As the regular season concludes, Sunday's match between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams holds little significance for both teams. While 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has yet to unveil his lineup plans for the Week 18 contest (although, that may be coming this afternoon), Rams head coach Sean McVay has finalized a decision concerning his quarterback position.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Rams are set to start Carson Wentz as quarterback this weekend, providing starter Matthew Stafford with some rest ahead of the playoffs.
The #Rams will start Carson Wentz at QB Sunday against the #49ers, sources say. Sean McVay gives Matthew Stafford a breather before the postseason while Wentz gets his first start in just over a calendar year. pic.twitter.com/iaVM2xJFI8
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 3, 2024
The key difference between the two playoff-bound teams is that the 49ers will not have to play in the Wild Card Round of postseason action. The team has clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed and home-field advantage, diminishing the significance of Sunday's contest. While San Francisco has nothing to lose regarding the playoff standings, Los Angeles will either finish as the No. 6 or No. 7 seed, depending on the outcome of Sunday's game.
Shanahan may opt to field some of his starters, at least for a portion of the game, aiming to avoid rust as they head into the playoffs.
The clash between the 49ers and Rams is scheduled for Sunday, January 7, kicking off at 1:25 p.m. PT at Levi's Stadium.