As exciting as the Rams’ 17-point win over the Seahawks was in Week 1, they’re already onto their next challenge: the 49ers. San Francisco has won eight straight regular-season games against the Rams and comes into this game as a 7.5-point favorite.
The odds are stacked against Los Angeles in this divisional matchup, especially with Cooper Kupp still out. If the Rams can pull off the upset, it’ll be a massive statement to the rest of the NFL.
Buy Rams TicketsThat won’t be easy, and here are the five biggest concerns heading into Sunday’s matchup at SoFi Stadium.
1
Protecting Matthew Stafford against 49ers’ defensive line
The 49ers’ pass rush is significantly better than what the Rams faced in Seattle last week. Nick Bosa leads the way for San Francisco as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and he poses a lot of problems, as he always has for the Rams. He has 6.5 sacks in his last five games against the Rams, including five in his last three games against them.
Los Angeles kept Stafford clean and upright last week but that’ll be a much tougher task on Sunday against a 49ers front that ranks among the best in the NFL.
2
Slowing down Christian McCaffrey
In three career games against the 49ers, McCaffrey has 291 yards rushing, 225 yards receiving and four total touchdowns. So, yeah, he’s had some success against Los Angeles in the past.
And oh, by the way, he just had 152 yards and a touchdown in the first game of the season against Pittsburgh, picking up right where he left off last year. McCaffrey is one of the toughest players to get on the ground and the Rams don’t exactly have the playmakers on defense to match up with him. A lot will fall on Ernest Jones and the Rams’ safeties, especially in coverage.
3
Tackling Deebo Samuel
Samuel has been a thorn in the Rams’ side the last three years, racking up 506 yards receiving in his last five regular-season games against Los Angeles with three touchdown catches and another 77 yards rushing with two more touchdowns on the ground. He also had 98 total yards and a touchdown in the NFC title game a couple of years ago, too.
Whether it’s as a receiver or runner, Samuel is a handful for any defense to defend, especially one as inexperienced as the Rams’. Many of the players on L.A.’s defense have never faced Samuel before so that’ll be a challenge.
4
Creating turnovers and extra possessions
The Rams most likely won’t be able to go blow for blow with the 49ers. They can’t just trade possessions and expect to win that way because the 49ers are the more talented team. What Los Angeles needs to do is create turnovers and extra possessions for the offense.
That’s easier said than done against a quarterback like Brock Purdy, who only has four career interceptions in nine starts, including the postseason. He’s an accurate passer who doesn’t take many risks, but if the Rams can create a turnover or two, it’ll help them significantly in this game.
5
Running the ball efficiently
Los Angeles ran it 40 times last week but only gained a total of 92 yards on the ground, 11 of which were by Matthew Stafford. Kyren Williams looked good with two touchdowns and 52 yards, but even his 3.5 yards per carry was underwhelming. Cam Akers’ 1.3 yards per rush was even worse.
It was good to see some balance from the Rams last week but if they’re as inefficient as they were in the opener, Sean McVay is likely to abandon it and put the ball in Stafford’s hands. The Rams just won’t have the chance to stick with the run if it isn’t working against the 49ers this weekend.
