49ers vs. Rams Thursday Night Football Week 5 Betting Predictions

The San Francisco 49ers will travel for a divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. Both teams are tied with the Seattle Seahawks at the top of the NFC West division. They all enter this week with impressive 3-1 records.

The Rams and 49ers have both relied on their defenses early this season. San Francisco ranks seventh in the NFL in points allowed (.307) per play. Los Angeles isn’t far behind, ranking 10th in the same category (.338). Overall, these teams have combined to allow only 39.1 points per game.

Both of these teams have struggled drastically more on offense in 2025. The Rams currently rank 14th in the league in points (.397) per play. The 49ers have looked much worse, ranking 24th in the same category (.302) thus far. They’re combining to average 45 points per game this season.

This game could be dictated by injuries, though. San Francisco is already dealing with long-term injuries to key players like George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk. They’ve also ruled out Brock Purdy, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall.

Mac Jones will draw the start, and he’s already started two games this season. He looks competent for San Francisco, but he isn’t an elite option for any offense. He’ll also be without several of his top weapons. Christian McCaffrey is the only high-end option available in their offense, and he’s consistently struggled to produce on the ground this season.

The Rams aren’t coming into this game with full health either, though. Tyler Higbee and Rob Havenstein are currently listed as doubtful. San Francisco’s struggle to produce pressure on opposing passers this season, and Havenstein’s injury will be a major upgrade to their pass rush.

Ultimately, I’m trusting San Francisco’s defense here, but I’m also fading their offense. It’s unlikely they consistently produce against the Los Angeles defense, and this gives us a bit of wiggle room for the Rams’ offense.

The biggest concern for this game is the pace. Both of these teams love pushing the pace, but that could slow down a bit on a short week. We’re also looking at a big spread for the Rams, and they’ll be looking to slow the game down later on.

Even with the increased pace, I expect both defenses to find drastically more success than the offenses throughout this game.

Where to Bet: San Francisco 49ers & Los Angeles Rams under 45.5 points | -110 at ESPN Bet

2025 NFL Season Betting Record: 6-10