REPORT: Why the Rams Must Be Weary of 49ers Thursday Night

The Los Angeles Rams will face off against the San Francisco 49ers on a short week. They must expect the unexpected.

Dec 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams will face off against the San Francisco 49ers on the road Thursday night, following their massive upset win over the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday.

The win gave the Rams some breathing room for the final few weeks of the season. However, the Rams absolutely must win their matchups within the division to continue controlling their destiny.

A win against the Bills but a loss against the 49ers would undo much of the hard work the Rams have put in to climb back from their 1-4 start.

Ben Rolfe of Pro Football Network believes the matchup will be worth watching.

"This game has taken on a very different complexion after the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers’ two important wins in Week 13," Rolfe said. "Both teams remain very much in the fight for the NFC West, which could go down to the final week. Additionally, all four teams sit very close together in our PR+ standings, ranging from 12th to 15th, with no one separating them.

"Both teams have been better offensively than defensively this year. They rank inside the top 12 on offense, with the Rams having the slight edge at eighth overall, compared to 11th for the 49ers.

"However, that flips on defense, with San Francisco ranking 20th and LA down in 26th. The Rams have been slightly better on special teams and have played a marginally more brutal schedule. 

Most divisional games can go either way, as the teams are familiar with each other from facing off twice a year, every year. This makes it difficult to accurately predict who will be in the matchups between divisional teams.

Rolfe struggled to pick a winner in the pivotal matchup between the two NFC West foes, but he predicted the 49ers would beat the Rams, 30-27.

"This is a very tough game to call, but with both offenses finding some form this week, a shootout could develop if the weather is kind in Santa Clara on Thursday. This game has the feeling of being won by whoever has the ball last, which is a tough spot to call. However, the total seems fairly juicy, with two good offenses and two below-average defenses.

The game between two NFC West teams means it will already be a difficult battle. The fact that both teams are playing on a short week and the game will be played on Thursday Night Football makes predicting who will win even more of a toss-up.

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