San Francisco 49ers: 3 Bold predictions vs. Rams in Week 17

The San Francisco 49ers will attempt to finish the season strong when they face the Los Angeles Rams. Here we make three bold predictions for the game.

Despite only having five wins, the San Francisco 49ers may not want the season to end as they go into their finale with the Los Angeles Rams. Having won five of their last six, the 49ers are arguably the hottest team in football and are already being talked up as playoff contenders for next season with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback.

The playoff-bound Rams are set to rest players including quarterback Jared Goff, Todd Gurley and defensive lineman Aaron Donald, leaving the 49ers as favorites to make it six wins in seven to finish the year.

Here we make three bold predictions for the game.

3. Jimmy Garoppolo to throw for over 400 yards

The Rams pass defense has been one of the best in the NFL in 2017 but the 49ers, then quarterbacked by Brian Hoyer, had over 300 yards passing against them in Week 3. In that 41-39 shootout loss, the 49ers were going against the Rams’ starters, but that is unlikely to be the case on Sunday, with Donald among those definitely set to sit out.

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Garoppolo had no problems dicing up the Jacksonville Jaguars’ much-vaunted defense last week, so a Rams defense likely to be missing first-stringers should be no problem for him. Look for Garoppolo to enter the offseason, and contract negotiations, on the back of the best performance of his career.

2. Marquise Goodwin to top 150 yards

The clear beneficiary of Garoppolo’s brilliant recent play has been Marquise Goodwin. He has received at least six targets in each of Garoppolo’s starts and has two 100-yard games in that time, with a 99-yard performance coming in Garoppolo’s debut.

Goodwin was held to three catches for just 37 yards against the Jaguars, but with Garoppolo at the helm he has become a receiver that can be relied on at every level of the passing game.

Depending on how many first-stringers the Rams sit, Goodwin should have little issue taking advantage of their backups and producing a performance to take him beyond 1,000 yards for the season.

1. Carlos Hyde to have over 100 yards and two touchdowns

Carlos Hyde needs 150 yards to post his first 1,000 yard season on the ground and the Rams have traditionally been one of his favourite opponents. He scored three times against them last year and had 84 yards and two scores versus Los Angeles in Week 3.

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The Rams are ranked 18th in run defense by Football Outsiders DVOA and have given up 100 yards rushing on eight occasions this season, as well as conceding over 200 in Week 2. Matt Breida will eat into Hyde’s carries as he has done all season. However, Hyde is still the focal point of the running game and should be relishing facing a defense he has enjoyed plenty of success against even when it has been full strength.