The San Francisco 49ers go into St. Louis on Monday night having won their last two games to play a Rams team that has lost their last two. The Rams are two games back in the division already and if they lose this one and fall three games back, it’ll put them in a hole almost impossible to climb out of in the NFC West. Here’s a matchup of Monday night’s game:
Will Austin Davis Continue His Hot Streak?
Third string quarterback Austin Davis has performed better than just about anybody has expected him to, especially with the lack of offensive weapons he has. He’s thrown for 1,129 yards with a 67.8 completion percentage, and six touchdowns in about three and a half games. Will his hot streak continue though? The teams he’s played against so far are the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles. According to PFF (subscription) those teams’ pass coverage ranks are 20th, 29th, 14th, and 15th. On Monday night they will be facing the 49ers, ranked 2nd in pass coverage in the NFL.
Frank Gore Needs To Keep Getting the Ball
Frank Gore is on a campaign this season to prove to everyone that age is just a number. At 31 years old, the 49ers’ all-time leading rusher is still getting it done. In the 49ers’ two losses Gore had 13 carries for 63 yards and 6 carries for 10 yards. In the two wins following those games he had 24 carries for 119 yards and 18 carries for 107 yards. The 49ers’ offense is built around their run game. According to PFF, the Rams’ defense is ranked 23rd in the league against the run. If the 49ers give Gore the ball, he could have himself quite a night on the ground.
Robert Quinn Will Look To Get On Track This Week
In his first three seasons in the NFL, Robert Quinn has 34.5 sacks. In his first four games of the 2014 season, he doesn’t have a single sack. This Monday night he’s hoping that all changes. He’ll be lining up against a 49ers offensive line that ranks 25th in the league, according to PFF, in pass protection. However, he’ll be going against left tackle Joe Staley most of the game and he has played the best out of all the 49ers’ linemen so far this season. While he’s been the best in pass protection on a lackluster group, he’s still allowed ten quarterback hurries, one sack, and two hits on the quarterback. Quinn will look to test Staley early and often.
Like all NFC West games, this match up will be extremely physical. The game will be controlled in the trenches. Looking at both lines, the advantage goes to the 49ers. While it’s a division game and just about anything can happen, the 49ers are going to win this by a touchdown.