Anthony Davis likely cleared to play

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.

If you're like me, you're ready for the quarterback drama to stop. Not even an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo's throwing hand, which requires surgery this off-season is putting a stop to the chatter. If the 49ers still had backups like CJ Beathard or Nick Mullens, maybe a less than 100% Jimmy Garoppolo would be the better choice going in to a must-win game. But that's not the case. Rookie quarterback Trey Lance showed enough in the second half last week against Houston to instill confidence in him going forward. Here you have orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nirav Pandya talking about Garoppolo's injury on 95.7 The

"Jimmy just looks like Jimmy to me—same confidence, same throws, same balls, same energy, same everything," San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel told reporters on Thursday. "I don't think he took a step backwards ... It doesn't look like to me that his thumb hurts and he's out there doing a good job this week." Samuel was speaking of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who is working hard to play in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams. He is recovering from a torn ligament and chipped bone in his right thumb, but has thrown during practices on Wednesday and Thursday. The fact that Garoppolo is fighting his way toward a possible

Trent Williams did not practice on Wednesday. His San Francisco 49ers are preparing to play the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys on Sunday during the opening round of the playoffs. Williams did not play during the 49ers' regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams. An elbow injury kept him sidelined. Colton McKivitz started at left tackle in Williams' place. According to one report, Williams has no intention of missing another game. ESPN's Ed Werder spoke to the veteran offensive lineman and said Williams made it clear that he intends to play this weekend against the Cowboys. "He made it clear he intends to play Sunday against the Cowboys, believing a brace and adrenaline will offset any remaining issues with the elbow," wrote