Game Breakdown: 49ers Do Just Enough to Beat LA

A sign of a championship team is winning ugly. The team has a bad game but they’re great when they have to be and pull out the win. Ugly wins leave more questions than answers, but the Niners get the W, 30-23 over the Rams.

Game Balls

Christian McCaffrey – 20 carries for 116 yards including a 51-yarder. McCaffrey continues to make the case for individual hardware at the end of the season while putting the team in a position to win the hardware that counts. His usage rate has to come down though, with 50 touches in two games.

Fred Warner – Great when he has to be. Niners clinging to a three-point lead, Rams 3rd and 10 with 1:14 left in the third. All-Pro Fred earns the nickname, he blitzes, jumps to take away the pass, and then sacks Matthew Stafford for a ten-yard loss. That was the tipping point in the game, the Niners never looked back.

Steve Wilks – The Niners opened the game in soft zones and turned Rams 7th-round rookie Puka Nacua into an All-Pro. Wilks goes with tighter coverage, turns up the pressure, and the Rams only get field goals in the second half.

Jake Moody -Tie game, Niners in no man’s land, 4th and 7 on the Rams 39. In the past, Kyle Shanahan would take a delay of game and punt, now he gives a chance to the rookie he drafted for this exact scenario.

Moody rewards Shanahan’s faith, making a 57-yarder. That success will give Shanahan more trust in turning to Moody in the future. This long kick sets up the season, Moody's deep range is why he was taken. Punts in opposition territory are now three points. A really big three points in this game.

The 57-yard kick is the second longest in 49ers history behind David Akers' 63-yarder in 2012. Moody will likely get a shot to take down that record this year.

Team Takeaways

To deep or not to deep, that is the question.

Brock Purdy missing deep isn’t a surprise, I was more taken aback by Shanahan calling so many deep throws. It shows faith in Purdy, but it wasn’t rewarded. Kyle will call what he believes will work against a defense at the moment, and accurate throws would have been touchdowns.

The key is what now? Will Shanahan still call the deep plays or hold back after this performance? The quarterback is the limitation of an offense. Purdy can do everything except this. It’s on Purdy and Shanahan to make sure that limitation doesn’t derail a Super Bowl run.

It’s a shock to the system to watch UW’s Michael Penix Jr. on Saturdays, the most accurate deep thrower in years, and then Purdy on Sundays. I know, I know, as long as Purdy wins, and he does. But this year is measured by beating the entire league. Progress toward that goal will come into focus in Week 5 against Dallas.

Sackless in Santa Clara

Nick Bosa has yet to register a sack this year. John Lynch was asked when Bosa needed to return and he said players need three weeks to get into game shape. He's been proven right. Bosa still had a solid game against the Rams with four pressures and three hits. He should get untracked against the Giants' porous offensive line.

The corner market

Sam Womack is out for two months, Darrell Luter Jr. is on the PUP list, and Ambry Thomas has been benched for poor play in both games. Fortunately for the Niners, Isaiah Oliver delivered against the Rams with a tipped ball interception and some critical tackles. He had bad plays to go along with that, but this was a game of big plays in big moments.

The larger issue remains. The Niners have two cornerbacks they trust, hope Oliver can build from this game, and lack depth.

Fans and media are asking, what will the Niners do with the $41 million in cap room burning a hole in their pocket? The answer is emerging: get a cornerback.

Shopping for a DB makes sense, but the trade deadline is Halloween and the Dallas game is October 8th.

Before that, the Niners face New York in the home opener on Thursday night and the password is injury risk. Games on short rest are always a health threat. With Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel banged up, they'll have to be monitored closely. Shanahan needs to take Jordan Mason off a milk carton and put him on the field now and then. Elijah Mitchell needs some reps as well. More trust equals fewer injuries.