The San Francisco 49ers are back in action on Sunday, taking on the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium, with much at stake in the NFC West.
Earlier this season, the 49ers had a big upset over the Rams back
in Week 5, winning 26-23 in an overtime game despite dealing with a flurry of injuries. Several weeks later, San Francisco’s injury situation has gotten worse, but the team is 6-3 and still fighting for the top spot in the NFC West.
They’ll face a Rams team that stands atop the NFC West at 6-2, coming off three straight wins over the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the New Orleans Saints. All three of those victories have come by at least 14 points, with Los Angeles eclipsing the 30-point mark in the last two.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP-caliber level, throwing for 2,147 yards, 21 touchdowns, and two interceptions. Back in Week 5, he had 389 yards and three touchdowns in an efficient performance, but the Rams lost when they took it out of his hands on a crucial fourth down.
Don’t lose the turnover battle
Stafford has been very efficient and protective of the football, throwing only two interceptions this season. But, he does have three fumbles.
Looking back at Week 5, the 49ers won the turnover battle by forcing a pair of fumbles, including a crucial goal-line stop of Kyren Williams late in the fourth quarter.
In that game, the 49ers were ultra protective of the ball, taking advantage of Los Angeles’s softer zones with a ton of underneath passing. That got the ball out of Mac Jones’s hands early and out of harms way.
San Francisco can’t afford to lose opportunities in a game like this. They won the turnover battle by two in Week 5 and still only won by three in overtime with a great performance from Stafford.
Third downs
When the 49ers are winning, third downs have been their money down this year.
They still rank No. 3 in the NFL on third down conversions, hitting at over a 47 percent clip this season. The Rams, meanwhile, are middle-of-the-pack at No. 15, converting about 39.5 percent of their third downs. That number drops to only 33.3 percent on the road.
However, the Rams are the No. 2 third down defense in the NFL, allowing opponents to convert at only a 33.03 percent rate. Interestingly, San Francisco is middle-of-the-pack defensively, ranking No. 18 as opponents convert 39.25 percent of their third downs.
Something’s got to give on either side. And it could provide to be a key determining factor on Sunday when it comes to sustaining drives and controlling the pace of the game.
Tackle well
The 49ers are at a disadvantage up front with their recent injuries. They’ll need to find a way to generate pressure on Matthew Stafford or it could be a rough day defensively.
One way to mitigate the damage? Tackling well. The Rams had 456 yards of offense in the first matchup between the two sides, with Stafford throwing for 389 yards. The hope on Sunday for San Francisco is to limit the plays over the top and rally to the ball underneath.
That requires tackling well as Stafford gets the ball out quickly. If the 49ers are sloppy defensively, Los Angeles’s offense could really get going, as it has over the last two weeks. That’d be a problem, as San Francisco’s offense is more built to play with the lead, rather than from behind.
