Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Week 18 is a make-or-break game for the San Francisco 49ers. If they beat the Los Angeles Rams, they are in the playoffs. A loss, combined with a New Orleans Saints win, ends their season, and they can kiss the postseason goodbye.
The Rams haven't beaten the 49ers since 2018. San Francisco has won five straight, but no one assumes that it will become six straight on Sunday. Those last five contests mean nothing once the division rivals take the field at SoFi Stadium.
"They are an outstanding football team," linebacker
Fred Warner said of the Rams on Wednesday. "They are literally one of the best teams in the NFL right now. They're in that top-three, top-five conversation. If we don't come to play, they're going to embarrass us. That's how I'm looking at it. That's just how it is. ... Preparation has got to be at an all-time high if we want a chance to win."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan knows that his current winning streak against the Rams won't help him on Sunday. San Francisco has had to win each of those past five in various ways.
"I think it's two teams that respect each other a lot," Shanahan said on Wednesday. "We go hard. I would guess we've won the turnover battle the majority of the times, but each one is kind of its own game. And so I never really tied those together when we went into it, and especially being this one right now, it really has no bearing on what's happened in the past. It's all about these four quarters."
This time, the 49ers are at a disadvantage, though. They lack healthy defensive backs. That's bad news as the team prepares to face a potential offensive juggernaut. San Francisco added six players to the reserve/COVID-19 list this week, including four cornerbacks and a safety. Those defensive backs are Dontae Johnson,
Deommodore Lenoir,
Ambry Thomas, Jimmie Ward, and K'Waun Williams.
How bad is the situation? Josh Norman is the lone available cornerback on the active roster. The 49ers opened the practice window for Emmanuel Moseley, but he remains on injured reserve.
"Any time we don't have some key players, especially some of the guys who are out right now, that's going to [mean] a next-man-up mentality," Warner said. "The guys who were below them, they now have to step up, and take those reps, and be ready to go if those guys are not available for us come Sunday.
"That's just the times we're living in. It could have happened at any time this year. Unfortunately, these last couple of weeks, we've had some guys go on the list. I know the rules are different now with how long they've got to be out and stuff, but, at the same time, guys have got to be ready no matter what, regardless if it's COVID or injury or anything."
The San Francisco 49ers are in good shape for 2024 when it comes to the wide receiver position. What that room looks like after this coming season remains to be seen. Most believe the 49ers will give Brandon Aiyuk a new contract around the start of training camp. But there are no guarantees. As it was reported on Friday, Aiyuk unfollowed the 49ers on Instagram, much like Deebo Samuel did two years ago.
It seems to be how modern-day players negotiate. It's not necessarily anything to be concerned about, but you never truly know how these things will end. There is still potential that the 49ers could trade the star receiver in the next couple of weeks.
If Aiyuk is extended, it
According to Sports Illustrated contributor Noah Strackbein, who writes for "All Steelers" on the network, there's a level of confidence within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization that they can strike a deal for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk—and at a bargain rate.
"According to a team source, the Steelers and 49ers trade talks are real," Strackbein wrote. "While nothing is imminent, they 'would be surprised if it didn't happen.' But it all comes down to compensation, and Pittsburgh isn't willing to budge much on price."
While it seems unlikely that the 49ers would part ways with Aiyuk for anything less than a first-round draft
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
