The 49ers and Rams will face off Monday night for the first time since their NFC championship showdown in January.
Los Angeles got the better of San Francisco that night en route to a Super Bowl win. The Rams were the better team that afternoon, but are they still the better team heading into Week 4 of the 2022 campaign?
The records say yes with LA sitting at 2-1, a game ahead of the 1-2 49ers, but a couple bounces of the ball could easily see those records flipped. To get a better idea of how the Rams look this season, we sat down with the Rams Wire’s John Dillon (shoutout to the homie Cam DaSilva) and asked him some questions about this year’s club.
Niners Wire: How has Matthew Stafford looked this season?
John Dillon: Stafford has taken a step back from his outstanding 2021 campaign but is still a top-tier starter who can bring Los Angeles another championship. His moxie and gutsiness have come to define the Rams’ offense, and with emerging contributors around him, he should flourish later in the season as he adjusts to his new receiving corps. Interceptions have been an issue for Stafford early in the season, but the team has managed to find success in spite of the costly turnovers. Cooper Kupp has continued to be a rock-solid target for him, and as Stafford continues learning how to most effectively utilize the players around him, his counting stats will likely improve by midseason.
NW: Can anyone besides Aaron Donald rush the QB?
JD: The All-Pro defensive lineman is certainly the team’s top pass-rusher, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get to opposing quarterbacks. Linebacker Bobby Wagner might not be considered a “pass rusher,” but is tied for Donald for the team lead with two sacks. Interestingly, the team seems to thrive on blitzing linebackers, with four of their seven total sacks coming from the position so far in 2022. In short, Donald is the only premier sack-master, but the Rams can still make things happen in the backfield even if his threat is effectively mitigated.
NW: How’s replacing Andrew Whitworth gone?
JD: The offensive line has been okay, but not spectacular. Whitworth was an unquestionable leader for the unit, and his presence is sorely missed, though, at this juncture in the season, it is too early to tell where the line might be in January. There remains room for significant improvement, but their mediocrity early in 2022 is by no means an indication that they are incapable of making tremendous strides as Los Angeles’ schedule wears on.
NW: What kind of impact has Bobby Wagner had?
JD: He is every bit the stud he was in Seattle, and has become one of the defense’s most indispensable contributors. As stated previously, he is tied for the team lead in sacks, and currently sits in second place in tackles behind budding linebacker Ernest Jones. Wagner’s role as a mentor in the linebacking corps could set the Rams up for long-term success at the position, especially if he plays out all five years of the contract he signed in the offseason. Los Angeles would not be in first place if it weren’t for Wagner’s contributions.
NW: Give me a score prediction for Monday.
JD: This is a tough one because the Rams have played some awful games at Levi’s Stadium in recent years. Both of the Rams’ coordinators seemed confident in their comments to the media this week, with offensive coordinator Liam Coen going so far as to seem borderline dismissive of the talent that the 49ers’ have in their secondary. Obviously, San Francisco will have a slight edge playing on their home turf, but this Rams squad is ready to prove they can still hang after speculation about a Super Bowl hangover circulated following their Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills. I’ll call it 20-11 in favor of Los Angeles because primetime scorigami is the best possible outcome.
