The Los Angeles Rams will host the San Francisco 49ers in the 2022 NFC Championship Game on Sunday evening. The Rams have won seven of their last eight games, while the 49ers have won six of their last seven. San Francisco has dominated this series in recent years, winning six straight against the Rams.
Kickoff from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. Los Angeles is a 3.5-point favorite, while the over-under for total points scored is 45.5 in the latest 49ers vs. Rams odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before locking in any Rams vs. 49ers picks of your own, you need to see what SportsLine's resident Rams expert, Larry Hartstein, has to say.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. This season he has been on fire. Hartstein is 73-48 in his last 121 NFL sides, for a profit of more than $1800.
In addition, Hartstein has gone an astounding 28-17 in his last 45 picks involving Los Angeles, returning $800 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, Hartstein has locked in on 49ers vs. Rams and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can only see his 2022 NFC Championship Game picks at SportsLine. Here are several NFL odds for 49ers vs. Rams:
- 49ers vs. Rams spread: Los Angeles -3.5
- 49ers vs. Rams over-under: 45.5 points
- 49ers vs. Rams money line: Los Angeles -175, San Francisco +155
- LAR: The Rams are 5-1 against the spread in their last six vs. NFC teams
- SF: The 49ers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as underdogs
Why the Rams can cover
Los Angeles' offense goes to another level when the Rams establish the run game. Los Angeles' backfield got a big boost when running back Cam Akers returned to the field. He has brought a different element of speed and quickness to the Rams' ground attack. This postseason, Akers leads the team with 41 carries for 103 yards while reeling in five passes for 60 yards.
Running back Sony Michel was a solid contributor during the regular season. He finished the campaign with 208 carries for 845 yards with four scores. The Georgia product ran for more than 70 yards in five of the last six weeks of the regular season. With the likes of Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. on the outside, Akers and Michel could see a lighter defensive front from San Francisco.
Why the 49ers can cover
San Francisco has defeated the Rams six straight times, dating back to 2019. The last time these two teams met was in Week 18. The 49ers came back from a 17-0 deficit to steal a 27-24 victory to clinch their postseason ticket. San Francisco's team is filled with many dynamic players on both sides of the ball. Receiver Deebo Samuel is the ultimate Swiss Army knife for Kyle Shanahan's offense. Samuel finished the year fifth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,405) with six touchdowns and 18.2 yards per reception.
The South Carolina product also sees plenty of action carrying the ball from the backfield and logged 365 rushing yards with another eight touchdowns. Defensive end Nick Bosa is consistently flying off the edge. He finished the year with 52 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 21 tackles for loss. The Ohio State product has already recorded 2.5 sacks this postseason.
How to make 49ers vs. Rams picks
Hartstein has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning under on the point total, he has also discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing what it is, and which side of the Rams vs. 49ers spread to back, at SportsLine.
Who wins Rams vs. 49ers? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rams vs. 49ers spread to jump on, all from the NFL expert who's 28-17 on picks involving the Rams, and find out.
