Looking Ahead to the 49ers' Week 18 Game Against the Rams

Suddenly, the 49ers' season finale against the Rams actually matters.

This week, the 49ers will play the Washington Commanders, a game that doesn't really matter because the Commanders have packed it in and they will lose. They're even playing backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett just to make sure they lose.

But then the 49ers will play the Rams, who have won five of their past six games. One of those wins was a 36-19 victory over the Browns, who beat the 49ers. And the one loss was an overtime defeat to the Ravens in Baltimore, who beat the 49ers by 14 points in Santa Clara.

If the 49ers had beaten the Ravens as they were favored to do, then they could have taken care of business against the Commanders, and Week 18 wouldn't matter. The 49ers could sit their starters if they wanted to. Or they could play their starters for a half or three quarters just as a tune up for the playoffs. But they wouldn't have had to beat the Rams.

Now, the 49ers most likely will have to win their final two games to secure a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. And the Rams could be a tough matchup.

When the 49ers and Rams faced each other in Week 2, the 49ers won 30-23, and the Rams didn't have Cooper Kupp because he was injured. Now they have him, plus Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Puka Nacua, plus Kyren Williams, who's the first quality running back the Rams have had since Todd Gurley. Granted, the Rams don't have the explosive speed that the 49ers offense has, but the Rams do have a Super Bowl winning quarterback, while the 49ers don't. At least not yet.

Should be one heck of a game.