Three Keys to a 49ers Victory Against the Rams
After taking care of business in Pittsburgh, the 49ers travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams, whom they have beaten in their last eight regular-season matchups.
Multiple players impressed during the 49ers' dominant victory this past weekend. Brock Purdy looked like he hadn't lost a step despite coming off a significant injury, Brandon Aiyuk looked like a true No. 1 receiver, and the defense was lights out.
With San Francisco now 1-0 heading to SoFi Stadium, here are three keys to victory over Sean McVay and the Rams.
Pressure Matthew Stafford
One of the main reasons the 49ers were able to neutralize the Steelers' offense on Sunday was their relentless pressure on Kenny Pickett. With Nick Bosa back with the team, the addition of Javon Hargrave, and the ascension of Drake Jackson, the Niners can have one of the most dominant pass-rushing groups in the NFL.
Last season, there wasn't another player that provided a significant number of sacks besides Nick Bosa's league-leading 18.5. The player with the second most sacks the previous season was Samson Ebukam with just five. Second-year edge rusher Drake Jackson just accumulated three sacks in Pittsburgh alone, which indicates the Niners could have a more balanced pass rush this year.
They could neutralize the Rams' offense if the defensive line can take Matthew Stafford out of his element by pressuring him with four-man rushes. Stafford has shown he can perform well against the blitz, but if the defensive front can do its job without needing to send the extra rusher, then Stafford could be in for a long day.
Due to injury, Los Angeles is starting the season without its star playmaker Cooper Kupp. Although Kupp will be out this Sunday, the Rams were still able to put up 30 points against the Seahawks, and Stafford looked impressive during the contest.
If Nick Bosa and company can make Stafford feel their pressure and make him even a little uncomfortable, they could take McVay's entire offense's heart out of the game.
Limit Penalties
One area where the 49ers struggled on Sunday was self-inflicted wounds. The 49ers surrendered 85 yards to the Steelers due to their 11 penalties. Luckily, they were able to make Kenny Pickett a non-factor, and the defense was able to dominate all around. However, San Francisco will be facing a much better quarterback and one of the most savvy offensive minds in Sean McVay.
The only score for Pittsburgh came near the end of the first half, in which Deommodore Lenoir committed two penalties on the same drive, which handed the Steelers the opportunity to put points on the board.
If San Francisco continues to give opposing teams free yards, it will be asking a lot more of Brock Purdy and an offense that already does so much on a week-to-week basis. Kyle Shanahan usually has his team ready for the Rams, and they have defeated them eight straight times in the regular season. Against a team they have figured out, it would be disappointing if the worst enemy the Niners have to go up against on Sunday is themselves.
The Right Side of the Offensive Line
The dominant side of the offensive line in San Francisco is the left side with Trent Williams and Aaron Banks. The right side of the line is the one that is always more in question.
With Colton McKivitz now starting at right tackle due to the departure of Mike McGlinchey in free agency, there is a little bit of concern. McKivitz has had stretches when he looks decent and others when he seems like a turnstile. This past week, the line had to deal with T.J. Watt, and now, it gets to deal with Aaron Donald.
Starting right guard Spencer Burford didn't look his best on Sunday against Pittsburgh. Luckily for the 49ers offense, it found success by nearly running the ball only on the left side all game with Christian McCaffrey, who led all running backs in rushing yards in Week 1.
Donald will likely attack both McKivitz and Burford the entire game. If they can do well enough on the right side of the line, the offense should be fine, considering they regularly score 30 points with Brock Purdy under center. The last thing the 49ers need is one or two players on the line disrupting the timing and execution of their offense against their familiar divisional opponent.
Purdy has shown a remarkable ability to escape a sack and maneuver around and out of the pocket to make plays. Still, Shanahan's offense is designed to surgically pick apart opposing defenses with timing and rhythm.
If San Francisco can hit on even most of these keys, they should soundly cruise into a 2-0 to the season.
