While the Los Angeles Rams are surging, having won four of their last five contests to move to within one game of first place in the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers are in shambles.
The 49ers are 5-5 just like the Rams, but the feeling around the team is entirely different.
San Francisco just suffered a horrendous Week 11 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks, and it's becoming more and more difficult for the Niners to defend their NFC title.
49ers legend Jerry Rice is not happy with what he is seeing and is expecting the team to dig deep.
"We need everybody to man up now," Rice said on 95.7 The Game. "Our backs are against the wall, and we can't lose any more ball games. We've got to go. We've got to somehow find a way to get that momentum going where we start winning football games, we're building confidence, and then hopefully, towards the end, we have something left to try to get into the playoffs, and maybe get back to the Super Bowl."
Everyone assumed San Francisco would be in the Super Bowl conversation again heading into 2024, and who could blame them?
After all, the Niners boasted arguably the best roster in the NFL, as they are loaded with Pro Bowlers on both sides of the ball.
However, the 49ers were hit with a rash of injuries early on, and they have yet to recover.
Yes, losing wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the season hurts, and running back Christian McCaffrey is still finding his sea legs after missing the first eight games with an Achilles issue. Heck, now, quarterback Brock Purdy has shoulder soreness.
But no one is going to feel sorry for San Francisco, which is now finding itself in a dogfight in an incredibly tight NFC West race where not one team is below .500.
Somehow, the Arizona Cardinals have surged into first place at 6-4, so the division is still very winnable. But whether it's underwhelming performance or sideline altercations, the Niners have not really shown many signs of breaking out of this slump.
Things aren't about to get any easier for the 49ers, either, as they will head on the road to face the Green Bay Packers this Sunday.
The Rams—who beat San Francisco in Los Angeles earlier in the year—will see the Niners again in the Bay on Dec. 12.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as 49ers Legend Calls Out Rams' Bitter NFC West Rival.