49ers vs. Rams: Week 16 Preview for San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers visit the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, December 24 for a Week 16 NFC West showdown. Niner Noise has your preview with latest news, injuries, X-factors and much more.

Nov 1, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock (26) breaks up a pass intended for St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt (18) during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The 2016 season is winding to a close, and a Week 16 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams seems like little more than an afterthought.

49ers

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Both teams will miss the playoffs again this year. And there is little left on the table aside from pride and the implications for the NFL Draft order in 2017.

At 1-13, head coach Chip Kelly’s squad is trying to avoid being the first one-win team in franchise history. The 4-10 Rams present, perhaps, the final opportunity the Niners have to get to two wins on the year. And Los Angeles remains the only team San Francisco has defeated (Week 1) in what has otherwise been a disastrous 2016 campaign.

So many things have changed for the 49ers since that lone victory, which seems like ages ago. The Niners have been hit hard by the injury bug. And whatever schemes San Francisco’s coaching staff has employed have been repeatedly dissected and exploited by opposing teams.

Nevertheless, the Rams are going through their own struggles — issues which led to the firing of former head coach Jeff Fisher not long ago.

Niner Noise breaks down this seemingly meaningless matchup and points out the specific aspects to watch during this contest.

January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Brian Quick (83) catches a pass against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Dontae Johnson (36) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Week 16 by the Numbers

By this point, any football fan knows just how bad the 49ers are on both offense and defense.

While San Francisco’s running game still ranks No. 4 in the NFL, virtually every other category is at the near bottom.

And the Niners defense? Well, it has routinely allowed opponents’ running games to chew up the 49ers ground defense. The pass defense hasn’t been much better in recent weeks. A lack of an effective pass rush allowed quarterbacks like Matt Barkley, Bryce Petty and Matt Ryan to carve up San Francisco’s secondary the last three weeks.

Ryan’s name shouldn’t be surprising. The other two? Yeah, third-string quarterbacks.

The Niners will likely face off against Rams QB Jared Goff on Sunday, per Los Angeles’ website.

Will he be the latest to keep this unsettling 49ers’ defensive trend going?

The Rams have their own offensive woes to worry about though. Los Angeles, not San Francisco, is actually dead last in both points scored (197) and yards gained (3,903).

So maybe, just maybe, the injury-riddled Niners have a small advantage to exploit there.

Dec 15, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) walks on the sideline during the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Los Angeles, 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback Comparison

Rams quarterback Jared Goff finally gets to face off against the team for which he grew up rooting, the 49ers.

And remember how so many Niners fans wanted Goff to land in San Francisco in last year’s NFL Draft?

Jared Goff

Goff’s rookie season has been anything but what should hope for out of a No. 1 overall draft pick.

True, he has only started five games his rookie season and doesn’t exactly have a lot of weapons around him. All that has led to Goff completing just 54.7 percent of his passes for 879 yards, four touchdowns against five interceptions and a total passer rating of 65.7.

Greener pastures may lie ahead for the former Cal product. In the meantime, he’ll be focused on making the on-field recovery from the concussion he suffered — thank you, Richard Sherman — when the Rams faced off against the Seahawks in Week 15:

One has to also figure this game will provide some added motivation as well.

Colin Kaepernick

On the flip side, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick continues to be an ultimate enigma. His 13 touchdowns against three interceptions is one of the best ratios he’s had in his career. Yet he’s still completing just 55.5 percent of his passes on the year.

And as Niner Noise’s Rich Madrid recently pointed out, the once-masked flaws of his game are being revealed on a regular basis right now.

Kap’s long-term status with the 49ers is in doubt. And continued less-than-stellar performances to finish of the year won’t help his value on the market if he either opts out this offseason or is outright released by San Francisco.

Dec 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers medical staff tend to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) after falling on a play against the New York Jets during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium. The New York Jets defeated the San Francisco 49ers 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Significant 49ers Injuries

Injuries have plagued the 49ers hard over recent weeks. And with just two games left in the season, there’s little reason not to place some of San Francisco’s injured players onto season-ending injured reserve.

Such was the case with wide receiver Torrey Smith (concussion) and a number of other players as well.

Here’s the breakdown of the Niners injury report, courtesy of the team’s website:

San Francisco’s offensive line will be a little shaky heading into this contest. Likely, offensive lineman Zane Beadles will move to the center position. This would ensure guard Andrew Tiller is inserted into the starting lineup.

Rookie tackle John Theus might get the start in left tackle Joe Staley’s stead.

Nov 1, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite (57) reaches for St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) during the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive & Defensive X-Factors for San Francisco

49ers Run Defense

Needless to say, San Francisco’s defense against the run has been putrid. And any thoughts about the Niners simply shutting down Rams running back Todd Gurley, like they did back in Week 1, should be thrown out the window.

The reality is the 49ers aren’t anywhere close to the same team from early this season. Linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Ray-Ray Armstrong are out for the year. So is defensive end DeForest Buckner.

Gurley could be in for a big day, and he’ll be a game-changer for Los Angeles if the Niners can’t stop him.

CB Rashard Robinson

Rookie cornerback Rashard Robinson will be one of the defensive players to watch in Week 16.

After a strong start to the year, Robinson has gone through some growing pains in subsequent weeks but still remains a likable cornerstone within the Niners secondary.

He’ll frequently line up opposite Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt (6-foot-3), which presents a nearly equal size matchup with Robinson.

LG Andrew Tiller

One of the matchups to watch will be left guard Andrew Tiller versus Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

Donald, a perennial Pro Bowler, leads Los Angeles with seven sacks and is about as good a pocket-wrecking pass-rusher there is in the NFL.

Fortunately, Tiller has held his own in limited action along the 49ers offensive line this year. This contest, aside from establishing running lanes and keeping quarterback Colin Kaepernick upright, will go a long way in determining whether or not Tiller has a spot in the lineup in 2017.

RB Carlos Hyde

The Rams pass rush is good enough to cause some major concerns for the Niners passing game. And with a plethora of injuries to San Francisco’s receiving corps, it wouldn’t be surprising for head coach Chip Kelly to put the offense in the hands of running back Carlos Hyde.

Hyde needs just 50 more yards to crest 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career. So it’s safe to say he’ll be motivated for this contest.

And it may be the only way San Francisco is able to stay in the game for longer than two quarters — get Hyde involved early and continue to feed him in the second half.

Dec 11, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General overall view of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum peristyle and Olympic torch prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Game Information

The 49ers and Rams kick off on Saturday, December 24 at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox.

And sorry, non-West Coast fans. You won’t be able to tune into Fox’s broadcast at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum unless you’re in the indicated area described here, per the 49ers website.

But you can always stream the game on NFL Game Pass.

Odds Shark currently lists the Rams as five-point favorites with a predicted score of 25.7 to 14.3 in favor of Los Angeles.

Given the combination of Niners offensive and defensive ineptitude, it’s not hard to justify the prediction.

Why the Rams Win

They feed running back Todd Gurley.

Gurley, who hasn’t had the best of years in 2016, can enjoy a relatively easy bounce-back performance at home against an anemic 49ers defense. A strong running game will help open up things for a likely motivated quarterback, Jared Goff, who can begin to pick apart a questionable San Francisco secondary at ease.

And Los Angeles’ defense shouldn’t have too much trouble shutting down quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Co., keeping the Niners offense one dimensional.

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Why the 49ers Win

It’s impossible to predict the 49ers stopping Gurley like they did in Week 1, so merely limiting the damage is about as best they can ask.

San Francisco has to force Goff to make mistakes — something he’s been prone to doing early in his young career. A few turnovers here and there would go a long way in keeping the Niners in contention throughout.

As for the offense, the 49ers shouldn’t rely on Kaepernick to do too much. Instead, running back Carlos Hyde has to be the No. 1 focal point.

And the momentum needs to be sustained over a full four quarters. Not just a first half.