An NFC West rivalry with potentially huge implications for the playoffs race wraps up Saturday's NFL triple-header as the San Francisco 49ers host the Los Angeles Rams.
San Francisco booked a playoff spot for the first time since 2013 last week, as the Rams suffered a 44-21 shellacking in Dallas against the Cowboys.
However, it was not all good news for Kyle Shanahan's team. San Francisco's last-second home loss to the Atlanta Falcons saw them slip to 11-3 for the season and were overtaken at the top of the NFC West by the Seattle Seahawks, who hold the tiebreaker over the 49ers courtesy of their win in San Francisco in Week 10.
The 49ers dropped all the way down to fifth in the NFC after losing control of the NFC West, which currently means they will face a trip to Dallas in the wild card round as opposed to enjoying a much-needed first-round bye.
"I'm glad we're in [the playoffs]," Shanahan told ESPN on Sunday. "It starts with that. That's cool, but doesn't make me feel better right now."
The good news for Shanahan is that his team still controls its destiny and can secure the No. 1 seed in the conference if it wins its two remaining games—including what is shaping up to be an NFC West decider in Seattle in Week 17.
FiveThirtyEight's statistical projections give the 49ers a 44 percent chance to win the division and a 42 percent chance to secure a first-round bye.
The scenario is completely different for the Rams, whose already slim playoffs hopes were all but extinguished in Dallas on Sunday.
The reigning NFC champions arrived in Texas on a two-game winning streak and fresh from defeating the Seahawks 28-12, but were blown away by the Cowboys.
The Rams fell to 8-6 with the loss in Dallas and their chances of reaching the playoffs for the third consecutive season stand at three percent.
Even winning out may not be enough for Los Angeles to secure the second wildcard spot in the NFC if the Minnesota Vikings win one of their remaining games—both of which are at home, against the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.
Sean McVay's team has been plagued by inconsistency throughout the year, an issue that has been epitomized by Jared Goff.
The quarterback helped the Rams to reach the Super Bowl last season, but has failed to keep up such lofty standards this season. Goff has passed for 3,996 yards—fourth-best in the NFL—but his touchdown to interception is a mediocre 17 to 15 and at 45.7 his total quarterback rating places him 25th in the league.
The figures are made to look even worse by the fact in September Goff signed a four-year extension worth an NFL record $110 million.
The fourth-year signal-caller will line up under center as usual on Saturday after recovering from a hand injury he suffered against the Cowboys.
"He'll be able to do everything," McVay said in his press conference on Tuesday.
"Fortunately, it's like one of those deals where you get it banged and it's like anything else—probably scares you more than anything at first because it is such an irritating thing when you're trying to grip the ball."
Jimmy Garoppolo, Goff's 49ers counterpart, has enjoyed a far more fruitful season.
The former New England Patriot ranks fourth in touchdown passes this season and needs just 55 passing yards to become the fifth quarterback in 49ers history with 3,500 yards in a single season.
The 28-year-old and the 49ers will be hoping for a better performance and a similar result.
Here's all you need to know ahead of Saturday.
When and where is the game?
The San Francisco 49ers host the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Saturday, December 21.
Kick-off is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
TV coverage
The game will be nationally broadcast exclusively by NFL Network.
Live stream
A live stream will be available via NFL Network online and on connected devices.
Form
The 49ers clinched a playoff spot in Week 15, despite a 29-22 home loss against the Atlanta Falcons. The Rams, meanwhile, were on the receiving end of a 44-21 shellacking in Dallas.
Series record
The all-time series is finely balanced, with the 49ers winning 69 of the 139 meetings against their NFC West rivals to Los Angeles' 67 wins. The Rams have won two of the last three meetings against San Francisco but lost 20-7 to the 49ers at home in Week 6.
Odds
According to BetOnline, the 49ers are a 6.5-point favorite and are 19/20 to cover the spread, while the Rams are 9/4 underdogs.
The over/under line in terms of total points scored is set at 45.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he was a news and business reporter at International Business Times UK. Dan has also written for The Guardian and The Observer.
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