49ers vs. Rams live score, updates, highlights from NFL Week 18 game

The Rams have already clinched the NFC West title and a playoff berth heading into Week 18. Year one of the Matthew Stafford era in Los Angeles went pretty well, as Stafford has completed a career-high 67.3 percent of his passes this season and his 38 touchdowns are the second-most of his career.

But there’s one hurdle the Rams have struggled to get over in recent history, regardless of if it’s been Stafford or his predecessor Jared Goff under center. Sean McVay’s squad has struggled mightily against the 49ers recently, which bodes well for San Francisco.

Dating back to Oct. 2019, the 49ers have won five in a row against the Rams, but this week’s contest is among the most important meetings as the 49ers need to win to make the playoffs, which they haven’t done since 2019 when they made it to the Super Bowl.

MORE: Complete NFL playoff picture for Week 18 of NFL season

San Francisco is expected to start Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback after he missed last week recovering from a torn ligament in his thumb while the Rams come in fully healthy, with no players receiving injury designations on the team’s final injury report on Friday.

So far this season, San Francisco has ranked 13th in scoring offense and 10th in total offense to go along with 12th in scoring defense and fourth in total defense. That means it’ll be a strength-on-strength matchup, with the Rams ranking ninth in scoring offense and sixth in total offense.

MORE: How Cooper Kupp can break NFL’s receiving yards record

Much of the Rams’ total offensive output has been because of wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who needs 146 receiving yards to break Calvin Johnson’s single-season record back in 2012. Kupp has had 146 or more yards in a game just twice, with the last time coming October.

Sporting News is tracking the live score, updates and highlights from this pivotal NFC West showdown in the final week of the season. Follow below for more coverage throughout.

MORE: Watch 49ers vs. Rams live with fuboTV (free trial)

49ers vs. Rams score

49ers vs. Rams live updates, highlights from Week 18

4:48 p.m.: Stafford finds Odell Beckham for 14 and the first down. Now first-and-10 from the 24 for the Rams.

4:27 p.m.: On second-and-8 from the 15, Matt Stafford gets hit for a false start. Now second-and-13 from the 10.

4:26 p.m.: The 49ers win the toss and defer. They’ll kick it away to start as Los Angeles takes over at its own 13 to begin the game.

49ers vs. Rams start time

• Date: Sunday, Jan. 9
• Kickoff: 4:25 EST, 1:25 PST

49ers vs. Rams is scheduled to start at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday. This is America’s Game of the Week, meaning anyone without a local late game on Fox will get this one.

What channel is 49ers vs. Rams on today?

• TV channel (national): Fox
• TV channel (San Francisco): KTVU
• TV channel (Los Angeles): KTTV
• Live Stream: Fox Sports Go, fuboTV

49ers vs. Rams will be broadcast regionally on local Fox affiliate channels in Week 18. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are on the call for Fox, while Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi handle sideline duties. Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino will pick up Fox’s rules analysis, with Fox’s other late games.

You can find the 49ers’ away broadcast on SiriusXM channel 380, while the Rams’ home broadcast airs on channel 227.

In Canada, viewers can watch 49ers vs. Rams with a subscription to DAZN, which includes every NFL game.

San Francisco 49ers schedule 2021

Los Angeles Rams schedule 2021

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