49ers vs. Rams: A prospector's guide

The San Francisco 49ers travel to face the St. Louis Rams this week in a Monday Night Football matchup. This is the 49ers 71st appearance on Monday Night Football, and they are 45-25, with six straight wins to date. Their last MNF appearance was last season's 34-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons, which featured NaVorro Bowman's "Pick at the Stick".

The Monday appearance means we get Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden calling the game, with Lisa Salters handling sideline duties. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with kickoff at 5:30 p.m. PT. ESPN means national coverage, and all sorts of international television opportunities.

The 49ers have 64 wins over the Rams, which marks the most for the 49ers against any opponent. They face a Rams squad that is 1-3, but starting to show some things on offense. The Rams are averaging 25.5 points per game, but have shown more in recent weeks after an ugly Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The 49ers dropped their first divisional game in Week 3, losing 23-14 to the Arizona Cardinals. It was a road loss, so it's not the end of the world, but the team that can go 4-2 against NFC West opponents is likely the team that claims the division.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 129
Series Record: 49ers lead series 64-62-3
49ers Away Record vs. Rams: 49ers lead series 32-31-1
First Meeting: 10/1/50, Rams win 35-14, at SF
Last Meeting: 12/1/13, 49ers win 23-13, at SF
Current Streak: Won 2
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 17 (12/17/90 - 12/27/98)
Longest Rams Win Streak: 10 (11/29/70 - 9/28/75)
Most 49ers Points: 48 (12/27/87): 49ers win 48-0, at SF
Most Rams Points: 56 (11/9/58): Rams win 56-7, at LA
49ers Shutouts: 8 (Last 12/4/11), 49ers win 26-0, at SF
Rams Shutouts: None

WR Anquan Boldin

• In 15 career games against StL, he has totaled 97 receptions for 1,326 yards and 7 TDs.

• As a member of the Arizona Cardinals, he had 6 receptions for a team-high 123 yards and 2 TDs at StL (11/23/03).

• Has 6 career 100-yard games against StL in his career, his most against any team.

CB Tramaine Brock

• Recorded 1.5 sacks and tied for a team-high 9 tackles at StL (9/26/13).

TE Vernon Davis

• Recorded his 100th career reception at StL (12/21/08 - 17 yard pass from QB Shaun Hill).

• Tied the then NFL record for TD receptions by a TE (13) in a single season at StL (1/3/10). Davis' career-long 73-yard TD reception in the 4th quarter tied TE Antonio Gates' record from 2004.

RB Frank Gore

• Ranks 1st in NFL history with 14 rushing TD against StL.

• In 14 games vs. StL, he has rushed for 1,149 yards and 14 TDs on 254 carries, including posting 5, 100-yard games.

• His 14 rushing TDs vs. StL are his most against any team in the NFL.

• Passed 49ers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Perry (7,344) for most rushing yards in franchise history vs. StL (12/4/11). Gore broke the record on a 2-yard run in the 2nd quarter and finished the day with 73 yards on 21 carries.

• Rushed for 58 yards and 1 TD at StL (12/2/12), his 6th TD of the year.

• Had 20 carries for 153 yards and 1 TD at StL (9/26/13).

DT Tony Jerod-Eddie

• Recorded his first career fumble recovery at StL (9/26/13). The takeaway led to a 1-yard TD run by RB Anthony Davis two plays later.

QB Colin Kaepernick

• Completed 21 of 32 pass attempts for 208 yards and rushed for 84 yards on 9 carries at StL (12/2/12).
• Recorded a passer rating of 111.5 by completing 19 of 28 pass attempts for 275 yards and 1 TD vs. StL (12/1/13).

P Andy Lee

• Notched a single-game career-high 5 punts downed inside the 20-yard line vs. StL (10/4/09).
• Hit 5 punts for 284 yards (56.8 avg.), including a net of 51.4 and 2 punts downed inside the 20-yard line at StL (1/1/12).
• Punted 7 times for a net avg. of 52.0 yards and dropped 2 punts inside the 20-yard line at StL (9/26/13).

WR Brandon Lloyd

• In nine career games against the Rams, has totaled 16 receptions for 289 yards and 6 TDs.
• Caught his first career TD receptions vs. StL 11/2/03.

DT Ray McDonald

• Recorded his first career FR and returned it 11 yards to the end zone for his first career TD vs. StL (10/4/09).

• Registered his first career FF after taking down Rams QB A.J. Feeley vs. StL (12/4/11).

DT Justin Smith

• Accumulated a career-high 3.5 sacks on QB Keith Null at StL in the 2009 season finale (1/3/10).

• Made a team-high 8 tackles and sacked QB Sam Bradford in the 4th quarter vs. StL (12/2/12).

LB Patrick Willis

• Recorded 2nd career INT return for a TD, returning a QB Kyle Boller pass 23 yards for a score, while posting a career-high 2.5 sacks to go along with 11 tackles vs. StL (10/4/09). He became the first player in franchise history, and just the third player in the NFL since the sack became an official statistic in 1982, to tally at least 2.5 sacks and an INT return for a TD in the same game.
• While wearing a cast on his hand, registered a sack and FF at StL (12/26/10), taking down QB Sam Bradford.

2014 Statistics