because I picked the Niners +650 to win the NFC back in August

It pays to read FOX Sports all year round!

I’m so lucky that this ticket is still breathing. Not only did San Francisco need to beat L.A. in comeback fashion during Week 18, but it had to defeat Dallas and Green Bay as road underdogs in the playoffs.

Yet here we are, a game away from cashing a ticket at +650.

The Rams will win the NFC Championship because I’m not that lucky.

PICK: Rams (-3.5 at FOX Bet) to win by more than 3.5 points

Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and NESN. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. He'll probably pick against your favorite team. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.

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