NFC Championship Injury Review: The Rams, the Chiefs and the absentees
On Sunday the Rams will face off against the 49ers with a place in the Super Bowl on the line. With injury concerns on both sides, however, who wins it all?
After taking out the heavily favored Green Bay Packers, the 49ers head into the NFC Championship game somewhat battered and bruised, but so to do their feisty opponents the Los Angeles Rams
Garoppolo good to go, but what about the rest?
If there is one positive that the 49ers can take from the midweek training session it's that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is getting healthier. Garoppolo had previously been suffering with both a shoulder and thumb injury, however according to reports he was actually removed from the injury report and it is now the hope that he will face the Rams on Sunday. Unfortunately there is also the question of San Francisco's offensive tackle Trent Williams. Completely absent from Wednesday's training session, Williams is still fighting to recover from an ankle injury which he sustained during last weekend's game, however, it is understood that things look good.
Indeed 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is hopeful that Williams will be able to play in his first NFC Championship Game. "In Trent's mind, there's no way he is not playing," Shanahan said. "That's why he was so crushed last game because he believed he would and his body wouldn't let him. So hopefully we'll have some better luck this game. But I know he believes he's playing and so do I, so we'll see how that pans out as the week goes. If he can, he will." In addition to Williams there was also running back Elijah Mitchell - out with a knee problem - and cornerback Ambry Thomas (knee) who along with running back Jeff Wilson Jr. (knee) were both limited participants during practice.
The Rams are in no better shape
Los Angeles head to the big game on Sunday with an injury report that as of Wednesday is a rough approximation of the situation they face. In fact the team actually opted for a walk through as opposed to regular training due to the status of a number of players. Offensive tackle Joe Noteboom (pec), receiver Van Jefferson (knee) and defensive lineman Greg Gaines (toe) were all absent from the midweek session as the team prepares to face San Francisco.
Rams head coach Sean McVay also addressed the availability of veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee), saying that he is currently on the path to availability for Sunday's game, though he was forced to sit out last weekend's famous victory. As of Wednesday, Whitworth was listed as limited. The veteran joins running back Buddy Howell who is battling a hamstring and of course the indispensible safety, Taylor Rapp. For his part Rapp is seen as hopeful, though he still sits in the league's concussion protocols. Whatever the case concerning who's in and who's out, the Rams will take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, January 30th at 6:40 p.m. ET.