Photo credit: ninersnation.com

By: Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco 49ers are looking to rebuild. The Los Angeles Rams are just looking to keep building.

The 49ers will look to make a positive imprint going forward into the 2019 season, like they did toward the end of last season. They will go down to Los Angeles to face the playoff-bound Rams on Sunday for their final game of the 2018 year.

One of the differences here is that the anointed quarterback of the future in on the bench while nursing a significant knee injury.

The other difference is that the Rams have something to play for this time around, as opposed to the season finale of 2017, when their playoff spot was set in stone with nowhere to go. With a win Sunday, the Rams can clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye.

For that reason, the Rams are all but assured to play most of – if not all – their starters to ensure that all-important No. 2 spot. The New Orleans Saints locked up the No. 1 seed in the conference and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with their win over Pittsburgh last Sunday.

The 49ers, on the other hand, currently sit with a 4-11 record and have secured their fourth straight losing season, one that started with a load of promise and optimism but has since been riddled with injuries at every key position.

The good news is that Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be back in action by the time training camp starts next July, and they have two quarterbacks in Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard that have playing experience and are expected to have a heated battle to be Garoppolo’s backup.