NFL San Francisco 49ersSt Louis Rams

5 Bold Predictions For 49ers vs. Rams on Monday Night Football

5 Bold Predictions For 49ers vs. Rams

Frank Gore
Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

Since 2010, the San Francisco 49ers are 5-2-1 against the St. Louis Rams, and they've outscored their NFC West foes 195-136.

The primetime lights of Monday Night Football will set the scene inside the Edward Jones Dome, but will it be the Rams or 49ers who shine the brightest?

5. Dawson Could Be The X-Factor

Phil Dawson San Francisco 49ers
Kelley L. Cox - USA TODAY Sports

5. Dawson Could Be The X-Factor

Phil Dawson San Francisco 49ers
Kelley L. Cox - USA TODAY Sports

Phil Dawson -- reigning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week -- booted five field goals against the Kansas City Chiefs, and if it weren't for him, the 49ers could be 2-3 right now.

Dawson has missed twice already this year (he only missed five field goals combined over the last two seasons), but he's one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL. With the 49ers' recent struggles in the red zone, he could be the x-factor once again.

4. Rams' Offense Will Be A Non-Factor

Austin Davis
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

4. Rams' Offense Will Be A Non-Factor

Austin Davis
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams enter Monday night with the NFL's sixth-ranked passing attack for which they owe gratitude to the pass defenses of the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. Those teams own the NFL's 18th and 29th-ranked pass defenses respectively.

The 49ers own the fourth-ranked pass defense and fifth-ranked run defense -- have fun Austin Davis.

3. Kaepernick Will Struggle to Find Passing Rhythm

Colin Kaepernick San francisco 49ers
Kirby Lee - USA TODAY Sports

3. Kaepernick Will Struggle to Find Passing Rhythm

Colin Kaepernick San francisco 49ers
Kirby Lee - USA TODAY Sports

Colin Kaepernick has quarterbacked the 49ers to a 3-2 record, but he presides over the NFL's 26th-ranked passing offense, and it's not going to get any better this week. Allowing an average of only 192.3 yards per game, the Rams possess the league's stingiest pass defense.

But wait, there's a silver lining -- the Rams are horrible against the run (152.5 yards allowed per game), and you know Kap will take advantage.

2. Quinn Will Get Three Sacks

Robert Quinn St. Louis Rams
Rick Osentoski - USA TODAY Sports

2. Quinn Will Get Three Sacks

Robert Quinn St. Louis Rams
Rick Osentoski - USA TODAY Sports

Robert Quinn has 29.5 sacks over the last two seasons. This year, he has none.

On Monday night, Quinn will lineup opposite the 49ers' Joe Staley, and the matchup will be key for both squads. Quinn's goose egg in the category of sacks simply cannot last forever. He's due for a quarterback takedown or three and he'll probably get them on Monday night, but it won't change the outcome of the game.

1. Gore Will Run Wild

Frank Gore San Francisco 49ers
Kelley L. Cox - USA TODAY Sports

1. Gore Will Run Wild

Frank Gore San Francisco 49ers
Kelley L. Cox - USA TODAY Sports

Frank Gore wants to run, and against one of the NFL's worst run defenses, it would behoove Greg Roman, Jim Harbaugh and Co. to let The Inconvenient Truth do his thing.

The Rams give up an average of 152.5 yards per game on the ground, and against teams ranked 21st or worse against the run in 2014, Gore has rumbled for an average of 133 yards per game.

The Rams can't handle the truth.

Jeff Pearlman is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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