#nfc-west

#nfc-west

The script is familiar. Fourth quarter or overtime. Rams trail or are tied. On comes Matthew Stafford. The veteran quarterback is the master of comebacks. And he appeared to be on the verge of doing it again on Thursday night against the rival San Francisco 49ers. But the 49ers stopped running back Kyren Williams on a fourth-and-one play at the 49ers' 11-yard line,

He will have the misfortune of having to take on the Minnesota Vikings in London, but at least that is expected to be a neutral-site game, even if the NFL schedule lists Cleveland as the home team. Gabriel is not going to come out there and light the world on fire. But it will be interesting to see how he performs against one of the best-coached defenses in the NFL.

Both teams have playoff aspirations for 2025, but it is the Rams who look much better place to contend to go all the way, with terrible injury luck continuing to severely hamper the 49ers as it did during the 2024 season, when they slumped to a 6-11 record after going within a play of winning the Super Bowl in the prior campaign.

Rams coach Sean McVay jokingly blames his grandfather for creating 49ers fans everywhere. The Rams could see another large contingent of visiting 49ers fans at SoFi Stadium for their NFC West showdown on Thursday night. Both teams enter at 3-1, with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy's status uncertain because of a toe injury.