The 49ers will look to complete a season sweep of the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday when they host their NFC West rivals at Levi’s Stadium.
With the 49ers 3-0 in the division, victory in this battle of six-win teams would serve as a huge step towards San Francisco making the playoffs and potentially recapturing the division title.
But still beset by injuries on both sides of the ball, the 49ers are the underdogs, just as they were in Week 5 when they stunned Los Angeles on the road.
What has changed for
the red-hot Rams since then, I checked in with Evan Craig of Turf Show Times to get the latest on the Niners’ in-state foe.
1.) The Rams were stunned by the 49ers at SoFi Stadium back in Week 5, but Los Angeles has been on a tear since then. What’s been the most noticeable improvement over the last three games?
The first matchup was just a case of the Rams starting out slow and paying for it in the end. It was something I had predicted for weeks leading up to the game, and sure enough, I wound up being correct. For someone who is typically not right about a lot of things, that was enough to warrant a mini victory dance in the confines of my own home with the curtains drawn.
The game in Baltimore was more of the same in the first half, before the Rams went on a 14-0 run after halftime to defeat a bad Ravens team. In the past two wins over the Jaguars and Saints, L.A. scored first in both games, while also managing to build up a double-digit lead early. That was unusual because they’ve started slow in every game, except the one in Philly–and look how that one turned out for them. Both the Jacksonville and New Orleans wins were dominant, as the Rams had figured out how to play a complete game. Sometimes, it’s not always how you start but rather how you finish, and perhaps the Rams have finally figured that second part out.
2.) Matthew Stafford is having an outstanding season. Where does he fit in the MVP conversation for you?
First off, no one over here predicted Matthew Stafford to have the season he’s been having so far. With the way most pundits were talking about him this offseason, you’d think Stafford’s production had fallen off a cliff. It was understandable for analysts and fans to be nervous given his back injury entering the season, but there was too much doom and gloom for my liking, even if I’m not exactly the most optimistic person on the planet.
Stafford right now should be at least in the top three for MVP consideration. Jonathan Taylor is at the top of my list at the moment, with Stafford just behind him. The Colts’ loss last week didn’t do much to sway my opinion otherwise. However, Taylor is a running back, so his chances of winning MVP, even if he continues his special season, are next to zero. This is a pass-happy league after all. The NFL has been very odd this year, and I’m expecting the unexpected. We’re likely in for a weird Super Bowl (one that I pray the 49ers are far, far away from). In a year with no dominant teams and great players few and far between, this is Stafford’s best chance to make an MVP run. Why not him, right?
3. The Rams made one acquisition before the trade deadline in landing cornerback Roger McCreary. Was there anywhere else on the roster you would have liked them to address?
The McCreary move was not exciting or sexy, but it was what the Rams had to do. Cornerback was one of those positions the front office neglected in the offseason, and adding a veteran without breaking the bank to acquire him was the right move to make.
Tight end was a position that I wish had been addressed before the deadline. L.A. has gotten limited production out of its tight end room all season. It’s almost like Sean McVay and the offensive coaching staff have forgotten they exist. Well, that’s easy to do when the offense essentially runs through two guys–Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. The Saints game was the position’s best game of the year, as Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen and Colby Parkinson combined for 10 receptions for 114 yards and a score. However, those productive days are few and far between. The Rams could’ve traded any of those guys–besides Ferguson–and made a move for a slight upgrade on another team. Perhaps the team has more trust in that not-so fearsome foursome than the rest of us, but it would’ve been nice to see a splash trade, a rarity under GM Les Snead over the last few seasons.
4.) It would be fair to say Los Angeles has the edge on both sides of the ball, but the Rams’ special teams is struggling. Are the problems severe enough to be an equalizer for the 49ers in this game?
They could be, and that wouldn’t be surprising, since the special teams have been a disaster all year. Kicker Joshua Karty has missed an NFL-high eight kicks, including five field goals and three extra points. Why this guy still has a job is beyond me. It’s so bad that I’m thinking about renaming a section in my weekly Good, Bad and Ugly column “The Joshua Karty Ugly Section.” Maybe I’ll get it sponsored by the fans who have lost money on all his misses.
Anyway, Sean McVay has expressed his disappointment in L.A.’s special teams, so a change might be on the horizon. The Rams could try out various kickers to see if any of them have what it takes to give Karty the boot. Honestly, anyone with a pulse could probably do a better job than him. Karty’s already cost the Rams against the Eagles earlier this season, and will inevitably doom the team even further if he remains as the starter. Los Angeles has few flaws, but we’ve seen great teams hindered by poor special teams play to the point of losing earlier than expected in the playoffs. This problem must be resolved ASAP before Karty causes any more damage.
5.) What is your final score prediction for this game?
Since this one’s a home game for the Niners, I predict it’ll be close, a one-score game for whoever wins it. I do expect the Rams to start quicker than they did in the first matchup. Mac Jones has been great for SF, but the Rams’ defense will put more pressure on him to try and force him into a couple mistakes.
Rams 24 49ers 20
