NFL betting: Nearly 90% of action is on the Rams for 'Monday Night Football'

Week 10 of the NFL season comes to an end on Monday night when the Los Angeles Rams head to Santa Clara to face the San Francisco 49ers. We're expecting to see the Rams' debuts of Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller. It's been another underdog week in the NFL with teams like Washington, Miami and Carolina all pulling off massive upsets. What are bettors expecting to see on Monday night with the Rams as a 3.5-point road favorite?

Nearly 90% of the action is on the Rams

The betting public has clearly picked a side for "Monday Night Football," and that side is the Los Angeles Rams. Currently at BetMGM, 88% of bets and 87% of the betting handle is on the Rams to cover as a 3.5-point road favorite.

There's plenty of intriguing storylines for this primetime game. We already mentioned the debut of two big names for the Rams in Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. Both players might be slightly overrated based on their name value due to past accomplishments, but they should still be fun to watch.

There's also the fact that the San Francisco 49ers' season hangs in the balance. They have a 3-5 record and are on the verge of falling out of contention in the NFC West. Kyle Shanahan made the Super Bowl in 2019 and posted a 13-3 record that season. In his four other seasons as coach of the 49ers, Shanahan has a 19-37 record. If the 49ers lose on Monday, does Shanahan's seat get hotter? Are we approaching Trey Lance time?

The Rams also probably feel some urgency to get back on track. They were embarrassed in a primetime slot last week against the Tennessee Titans. Los Angeles has a chance to make up ground in the NFC West after Arizona lost to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Both Shanahan and Rams' coach Sean McVay come from the same coaching tree and developed in the same organization under Kyle's father, Mike Shanahan. In the eight previous meetings between these coaches, Shanahan has a 5-3 record. The 49ers have won four straight games against the Rams.

Even action on the total

The total for Monday's game currently sits at 50.5-points. There's a 50-50 split on betting tickets as both sides are getting even action.

Last season, both games between these two teams went well under the total. However, the 49ers dealt with quarterback injuries all of last season and the Rams still employed Jared Goff. Los Angeles' defense also was other-worldly last season and they're not quite at that level this season.

You can make the case that with these two coaches so familiar with each other, scoring could be suppressed. However, they've also played 48-32 games in recent memory against each other. There's no significant edge on the total either way, and that's why you're seeing an even split of bets.

Popular props for Monday night

If you're not feeling comfortable with a side or the total for Monday's game, you can get involved in the expansive prop market at BetMGM. Below are three popular props that bettors are backing:

• Through nine games this season, Cooper Kupp has 10 touchdowns. He has scored in six of nine games and he has multiple touchdowns in four games this season. Kupp is currently +600 to score the first touchdown on Monday night.

• Ben Skowronek is a rookie who was drafted in the seventh round of this past year's draft after a successful college career at Northwestern and Notre Dame. He has three catches for 30 yards in his NFL career. However, he's expected to fill the Robert Woods role on Monday night after Woods tore his ACL in practice last week. Odell Beckham Jr. is not fully caught up on the playbook and is only expected to be involved in select packages. In most three wide receiver sets, the Rams are expected to lineup Kupp, Skowronek and Van Jefferson. The rookie Skowronek is currently +1000 to score at anytime on Monday.

• Another popular prop bet can be found under the "Spread/Total" market. You can bet the Rams to cover a 6.5-point spread and for the game to go over 40.5 points at +200 odds. You give up 3 points on the spread, but you gain 10 points on the total. Both legs must hit for your bet to be graded a winner.