Why the 49ers will Upset the Rams
Forget the 49ers who won't play Sunday. Focus on the ones who will play.
Sure, the 49ers won't have Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle or Jimmy Garoppolo. But they will have Trent Williams, Jeff Wilson Jr., Richard Sherman, Deebo Samuel and Raheem Mostert. And they should be enough to beat the Los Angeles Rams -- particularly Samuel and Mostert.
Here's why.
The main question about the 2020 49ers is their run game. It's the foundation of the offense and it has been uncharacteristically subpar this season.
No one questions the 49ers defense. We know it's good. We know defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has Rams head coach Sean McVay's number and can shut down his scheme. And with an extra eight days to rest and prepare, we know the 49ers will have an excellent defensive game plan and their players will play extremely fast and violently.
And I don't question 49ers backup quarterback Nick Mullens. I know he isn't good enough to beat the Rams on his own -- he needs a run game. So does Jimmy Garoppolo. So do most quarterbacks. If the 49ers can't run the ball, Mullens will turn it over and they will lose.
But Mostert and Samuel give the 49ers a run game -- they're the two best runners on the team. Mostert averages 6 yards per carry for his career, and Samuel, a wide receiver, averages 8.7 yards per carry. When they're on the field together, the run game is so tough to stop, and the 49ers are so tough to beat.
Mullens never has played a game with both Mostert and Samuel. In fact, Mullens has played only one game ever with Mostert, and that was Mullens' career debut, when he slaughtered the Raiders.
Mostert and Samuel make a quarterback's job relatively easy -- he mostly just hands off and manages the game. Against the Rams, the 49ers run game will work, so they'll find themselves facing second and 4 much more frequently than second and 9.
Meaning the 49ers will win the time of possession, hold the Rams to fewer than 20 points and win a grim, hard-fought game.
Final score: 49ers 20, Rams 17.
