49ers vs. Rams: A prospector’s guide

The San Francisco 49ers play their final road game of the season in Week 16, as the travel down the coast to face the Los Angeles Rams. The game will air on FOX at 1:25 p.m. PT, and the broadcast team will include Chris Myers, Ronde Barber in the booth, and Jennifer Hale on the sideline.

This is the 49ers first road game at the LA Coliseum since suffering a 12-6 loss to the then Los Angeles Raiders in 1994. The last time they faced the Rams in Southern California was a 34-19 49ers win in Anaheim. The last time the 49ers and Rams met in the Coliseum was a 27-24 49ers win in 1979. There’s plenty of bad history at the Coliseum, with the 49ers 9-20-1 all-time against the Rams at the Coliseum.

The 49ers enter this game sitting 1-13, and continuing to tumble further and further. Just when you think it won’t get any worse, it does. The 49ers went into Atlanta and were spanked by the Falcons. Atlanta jumped out to a 21-0 lead and cruised to victory. The 49ers have two games left, but that felt like the final nail in the coffin. The Rams and Seahawks games just feel like some kind of leftover whatever to get us through to January.

The 49ers face a Rams team that is having their own issues. They re 4-10, and fired head coach Jeff Fisher. Special teams coach John Fassel is serving as interim coach and has a 24-3 loss to the Seahawks under his belt. The Rams should have Jared Goff (concussion) back after he practiced in full on Tuesday. He will get his opportunities, but the Rams have to find a new coach, and who knows what he will think of Goff. It raises plenty of questions as the Rams pursue a new head coach.

The 49ers are a 3.5-point underdog, and really, either team could win this game and it would not surprise me. The most appropriate result would this be a tie. I don’t expect it, but maybe we can see a repeat of 2012. The 49ers and Rams tied in one game, and then almost tied in the second game. These teams are bad enough that neither deserves a win in this game.

Matchups: 134
Series Record: 49ers lead series 67-64-3
49ers Away Record vs. Rams: 49ers lead series 33-32-1
First Meeting: 10/1/50, Rams win 35-14, at SF
Last Meeting: 9/12/16, 49ers win 28-0, at SF
Current Streak: Won 2
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 17 (12/17/90 – 12/27/98)
Longest Rams Win Streak: 10 (11/29/70 – 9/28/75)
Most 49ers Points: 48 (12/27/87): 49ers win 48-0, at SF
Most Rams Points: 56 (11/9/58): Rams win 56-7, at LA
49ers Shutouts: 9 (Last 9/12/16), 49ers win 28-0, at SF
Rams Shutouts: None

S ANTOINE BETHEA

• Registered 7 tackles and his first sack as a member of the 49ers, bringing down Rams QB Austin Davis at StL (10/13/14).
• Recorded 10 tackles, 1 INT and 2 PDs vs. StL (11/2/14).

CB TRAMAINE BROCK

• Late in the 4th qtr. vs. StL (11/11/12), stripped the ball from Rams RB Isaiah Pead on a kickoff return, marking his first-career FF. The loose ball was scooped up by S Darcel McBath. On the ensuing play, RB Frank Gore scored on a 20-yd. TD run.

LB AHMAD BROOKS

• Recorded 1.5 sacks and tied for a team-high 9 tackles at StL (9/26/13).
• Brought down Rams QB Austin Davis for 2.0 sacks at StL (10/13/14).

DL GLENN DORSEY

• Registered 8 tackles and 1 sack for 6 yards at StL (9/26/13).
• Recorded career-highs in tackles (13) and solo tackles (8) vs. StL (12/1/13).

RB CARLOS HYDE

• Rushed for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23 carries vs. LA (9/12/16). It marked his fourth and fifth career rushing touchdowns on opening day and his second career 2 TD game (9/14/15 vs. Min.).

CB DONTAE JOHNSON

• Recorded his first career INT and first career TD, intercepting a Rams QB Austin Davis pass and taking it 20 yards to the end zone at StL (10/13/14).

QB COLIN KAEPERNICK

• Completed 21 of 32 pass attempts for 208 yards and rushed for 84 yards on 9 carries at StL (12/02/12).
• Recorded a passer rating of 111.5 by completing 19 of 28 pass attempts for 275 yards and 1 TD vs. StL (12/1/13).
• Recorded season-highs of 343 passing yards and 3 touchdowns at StL (10/13/14).

WR TORREY SMITH

• Making his first career NFL start as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, recorded 5 receptions for a game-high 152 yards and 3 touchdowns at StL (9/25/11). His first 3 receptions all went for touchdowns (74, 41 and 18 yards) as he became the first rookie in NFL history to record 3 TD receptions in a 1st qtr.