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Rams at 49ers: Time, TV and streaming info for Week 16

Everything you need to know for Saturday night’s matchup.

The Los Angeles Rams are back in prime time this weekend, taking on the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night. It’s a huge matchup for both teams for different reasons, with San Francisco trying to take back the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while Los Angeles needs a win to keep its playoff hopes alive.

To get you ready for this must-win game in Week 16, we’ve compiled all the important game day information – from streaming options to the officiating crew on Saturday night. And be sure to follow along on Twitter with @TheRamsWire and @camdasilva.

You can live stream the game on fuboTV (try it free).

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers – Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: NFL Network

Live stream: fuboTV (try it free)

Radio: ESPN LA 710 AM

Location: Levi’s Stadium

Forecast: Cloudy, 59 degrees, 12 mph winds

Referee: Clete Blakeman

Odds: 49ers -6.5, O/U 45.5

Look: Jalen Ramsey surprises kids at after-school program with Xboxes

Jalen Ramsey played the role of Santa at this after-school program.

Jalen Ramsey has only been a member of the Rams for a couple of months, but he’s already making an impact in the community. With Christmas right around the corner, Ramsey helped make the days of students at an after-school program in Los Angeles.

He gifted them each an Xbox One X, and their reactions were priceless.

Ramsey joined the Rams in a trade with the Jaguars back in October. He still has one year left on his contract in 2020, but if he doesn’t sign an extension before it expires, he’ll become a free agent.

The Rams front office and coaching staff have been very clear about their desire to keep Ramsey after trading two first-round picks for him, hoping to have him stick around in L.A. for several more years.

Report: Wade Phillips may not return to Rams in 2020 after contract expires

Wade Phillips is in the final year of his contract and may not be back in 2020.

One of Sean McVay’s first moves after becoming the Rams’ head coach in 2017 was to hire Wade Phillips as his defensive coordinator. It was an unusual match between the youngest coach in the NFL and a veteran with more than 30 years of experience, but it worked for them and the team.

Phillips, 72, may not be back in 2020, though. He’s in the final year of his contract and according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio, the Rams may part ways with their defensive coordinator.

Linebackers coach Joe Barry would be a candidate to replace Phillips.

The Rams defense has shown flashes of brilliance this season, but also many instances of struggles. They allowed 55 points to the Bucs, 45 to the Ravens and 44 to the Cowboys, but also seven games of giving up no more than 13 points.

It’s been an up-and-down season, to say the least, and Phillips doesn’t exactly know why the defense has had so many “clunkers,” as he put it recently.

“We’ve been inconsistent overall. We’ve had a couple clunkers and if I knew the reason, we wouldn’t do it,” he said this week. “But, we have fought back every time. I think the attitude of our team – our defense and our whole group – we’re fighters and we’re going to fight back.”

The Rams have ranked in the top 20 of yards and points allowed in each of the last three seasons, but they haven’t finished higher than 12th in either category despite having big names all over the defense.

Final score prediction for Rams at 49ers in Week 16

The Rams are 6.5-point underdogs, but can they pull off the upset?

Sean McVay has had remarkable success against the NFC West since joining the Rams, going 4-2 in his first season and 6-0 in his second. His Rams have already lost two division games this season with two more still to go, beginning with the 49ers on Saturday night.

In their late-season matchup last year, it was the Rams locked in as a playoff team and one of the best squads in the league. This time around, it’s the 49ers fighting for postseason positioning, needing a win to keep pace with the Seahawks in the NFC West.

That’s not to say the Rams are just playing spoiler; they need two wins and two losses by the Vikings to make the playoffs, themselves. It’s just that the Rams aren’t in a great spot the way San Francisco is.

So can they pull off the upset as 6.5-point underdogs on the road? The chances don’t look great, but the Rams will at least keep it close at Levi’s Stadium. They’ll cover the spread and stay within one score of the 49ers, playing better than they did in Week 6 when San Francisco shut them down and held Jared Goff to 78 yards passing.

The Rams just aren’t consistent enough to beat a team like the 49ers – even though their inconsistency is what leads some to believe they’ll win on Saturday after laying an egg against the Cowboys in Week 15.

The 49ers pass rush, even without Dee Ford, is simply too good for the Rams to handle. Goff has struggled under pressure and unless he’s frequently rolling out of the pocket, the passing attack doesn’t move the ball very well. Todd Gurley probably won’t offer a ton on the ground, either, with Fred Warner leading the 49ers’ stout defensive front.

Defensively, the Rams will have trouble stopping San Francisco’s potent rushing attack, which ranks second in the NFL. Tackling was a huge problem against the Cowboys and with the season wearing on, odds aren’t great that Dallas will shut down San Francisco’s running backs.

In the end, the 49ers will pull away and secure a narrow victory.

Final score prediction: 49ers 24, Rams 20.

With Tyler Higbee rolling, how will Rams deploy Gerald Everett in return?

Gerald Everett will return to action after missing three games, but what will his role be?

Gerald Everett appeared poised for a breakout season in 2019. He overtook Tyler Higbee as the top tight end on the Rams late last season, putting together strong performances down the stretch.

To begin this season, he was playing more than Higbee yet again, which is why so many fans and analysts thought he could become a consistent producer at tight end. Though he had been playing well (37 catches for 408 yards in 11 games), Everett’s breakout was put on hold in Week 12 when he injured his knee.

During his three-game absence, Higbee did something no other Rams tight end had done before: He strung together three consecutive 100-yard games. He became a focal point of the offense, but with Everett set to return on Saturday night, will that change?

That’s a question only Sean McVay can answer.

Higbee was targeted 33 times in those three games, catching 26 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown. You’d have to tally Everett’s previous seven games combined (26 catches, 321 yards and one touchdown) to match the numbers Higbee put up in three starts.

But more importantly with Everett out, the Rams went back to more of a run-first attack. Higbee and Johnny Mundt were playing a lot together prior to Sunday’s loss in Dallas, with the Rams opting for a lot of 12 personnel instead of constantly utilizing three receivers, one back and one tight end.

The result was a brief resurgence from Todd Gurley and improved play-action passing.

Can that continue with Everett returning and Higbee’s snaps potentially being limited? It remains to be seen, but there’s a good chance Higbee won’t be on the field as much as he has been. In the three games prior to Everett’s injury, Higbee played 33%, 76% and 69% of the snaps. Since then, he played 91%, 97% and 86%.

The Rams had two of their best and most balanced offensive performances against the Cardinals and Seahawks, gaining 549 yards and 445 yards, respectively, in those games. The ground game was a big factor in each win, with Higbee and Mundt doing an excellent job blocking on the edges.

Everett will get his share of snaps. He’ll probably play about 50% of the offensive plays, many of which should come with Higbee also on the field. He’s not the blocker that Higbee or Mundt are, and with the Rams trying to establish the run, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Everett to play less than usual.

Just don’t expect him to play only a handful of snaps in his return from a knee injury. He’ll have his chances to contribute, even if it costs Higbee some production and playing time.

Sean McVay breaks down what makes Richard Sherman an elite CB

Sean McVay had a long list of compliments for Richard Sherman.

Last week against the Falcons, the 49ers allowed Julio Jones to erupt for a huge performance. He caught 13 of the 20 passes thrown his way, gaining 134 yards and scoring two touchdowns – including the game-winner.

It’s no coincidence that Richard Sherman wasn’t on the field for that game.

The 49ers’ best cornerback was out with a hamstring injury, but he’s set to return on Saturday night against the Rams. That’s bad news for Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks, who will assuredly see Sherman in coverage at Levi’s Stadium.

The Rams have faced Sherman for nine years dating back to his days with Seattle, so they’re very familiar with his style of play. Sean McVay just joined the NFC West in 2017, but he’s well aware of how good Sherman is.

He heaped praise on the 49ers cornerback Thursday during his press conference, explaining what makes Sherman an elite cornerback.

“I think you can see – very talented, he’s got great concept recognition, elite ball skills. That’s the one thing that you see with him,” McVay said. “Then, he seems like a guy that, when he does recognize those concepts, he’s excellent in being able to trigger and you feel like, ‘All right, this might be a guy that’s a good double-move candidate.’ But, he seems like he’s always ready for those. Plays with good technique. You can see he plays with great vision back to the quarterback and he understands how the quarterback’s timing – in terms of his footwork, his drops – are married with route combinations and where that ball can come out.

“I think that’s why you see some elite production from him. You look at a couple of the picks that he’s had this year, it’s great concept recognition, he’ll come up and tackle. He’s a complete player, he’s been doing it at a high level for a long time. When you get a chance to talk to him a little bit, this is a player that has a really unique, big-picture understanding – extremely intelligent. I’ve always been a big fan of him and very impressed with what he’s done. It’s not surprising, but he’s playing at a high level.”

Sherman has three interceptions and 11 passes defensed this season, allowing catches on 41 of his 65 targets with zero touchdowns. His 5.4 yards per target ranks near the top among all cornerbacks, coming in at No. 11 in that department.

Jared Goff may not test Sherman much, which would be a wise decision. He’s having yet another great season for the 49ers, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl, as well.

How have Rams rebounded from double-digit losses under Sean McVay?

The Rams have gone 4-2 in games after losing by 10-plus points the previous week.

For the fourth time this season, the Los Angeles Rams are coming off a double-digit loss. They were blown out by the Cowboys 44-21 in Week 15, causing their playoff chances to take a significant hit.

In Sean McVay’s first two seasons combined, they had only lost three games by at least 10 points. Their inability to hang with some teams this year has been startling, and it’s not something anyone could’ve seen coming.

Fortunately, the Rams have been good at bouncing back from ugly losses in the past. It hasn’t always been perfect, but the Rams typically rebound with wins after double-digit defeats, which is a testament to the job McVay does in the locker room and in preparation for the following game.

Here’s every instance the Rams have lost by 10-plus points under McVay and how they bounced back the following week.

2017

Week 11: 24-7 loss to Vikings
Week 12: 26-20 win over Saints at home

Week 17: 34-13 loss to 49ers
Wild-card round: 26-13 loss to Falcons at home

2018

Week 9: 45-35 loss to Saints
Week 10: 36-31 win over Seahawks at home

2019

Week 4: 55-40 loss to Buccaneers
Week 5: 30-29 loss to Seahawks on road

Week 6: 20-7 loss to 49ers
Week 7: 37-10 win over Falcons on road

Week 12: 45-6 loss to Ravens
Week 13: 34-7 win over Cardinals on road

With McVay at the helm, the Rams are 4-2 the week after losing by at least 10 points. There is one caveat, however. In 2017, the Rams lost 34-13 to the 49ers in the season finale, which was a game Los Angeles rested its primary starters for.

The following week, they faced the Falcons in the first round of the playoffs and lost at home. Had the Rams played their starters against the 49ers, they likely would’ve won, or at least kept the game within one score.

Even with that game included, there’s no doubt the Rams have done a good job bouncing back from big losses. And even this year when they lost by 15 points to the Buccaneers, they rebounded by nearly beating the Seahawks in Seattle – a game they should’ve won. Greg Zuerlein’s game-winning kick in the final seconds was wide right by mere inches, resulting in a 30-29 loss.

This is one of the Rams’ toughest tests yet, having to face the 11-3 49ers on the road, but if past history is any indication, they’ll have a good chance to pull off the upset and rebound from last week’s drubbing.

Look: Oculus construction is underway inside Rams’ SoFi Stadium

The revolutionary Oculus video board is under construction at the Rams’ new SoFi Stadium.

In just over two weeks from now, the Rams will be taking the field for their last home game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – barring a playoff miracle. Next summer, they’ll be moving into their new home in Inglewood, which has since been named SoFi Stadium.

Construction is coming along well and progress is being made at a fairly rapid rate with the roof nearly finished and seats installed inside. One of the best features of the stadium is the video board that hovers above, which has been nicknamed the “Oculus.”

The roof is still coming together, but the Oculus is also under construction inside the stadium. John Kay shared a video of the stadium recently, which features photos of the Oculus.

And here’s a drone video of the stadium and scoreboard, which can be seen from directly above.

SoFi Stadium will open for its first event in July when Taylor Swift performs two shows there. While there is still plenty of work to be done, it’s easy to see how magnificent the stadium will be once it’s complete.

Here are a few other photos of the Oculus, as shared by a user on Twitter.

The Rams know which teams they’ll host at SoFi Stadium in 2020, and there are a few strong candidates to play in the home opener. The Cowboys and Patriots would be outstanding opponents for the Rams in their first game at the new stadium next year, as would a rival such as the Seahawks or 49ers.

Rams Week 16 preview: 5 questions with Niners Wire

The Rams are gearing up for a must-win game against the 49ers.

For the second time this season, the Rams and 49ers will square off – this time with major playoff implications on the line. The Rams are visiting the 49ers on Saturday night for a prime-time showdown at Levi’s Stadium, needing to win their last two games in order to have a chance at the playoffs.

In preparation for this game, we talked to Niners Wire editor Kyle Madson about the state of the 49ers and how he expects this game to go. The 49ers shut down the Rams 20-7 last time around, but Madson doesn’t expect a blowout again on Saturday.

The 49ers allowed 75 points in their last two games. Are they on a decline defensively or were those outliers?

There’s a little bit of nuance and context provided to those 75 points. They simply got torched in New Orleans. Drew Brees is a shoo-in Hall of Famer and he showed it against San Francisco. He carved up the 49ers’ secondary and Saints head coach Sean Payton had an excellent game plan that, frankly, schooled 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

The 29 points the Falcons scored are a little more flukey. First, the 49ers had five starters out on defense, including Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman, nickel corner K’Waun Williams, and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt. That trio would’ve made a huge difference against Falcons WR Julio Jones, who had 13 catches for 134 yards. His 134 yards accounted for 46 percent of the Falcons’ offensive yards. One of the Falcons’ touchdowns came on a scoop-and-score on a failed lateral attempt at the end of the game. Another came after an iffy pass interference all in the end zone on a 37-yard bomb.

Diminishing depth on the defensive line has made their pass rush less effective. They have just three sacks the last three weeks after posting three-plus sacks in 10 of their first 11 games. That, combined with injuries in the secondary have led to some coverage breakdowns and a dip in interceptions. Also, the 49ers were playing at a historically great level through the first eight or so weeks. They were due for a regression, but they’re still a very good defense when they’re healthy.

Does Jimmy Garoppolo have the ability to carry the offense if the running game is shut down?

Yes. We saw it twice against the Cardinals and against the Saints in New Orleans. Garoppolo is finally getting into a groove in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and his numbers since Week 8 have been excellent. In those eight games, he’s completing 69.6 percent of his throws with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. The bigger issue is the 49ers’ receiving corps. We’ve seen Garoppolo spin it and win games, but the receiving corps was reliable in those contests. They were non-existent against the Falcons after Atlanta went to more man coverage. The trio of Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders and Kendrick Bourne had started to emerge as a nice group, but they had just four catches for 49 yards against the Falcons. Garoppolo isn’t the biggest question mark for the passing attack at this point. That falls on the shoulders of those three receivers.

How has San Francisco overcome the loss of Kwon Alexander?

Some would argue they haven’t. Rookie fifth-round pick Dre Greenlaw has done an okay job at the Will linebacker spot for Alexander, but his inexperience shows through too often. Alexander was the emotional heartbeat of the 49ers’ defense, but his experience and knowledge of the defense allowed him to play at full speed all the time. His absence has allowed teams to attack horizontally with success more often. That mitigates the impact the 49ers’ pass rush can have, and everything snowballs from there. Greenlaw has filled in admirably, and the 49ers still have a Super Bowl-caliber defense when he’s in, but they miss Alexander’s speed and coverage ability.

How big of a difference has Emmanuel Sanders made?

He’s been perhaps the biggest reason for Garoppolo and the passing game’s turnaround. In six games prior to Sanders’ arrival, Garoppolo was completing 68.3 percent of his throws for 219 yards per game and 7.9 yards per attempt with seven touchdowns and six interceptions. In eight games since his arrival, he’s ripping off a 69.6 completion rate, 266.2 yards per game and 8.2 yards per attempt with 19 touchdowns and five picks. Garoppolo trusts Sanders, and that jibes well with the quarterback’s willingness to let throws rip into tight coverage. Sanders has good wiggle and can get open in a phone booth. Perhaps the biggest indicator of Sanders’ impact is this: The 49ers are 5-3 since Sanders arrived in San Francisco. In those five wins, he has 29 targets, 22 catches, 342 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 49ers score 40 points per game. In their three losses, he’s had just 14 targets, 8 catches, 74 yards and zero touchdowns. The 49ers score 21 points per game in those contests.

How do you predict this game going?

Great question! No idea. I’m ready to believe anything about the 49ers at this point considering the juxtaposition between Weeks 14 and 15. They went blow-for-blow with the Saints in the Superdome, then stumbled at home against the Falcons. The Rams’ offensive line may be just what the 49ers’ defensive front needs to come back to life, and while Aaron Donald is sure to wreak havoc in the middle of the line, the 49ers have had a week to game plan around that after watching what Grady Jarrett was able to do against them last week (he wrecked shop, FYI). I think this one winds up going a lot like their first matchup with a narrow 49ers victory. 49ers 23, Rams 21

NFL Week 16 picks: Who the experts are taking in Rams-49ers

Not many experts are picking the Rams to beat the 49ers on Saturday night.

There’s only one path to the postseason for the Rams – and while it’s very clear, it’s also highly unlikely to happen. They need to win out and the Vikings need to lose their last two games, which begins with the Rams beating the 49ers on Saturday night.

It’s a difficult matchup against a team that they lost to 20-7 already this season, and the Rams enter as 6.5-point underdogs. The oddsmakers don’t expect them to win, and neither do many experts.

According to NFL Pick Watch, only 4% of experts are taking the Rams to win straight-up on Saturday with a whopping 96% taking San Francisco. Only the Browns (1%), Jaguars (1%), Lions (1%), Cardinals (0%) and Bears (0%) have a lower contingent of experts picking them.

The Rams have not lost to the same team twice in a season since Sean McVay took over in 2017, so that’s something they’ll try to avoid this weekend. San Francisco is coming off a loss to the Falcons in Week 15, but with a dominant ground attack and stout defense, the 49ers certainly pose a major threat to the Rams.