49ers Return to Form in 24-16 Week 6 Win Against Rams
The REAL San Francisco 49ers showed up tonight.
This was the game that looked natural to see for the 49ers in their 24-16 win against the Los Angeles Rams.
It took five games for this team to revert back to its true identity, but it is safe to say that they finally looked like the team that dominated the opposition throughout 2019.
They ran the football, used trickery and spread the ball around. They played clutch coverage, held firm against the run and got the necessary stops.
Complementary football was the name of the game.
Best part of Sunday night's win was head coach Kyle Shanahan finally calling horizontal plays (jet sweeps, swing passes, etc.) and getting in his bag for the entirety of the game. There weren't more than a few play calls that had me scratching my head thinking, "What are you doing Kyle!?" There wasn't a question of why he wasn't running the ball more.
Just think back to Week 4 against the Eagles where he dialed up three consecutive pass plays to start the game. That is not the 49ers' identity. Shanahan needs to stick with with what is optimal for his offense. If Shanahan can continue to be true to what his offense really is, which is committing to the run and trickery, then the 49ers will always be in a good position offensively.
They'll especially be in a good position if Jimmy Garoppolo builds off his performance.
Garoppolo was under the microscope throughout the buildup of Week 6 and rightfully so. He has not looked anywhere remotely good. Let's be honest, Garoppolo has looked atrocious this season and his performance against the Rams is just the game he needed to get in rhythm.
The 49ers desperately needed Garoppolo to get in rhythm Sunday night as Week 6 marked the first of five difficult games that the 49ers have in the next five weeks. Garoppolo cannot be a crutch or a liability to the 49ers. If he can keep the offense clicking, and even elevate them on some drives, then the 49ers will be well within the playoff picture.
