49ers vs. Rams live score, updates, highlights from NFL Week 18 game

The Rams have already clinched the NFC West title and a playoff berth heading into Week 18. Year one of the Matthew Stafford era in Los Angeles went pretty well, as Stafford has completed a career-high 67.3 percent of his passes this season and his 38 touchdowns are the second-most of his career.

But there’s one hurdle the Rams have struggled to get over in recent history, regardless of if it’s been Stafford or his predecessor Jared Goff under center. Sean McVay’s squad has struggled mightily against the 49ers recently, which bodes well for San Francisco.

Dating back to Oct. 2019, the 49ers have won five in a row against the Rams, but this week’s contest is among the most important meetings as the 49ers need to win to make the playoffs, which they haven’t done since 2019 when they made it to the Super Bowl.

MORE: Complete NFL playoff picture for Week 18 of NFL season

San Francisco is expected to start Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback after he missed last week recovering from a torn ligament in his thumb while the Rams come in fully healthy, with no players receiving injury designations on the team’s final injury report on Friday.

So far this season, San Francisco has ranked 13th in scoring offense and 10th in total offense to go along with 12th in scoring defense and fourth in total defense. That means it’ll be a strength-on-strength matchup, with the Rams ranking ninth in scoring offense and sixth in total offense.

MORE: How Cooper Kupp can break NFL’s receiving yards record

Much of the Rams’ total offensive output has been because of wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who needs 146 receiving yards to break Calvin Johnson’s single-season record back in 2012. Kupp has had 146 or more yards in a game just twice, with the last time coming October.

Sporting News is tracking the live score, updates and highlights from this pivotal NFC West showdown in the final week of the season. Follow below for more coverage throughout.

MORE: Watch 49ers vs. Rams live with fuboTV (free trial)

49ers vs. Rams score

49ers vs. Rams live updates, highlights from Week 18

5:21 p.m.: On second-and-11, Stafford hits Kupp for 8 yards to bring up third-and-3 from the LA 28 and the Rams convert as Stafford hits Odell Beckham Jr. for 5 yards with the two minute warning upcoming

5:17 p.m.: INTERCEPTION RAMS. The 49ers’ momentum comes to a screeching halt as Garoppolo is hit as he throws and heaves it up only for it to be interecepted. The Rams take back over at their own 21.

5:16 p.m.: San Francisco seems to have found a little bit of a rhythm here in the second quarter. Two straight completions gives the 49ers a first down and an Elijah Mitchell run for 13 yards puts the 49ers exactly at midfield.

5:09 p.m: TOUCHDOWN RAMS. The Rams capitalize on excellent field position as Stafford finds Higbee in the end zone again, this time on third-and-6 from 15 yards out. Rams 17, 49ers 0 with 6:44 left on a three play, 19-yard drive that took just 1:30 off the clock.

5:07 p.m.: Three straight tackles for loss for the Rams’ defense. On fourth-and-28 from their own 7, the 49ers punt it away. The Rams will take over in excellent field position at the San Francisco 19.

5:05 p.m.: Garoppolo is sacked on first-and-10 following the touchdown and the ball comes out as San Francisco recovers. Second-and-24 on their own 11 now for the 49ers and he’s sacked again for a loss of 3.

5:01 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN RAMS. Stafford hits a wide open Higbee running through the back of the end zone as he leaps and brings it down. Decision to go for it on fourth down pays off. Rams 10, 49ers 0 with 10:26 left in the first half.

4:59 p.m.: On third-and-8, Stafford hits Kupp for 7 yards to make it fourth-and-1 from the San Francisco 2 as Sean McVay keeps the offense on the field but not before he calls a timeout.

4:56 p.m.: Stafford hits Van Jefferson for 7 yards but the Rams move all the way up to the 11 on an unnecessary roughness call against San Francisco. 

4:56 p.m.: Stafford hits tight end Tyler Higbee for 9 yards to bring up third-and-2 but Higbee comes up limping.

4:54 p.m.: After a 5-yard loss to open the second quarter, Cooper Kupp negates that as he picks up 16 on second down. Now first-and-10 from the San Francisco 37 for the Rams.

End first quarter: Rams 3, 49ers 0

4:51 p.m.: It’ll be first-and-10 from the San Francisco 48 when the second quarter starts.

4:50 p.m.: LA’s success on third down continues. The Rams are 4-for-5 now on third down as Kupp hauls in a pass for 7 yards on third-and-4 as the first quarter draws to a close.

4:48 p.m.: Stafford under pressure but gets the ball away to Sony Michel for 6 yards out of the backfield. Now second-and-4 from the LA 45 for the Rams as they near midfield.

4:43 p.m.: On third-and-8 from their own 28, Garoppolo tries to find the receiver, but underthrows it. The Niners will now punt it away. The Rams return it to their own 39, where they’ll take over.

4:42 p.m.: Garoppolo fires and hits Trent Sherfield for 13 yards on third-and-5. The Niners convert early. Now first-and-10 from the San Francisco 26.

4:40 p.m.: San Francisco starts its opening drive at its own 18 following a penalty against them on the kickoff return.

4:37 p.m.: FIELD GOAL RAMS. Matt Gay splits the uprights from 43 yards out and LA’s first drive of the game results in points. Rams 3, 49ers 0 with 6:07 left in the first after a 13-play, 62-yard drive for Sean McVay’s squad.

4:36 p.m.: Whatever the Rams dialed up in the timeout doesn’t work as Stafford is quickly swallowed up for the sack and dropped for a big loss. Now fourth-and-16 with a 43-yard field goal upcoming.

4:35 p.m.: The Rams take a timeout on third-and-6 from the San Francisco 14 with 6:52 left in the first. LA is three-for-three on third down so far this first drive.

4:33 p.m.: Sony Michel has been the go-to back here early on despite Cam Akers being active. He gets the Rams to second-and-6 from the San Francisco 15 but only picks up 1. Third down upcoming.

4:30 p.m.: Could be another big game for Cooper Kupp as Stafford hits him for 46 yards on third-and-9 to put LA at the San Francisco 29 and nearing the red zone.

4:28 p.m.: Stafford finds Odell Beckham for 14 and the first down. Now first-and-10 from the 24 for the Rams.

4:27 p.m.: On second-and-8 from the 15, Matt Stafford gets hit for a false start. Now second-and-13 from the 10.

4:26 p.m.: The 49ers win the toss and defer. They’ll kick it away to start as Los Angeles takes over at its own 13 to begin the game.

49ers vs. Rams start time

• Date: Sunday, Jan. 9
• Kickoff: 4:25 EST, 1:25 PST

49ers vs. Rams is scheduled to start at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday. This is America’s Game of the Week, meaning anyone without a local late game on Fox will get this one.

What channel is 49ers vs. Rams on today?

• TV channel (national): Fox
• TV channel (San Francisco): KTVU
• TV channel (Los Angeles): KTTV
• Live Stream: Fox Sports Go, fuboTV

49ers vs. Rams will be broadcast regionally on local Fox affiliate channels in Week 18. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are on the call for Fox, while Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi handle sideline duties. Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino will pick up Fox’s rules analysis, with Fox’s other late games.

You can find the 49ers’ away broadcast on SiriusXM channel 380, while the Rams’ home broadcast airs on channel 227.

In Canada, viewers can watch 49ers vs. Rams with a subscription to DAZN, which includes every NFL game.

San Francisco 49ers schedule 2021

Los Angeles Rams schedule 2021