Sports

Rams vs. Jaguars: How to watch, prediction and betting odds

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16), works out during an NFL football.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence works out with his teammates at The Grove in Watford, England, on Friday. (Kin Cheung / Associated Press)

With receiver Puka Nacua out for their game on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, the Rams are counting on Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington.

Adams, a three-time All-Pro in his first season with the Rams, has been targeted 55 times. He has 26 catches for 396 yards and three touchdowns.

Adams and quarterback Matthew Stafford have connected on several dynamic plays, but their timing remains a work in progress.

“It's not how I drew it up as far as efficiency goes,” Adams said. “I think we both would've liked to be a little bit more efficient, but I know for myself over the last few [games], just based off how we started, [there’s been] a little bit of pressing.”

Stafford put the onus on himself.

“There's been some good ones,” he said. “There's been some missed ones. I would take the majority of the blame on a lot of those and just give him a better chance on a couple.”

Adams rose to stardom while playing eight seasons with Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers. But that connection also took time, Adams said.

“It definitely didn't start off the first couple years, let alone the first couple of games the way that we got going,” Adams said. “Not that we have another 10 years to go, but it takes time. It's not easy.

“Puka and Matthew have been playing together for years now and they have a little better understanding of where one another is going to be, what to expect, and just making it work. It's been a few where there’s really no excuse for me or him. We just have to put it together.”

Atwell will be back after sitting out last Sunday’s victory over the Baltimore Ravens because of a hamstring injury. Atwell has four catches on nine targets, including one for a long touchdown.

Read more:Puka Nacua ruled out for Rams against Jaguars in London

But he said he was not concerned about targets as much as affecting the game in other ways. The speedy threat opens opportunities for Nacua, Adams and others.

“Every opportunity we've given him, he’s seized it,” Stafford said. “I don't see anything different happening. If he gets more opportunities in this game, I have a ton of trust in him.”

Key injuries

Rams: WR Puka Nacua (ankle, out); OL Rob Havenstein (ankle, out).

Jaguars: LB Devin Lloyd (calf, out); TE Quintin Morris (groin, out).

How to watch and listen to Rams vs. Jaguars

The Rams and Jaguars will play at 6:30 a.m. PDT Sunday at Wembley Stadium in London. The game will be shown on Fox in the Los Angeles area and will be available nationally on NFL Network. In Southern California, fans can listen to the game on 710 AM, 93.1 FM and 1330 AM (Español).

Betting odds and lines for Rams vs. Jaguars

Who will win Rams vs. Jaguars?

Gary Klein’s pick: The Jaguars are more accustomed to preparing to play in London, and the Rams will be without Nacua. But Stafford, Adams and running back Kyren Williams will carry the offense while the defense comes up big again.

 Rams 24, Jaguars 20

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Kyle Shanahan: Brock Purdy is making progress, but Mac Jones will start Sunday night

Mac Jones will be the 49ers' starting quarterback on Sunday night against the Falcons, but Brock Purdy is getting closer to returning.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Purdy is making progress in what he can do on the practice field but isn't ready to be active.

"He was able to get out there, throw more, I thought he was a step further ahead than last week, so going in the right direction," Shanahan said of Purdy.

Shanahan left open the possibility of making Purdy an emergency third quarterback if his toe injury recovers well enough that he could play but not at 100 percent, but Shanahan said that most likely, the next time Purdy is in uniform he'll be the starter.

"If Brock's good to go I picture him starting," Shanahan said. "We'll always do what's best for him and best for the team."

The 49ers haven't missed Purdy because Jones has played well in his absence. The 49ers are 3-1 in games Jones has started this season, and Jones is averaging an NFL-best 313 passing yards per game.

Koa Malau'ulu throws four touchdown passes in St. John Bosco's defeat of Santa Margarita

Koa Malau'ulu, the sophomore quarterback for unbeaten St. John Bosco High, was having almost as good a Friday night as Shohei Ohtani hitting three home runs at Dodger Stadium. Malau'ulu completed his first 11 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns against a Santa Margarita defense that held Mater Dei to six points last week.

This was supposed to be a showdown for first place in the nation's toughest football league, the Trinity League, but Santa Margarita didn't have the offensive firepower to stay with the Braves, whose quarterback, all-star receivers and underrated offensive line executed to deliver an eighth consecutive victory with a 27-14 triumph over the Eagles.

Malau'ulu finished 16-of-21 passing for 283 yards and four touchdowns. Each of his talented four-receiver group caught a touchdown pass.

"We have faith in him," said receiver Madden Williams, who caught six passes for 113 yards. "We all got some love. We have four great receivers and all got to eat."

It was a strange game from St. John Bosco's perspective. The Braves were called for 20 penalties, a record under coach Jason Negro. There were five defensive holding penalties.

"Does that count as two wins?" a frustrated defensive coordinator Chris King said.

Santa Margarita (5-3, 2-1) was called for three penalties.

"They didn't allow the penalties to define their night," Negro said.

St. John Bosco held a 21-7 halftime lead with Carson Clark, Daniel Odom and DJ Trubbs each catching touchdown passes. Santa Margarita's only score was a one-yard touchdown run by Trent Mosley set up by his spectacular 70-yard run in a wildcat formation. The Eagles' offense was missing injured receivers Grant Mosley and Luke Gazzaniga, which slowed their passing attack.

Santa Margarita started the third quarter with another Mosley touchdown, closing to 21-14, but Malau'ulu answered with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Williams. He was sacked twice on the night but his blockers gave him enough time to fire away, and his sure-handed receivers did the rest.

"He has a lot of talent around him," Negro said.

Dutch Horisk led St. John Bosco's defense with two sacks. Linebacker Matthew Muasau continues to be an exceptional tackler. Cornerback Jacob Whitehead made a couple plays in the second half to disrupt the Eagles' passing attack. Quarterback Trace Johnson was 12 of 28 passing for 87 yards.

If these two teams meet again in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, the Braves know that the USC-bound Mosley will present a challenge. He was injured in the Eagles' first game of the season, didn't play again until last week against Mater Dei and is rounding back intoshape. He is dangerous any time he touches the ball.

"He's a special player," Negro said.

St. John Bosco is 8-0 and 3-0 in the Trinity League. The Braves close the regular season with games against Servite next week and against Mater Dei on Halloween. They need two wins to clinch a No. 1 seed for the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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