Week 4’s Monday Night Football matchup showcases two NFC West teams attempting to compete in a tight division and remain relevant in the NFL standings. Who is playing tonight, what time does the game start, and how can you watch it?
Who plays on Monday Night Football tonight?
Teams
Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers
Location
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Monday Night Football tonight features a rematch of last year’s NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. The Rams are coming into this game after beating another NFC West foe, the Arizona Cardinals, last Sunday. Meanwhile, the 49ers lost to the Denver Broncos in prime time in what is being considered one of the toughest-to-watch football games of the young season, ending 11-10.
The 49ers are currently favored at most sportsbooks by less than a field goal, meaning bookmakers are expecting a close one here. The total is sitting at just over 40 points, which might come as a surprise considering the offensive performance the Rams put on the last few weeks.
[bet-promo id=”160004″ ]Why might a 49ers team that struggled to put up 10 points last week be favored in this one? Well, the Rams have simply not been good recently against San Francisco. They have gone 2-6 in their last eight meetings. Additionally, 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo will now be starting his second game since taking over as the starter, so we can expect some of the rust to have worn off by now. Well, that is what Garoppolo believes anyways.
“We were terrible today. I’ve just got to get on the same page with those guys. We have to convert those,” Garoppolo said in his post-game press conference last week. “Oh yeah, my arm is feeling it right now,” said Garoppolo. “I didn’t really go through training camp. I’m not trying to make excuses or anything, but I’ve just got to get in game shape and get rolling.”
Whether Garoppolo is in game shape or not, I doubt he can make up for an offensive line that is struggling right now. San Francisco’s interior offensive linemen, center Jake Brendel and guards Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford, combined for just 11 snaps all last season. That might be an issue going up against a Rams defensive line that includes Aaron Donald and Bobby Wagner.
When it comes to who will win this one, PFN’s betting director BJ Rudell leans towards the away team on Monday Night Football tonight.
“It’s not that Garoppolo ‘has the Rams’ number.’ San Francisco simply has had a very good team. They still do. But the Rams still have the personnel to prevail, and I believe Matthew Stafford will elevate his team Monday night more than Garoppolo will elevate his.”
What time is Monday Night Football tonight?
Date: Oct. 03, 2022
Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV channel and live stream for Monday Night Football
TV channels: ESPN
Live stream: DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV
Want to stream NFL games at home or on the go this season? Check out Vidgo or fuboTV, two streaming platforms that provide you with live sports across multiple devices. Additionally, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to live stream NFL games.