Rams visit the 49ers seeking their first season sweep in the series since 2018

Los Angeles Rams (7-6) at San Francisco (6-7)

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime Video

BetMGM NFL odds: 49ers by 2 1/2.

Against the spread: Rams 6-7; 49ers 5-8.

Series record: 49ers lead 78-70-3.

Last meeting: Rams beat 49ers 27-24 in Inglewood, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024.

Last week: Rams beat the Bills 44-42; 49ers beat the Bears 38-13.

Rams offense: overall (15), rush (25), pass (9), scoring (16).

Rams defense: overall (27), rush (28), pass (24), scoring (24).

49ers offense: overall (4), rush (7), pass (7), scoring (11).

49ers defense: overall (3), rush (12), pass (3), scoring (21).

Turnover differential: Rams plus-3; 49ers minus-3.

Rams player to watch

QB Matthew Stafford was sensational against the Bills, throwing for 320 yards and two touchdowns. It was the fourth game this season where Stafford was not sacked, and the Rams have won all four with Stafford passing for 12 TDs against two INTs. San Francisco dropped Stafford three times in Week 3, most in any Los Angeles victory this season, but the offensive line in front of him is much more settled than it was in mid-September.

49ers player to watch

WR Jauan Jennings had seven catches for 90 yards and two TDs last week to give him six TDs on the season. Jennings caught just seven TD passes in 45 games in his first three seasons. Jennings had 11 catches for 175 yards and three TDs against the Rams in Week 4. He also had a two-TD day against Los Angeles in Week 18 of the 2021 season.

Key matchup

Rams WR Cooper Kupp vs. 49ers DB Deommodore Lenoir. Kupp is one of the top receivers out of the slot with his 44 catches from the slot ranking fourth most in the league even though he has missed four games. Lenoir has emerged as one of the better slot defenders but will get one of his toughest tests this week.

Key injuries

Rams CB Cobie Durant sustained a lung contusion versus the Bills, but coach Sean McVay expected him to play. … Rookie C Beaux Limmer is working through a knee injury. … The 49ers will likely be without LT Trent Williams (ankle) and DE Nick Bosa (oblique) for a fourth straight game. … Niners RB Isaac Guerendo (foot) will be a game-time decision. … San Francisco LB Dre Greenlaw could make his season debut after tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl last season.

Series notes

The Rams have won the past two meetings and are seeking their first three-game winning streak against the 49ers since winning six straight from 1999-2001. … Los Angeles hasn’t swept the season series since 2018. … San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan is 10-6 against Rams coach Sean McVay.

Stats and stuff

Stafford has been sacked six times in the Rams’ seven wins compared to 22 sacks in the team’s six losses. … Los Angeles converted 73.3% (11 of 15) of its third downs against Buffalo, the best mark since a 2001 victory over Indianapolis in Week 16 (80%; 8 of 10). … WR Puka Nacua has 2,194 yards receiving and 159 receptions through his first 25 games, which is second most in NFL history behind Odell Beckham Jr. (2,625 yards and 176 receptions). … The Rams defense has not forced a turnover in the past three games. They do not have a sack in the past two games. … RB Kyren Williams averaged 3.71 yards per carry in both career games against the 49ers. He ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 24 attempts in the first meeting this season. … Kupp hasn’t played against San Francisco since Week 8 of the 2022 season. Including the playoffs, Kupp has 66 receptions, 700 yards, and five touchdowns in 10 games versus the 49ers. … San Francisco is 1-3 in the division, blowing fourth-quarter leads in all three losses. The 49ers went 11-1 against NFC West opponents the previous two regular seasons. … The Niners had nine plays from scrimmage go for 20-plus yards last week and allowed none to Chicago. … San Francisco has allowed only five runs of at least 20 yards this season, tied for the fourth fewest in the NFL. … The 49ers had their first seven-sack game since 2022 last week, including a career-high three for Yetur Gross-Matos. … The Niners have allowed TDs on 11 straight red zone drives. … San Francisco DE Leonard Floyd has 5 1/2 sacks in the past four games. … George Kittle had six catches for 151 yards last week for San Francisco to give him 516 receptions for 7,074 yards. The only other TEs with at least 500 catches and 7,000 yards in their first eight seasons are Antonio Gates and Travis Kelce. … Niners QB Brock Purdy completed 20 of 25 passes for a season-high 325 yards and two TDs last week for a 145.4 rating. Purdy’s six games with a rating of at least 140 are the most for any player in his first three seasons.

Fantasy tip

Niners WR Deebo Samuel has only 97 yards from scrimmage the past four games and publicly said he needs to get the ball more. Samuel has had some of his best games against the Rams and coach Kyle Shanahan could look to get him more involved early in the game.

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