NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Kliff Kingsbury, Rams, Cam Akers

49ers

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports QB Jimmy Garoppolo also has a sprained shoulder along with his sprained thumb, but he will still play vs. Green Bay.
• 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans hopes DE Nick Bosa will play Saturday: “Nick, he’s come along well and going through the (concussion) protocol. Hopefully he’ll be fine by the end of the week. We definitely need him out there.” (Cam Inman)

Cardinals

Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury reflected on the team’s playoff loss to the Rams.

“But the last couple, for whatever reasons, we haven’t been as sharp,” Kingsbury said, via AZCardinals.com. “That’s something I have to continue to evaluate and figure out what we need to do, whether it’s practice structure or different things of that nature because we have to be better. This league is about closing strong and building momentum going into the playoffs and unfortunately, we didn’t do that.”

• Albert Breer of SI writes his sense is things have calmed down inside the building for the Cardinals and Kingsbury isn’t in danger of being let go. 
• Breer adds if Kingsbury is going into a critical fourth season with his future up in the air, it would make sense for Arizona to also pause negotiations with QB Kyler Murray, who’s eligible for an extension this offseason. 

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay was extremely impressed by RB Cam Akers‘ performance just five months after an Achilles injury.

“It’s unbelievable. And, really, I don’t think the stats tell the story for how good he looked, leveling some runs off,” McVay said, via Pro Football Talk. “He got a couple big time runs called back. . . . I thought Cam was outstanding. He did a great job. And he’s only getting more and more confident. And you know what I love the most about him is what a confident, secure individual he is.”