Jimmy GQ ready to guide 49ers to win, cover over Rams

The nickname, Jimmy G, apparently was too pedestrian for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who has a golden arm and movie star looks.

Now he’s better known as Jimmy GQ.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is married to a fashion model. But there are many, including my wife, who believe Brady’s former backup might become a model himself if the whole football thing doesn’t work out.

It’s worked like a charm so far as Garoppolo has won his first four starts for San Francisco, which had gone 4-27 in its previous 31 games. He’s completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,268 yards and five touchdowns while helping the Niners cover three of their last four games — including Sunday’s impressive 44-33 win over Jacksonville.

San Francisco is a 3½-point favorite over the Rams in its season finale. Los Angeles opened as a 6½-point home favorite but the line moved dramatically when it was reported the Rams will rest starters Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald and two starting offensive linemen.

Teams that rest their starters in Week 17 are on an 8-18 slide straight up. The Rams already have clinched a first-round home playoff game and a loss would put them on the preferred path to playing the Carson Wentz-less Eagles in the second round instead of the Vikings.

Look for Garoppolo to live up to his nickname and be a cover boy as the 49ers cash.

Four more plays for Week 17 (home team in CAPS):

COLTS (-4½) over Texans: Injury-riddled Houston is on a 1-7 slide and will be without its top weapon in wideout DeAndre Hopkins. The Texans will rely on third-string quarterback T.J. Yates, who has completed 19 of 47 passes for 211 yards in his last two games as Houston has produced only 13 points. Indianapolis has the quarterback edge in Jacoby Brissett and beat Houston 20-14 on Nov. 5.

Redskins (-3) over GIANTS: Kirk Cousins threw for 299 yards against Denver’s No. 2-ranked pass defense in Sunday’s 27-11 win over the Broncos. Cousins is 65 yards shy of his third straight 4,000-yard season and we share his desire to get back to the .500 mark with a win. New York (2-13), which lost 20-10 at Washington in November, is coming off a 23-0 defeat at Arizona. The Giants are banged up and can clinch the No. 2 overall draft pick with a loss.

VIKINGS (-11½) over Bears: Minnesota needs to win to clinch the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed and a bye. The Vikings won’t rest their starters because they play early and the teams chasing them (Saints, Panthers) play late. The Vikings have been a cover machine, going 42-16 ATS in their last 58 games. The home team is 22-8 ATS in the last 30 meetings.

EAGLES (+3) over Cowboys: Philadelphia already has clinched home-field advantage in the playoffs but quarterback Nick Foles and other starters are expected to play following a shaky offensive performance in Monday’s 19-10 win over the Raiders. A victory over Dallas would give the Eagles a franchise-record 14 wins. It’s a letdown spot for the Cowboys, who were eliminated from playoff contention in Sunday’s home loss to Seattle.

Last week: 1-4 against the spread

Season: 39-40-1

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.