Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The stage is set. Monday night opener against the division rivals 49ers of San Francisco. The lights will be shining bright in Levi Stadium as both teams look to start the season with a victory.
Last year these teams faced off in the final game of the regular season. It took overtime to decide the victor with the Niners getting the useless win.
As the teams step onto the field Monday, the win will be far from pointless. So who will be 1-0 at the end of the night?
Let’s break this down shall we? We’ll start with the quarterbacks from each team. Case Keenum for the Rams and Blaine Gabbert for the 49ers. There isn’t much to dissect here. Neither quarterback is going to have a record setting year but both have proven they can be serviceable. Gabbert went 3-5 for the 49ers in 8 games as their starter last year. Keenum went 3-2 as the Rams’ starter in 2015. Gabbert had 10 TDs with 7 picks, while Keenum threw 4 touchdowns to go with 1 interception. So who has the edge? I say it’s a wash. An argument can be made for either one so we’ll chalk it up as a push.
Let’s stay in the backfield and breakdown the running backs. Don’t worry, this paragraph is short. Carlos Hyde, will start for the 49ers. Shaun Draughn should have a decent sized role as the RB2. But all of this is moot because Todd Gurley is the starter for the Rams. That’s the pro bowl running back who had over 1,000 yards rushing in 13 games played, mind you he played very little in his first game against Pittsburgh, so it’s closer to 12 games played. Gurley and the Rams hold a very evident advantage when comparing running backs.
We’ll give a quick look at the wide receivers now for fun. Can you name a starting wide receiver for either team? It might take a bit of thinking but Tavon Austin is probably the first one that comes to mind. Austin is definitely athletic, a speed freak who can take off on you once he gets the ball. Austin is used best when he’s lined up in multiple positions in a variety of formations. He’s a versatile weapon who’s multiple skill sets should be utilized. Ok so enough about Austin. Kenny Britt lines up opposite of Austin. Ok enough about Britt. The 49ers will have Torrey Smith and Quinton Patton. That’s about all that needs to be said about them as of now. Slight edge goes to the Rams.
The defense advantage leans toward the Rams. The Rams’ defensive line will get a nice boost as Robert Quinn is healthy again. Quinn, joins Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, and William Hayes. A feared D-line to say the least. Alec Ogletree will try to fill the hole in my heart, and the defense’s heart, left by the departure of James Laurinaitis. Although the defensive line is stout for the Rams, the deeper into the secondary you go, the shakier it gets. The 49ers defense was a bit pathetic last season ranking 29th overall. They haven’t done much to try to improve upon that.
So my prediction? Rams win in what will be a low scoring game, not necessarily because of great defensive play by either team, although the Rams defense will have to come up with important and vital stops, but because of a lack of offensive fire power by either team. The score will be close and the game will not be decided until late in the game. The only real highlight from this game will be the play of Todd Gurley. Gurley will be the difference maker, rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown. If the Rams are smart they’ll include him in the passing game as well leading to a nice 30 yards receiving for Gurley.
Rams win by the score of 17-10.
Alex Alarcon is the Founder and Senior Writer at Rams Headquarters Follow him on Twitter @AlexAlarcon49, and on Google+.
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