There are a lot of different scenarios that can play out over the span of the 49ers and Rams afternoon game in Week 18. A Saints loss to the Falcons would clinch San Francisco’s berth in the postseason, and an Arizona loss to the Seahawks would give the Rams the NFC West title regardless of the outcome against the 49ers.
All of these games kick off in the afternoon, though, so expect San Francisco and Los Angeles to play this one pretty straightforwardly – for the better part of three quarters at least.
49ers at Rams Betting Analysis
On the San Francisco side
The biggest question for the 49ers in this spot is the health of Jimmy Garoppolo. The San Francisco quarterback missed last week’s win over Houston with a thumb injury, and rookie Trey Lance played well, going 16/23 for 249 yards with 2 TDs.
In a perfect world, Kyle Shanahan would rest Garoppolo one more week to make sure he’s healthy for the playoffs – but if San Francisco loses on Sunday and the Saints win, New Orleans would get the final wild-card berth due to their better conference record. Garoppolo was just 15/19 passing vs. the Rams earlier this season, but he threw 2 TDs in a 31-10 San Francisco win.
On the Los Angeles side
The Rams want this game for a number of reasons. First off, a win would give them the NFC West crown and would also break a personal five-game losing streak against San Francisco. An L.A. victory would go a long way in eliminating their division rival from the playoffs, but not only that, the Rams would much rather play a Saints team with some major QB issues rather than a 49ers team that can run the ball and play good defense.
The Rams also want to get out to a big lead on Sunday afternoon, so they could possibly rest some veterans like Aaron Donald, Von Miller, and maybe even Matthew Stafford for what they hope is a long playoff run. Then again, L.A. wide receiver Cooper Kupp needs 12+ catches and 136+ yards to break NFL records in both categories.
49ers at Rams Prediction
Can Los Angeles trust Stafford in this big-time matchup? The QB has thrown 5 INTs the last two weeks and could be feeling the heat from the likes of Nick Bosa on Sunday.
The Rams have still won five in a row, though, and they know how important it is to not suffer a third straight season sweep at the hands of rival San Francisco.
This is essentially a playoff game for both teams, with the Rams having the advantage of making the actual postseason win or lose. Even with their season on the line, San Francisco is going to have a tough time keeping this one within the +4.5 spread.