The road to the NFL playoffs goes through San Francisco for the Los Angeles Rams. The bitter NFC rivals square off on Thursday Night Football. If the Rams win their playoff chances will improve to around 50 percent. If they lose those odds drop to 25 percent, irrespective of what happens around the rest of the division and league this weekend.
49ers Getting Slightly Healthier Ahead Of TNF Vs Los Angeles Rams
And while the 49ers have a worse record and a severely injured starting lineup, they will get some reinforcement on both sides of the ball. It was reported this afternoon that they would activate linebacker Dre Greenlaw for the first time this season, the initially listed as questionable Nick Bosa and rookie running back Issac Guerendo are both now expected to play.
Bosa is by far the 49ers’ best pass rusher, so getting him back is an instant upgrade to the whole unit after missing him for the last three games. They were only able to muster a paltry average of 10 pressures per game in that time. When healthy Bosa has averaged five pressures a game on his own.
With Greenlaw, the benefit to the 49ers’ defense will be mitigated as he will be kept on a snap limit, but he will undoubtedly help in stopping the Rams’ formidable running backs, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
On offense, San Francisco’s running back room had grown bare after losing both Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason recently. But Guerendo has proved to have significant upside, with his sub-4.4 second 40-yard time. While he still has plenty of growth, head coach Kyle Shanahan has plenty of experience unleashing speedy lesser-known running backs in his offense.
The Rams have struggled against strong and consistent rushing teams, posting the 27th-ranked EPA per play against the run this season.