Los Angeles Rams Open As Slight Favorites Against the 49ers

With the NFL’s 2016 schedule released, it’s time to look at the Week 1 NFL odds, which are kind to the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are 2.5-point favorites over the rival San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 which will be played on Monday Night Football.
While that is definitely a close line, it is also a Rams-line. In the NFL home teams are automatically given three points to take in the home field advantage. Given that the Rams are favored by 2.5 rather than just being 1-point under dogs or this game being a pick ’em, it shows that Vegas expects the Rams to start 1-0.
This could change as we move forward however, with the draft and more free agency yet to take place. The Rams have the first overall pick while the 49ers will pick seventh. It has also been rumored that the 49ers are looking to trade Colin Kaepernick and if that were to happen, the line would certainly change.
However, given that the Rams lost some key pieces in free agency such as Janoris Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Chris Long, and James Laurinaitis and they are still favored is a good sign that the Rams are still the better team.
That said, the Rams and 49ers split both meetings last season and the game that the Rams lost in San Francisco was mainly due to a blocked kick that could have gone in and won the game.