Rams vs. 49ers: 3 Things to Watch in Week 4
The Los Angeles Rams are looking to move to 3-1 on the 2022 NFL season as they prepare to face off against their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, on Monday, Oct. 3. in Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. at Levi Stadium.
Though many of the Rams are expected to garner some attention during this upcoming matchup on Monday Night Football, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow when Los Angeles takes the field against the Niners.
Cam Akers
Though he may have had a slow start to the season, Akers came alive during the Rams’ Week 3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The 23-year-old averaged 5.1 yards per carry on a team-high 12 attempts and scored a rushing touchdown. In the process he helped to re-establish himself as Los Angeles’ feature back, despite a solid effort by Darrell Henderson thus far. Akers will face a difficult challenge against a Niners defense that allowed only 101 rushing yards in Week 3. Though they will look to continue limiting the ground attack at home this week, they are entering this matchup with injury questions along their defensive front. Both defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (knee) and defensive end Arik Armstead (foot) did not practice with the team on Friday and are listed as questionable for Week 4. As such, look for Akers to attempt to attack any potential weakness in San Francisco’s front seven.
Brandon Powell
Though Powell mostly makes his impact on special teams, his reliability and sure-handed showing thus far in 2022 might turn the head of coach Sean McVay and the Rams' offensive brain trust. During last Sunday’s 20-12 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the 27-year-old caught all three of his targets for 27 yards while returning four kickoffs for 74 yards. For the season, Powell is 5-for-5 with 43 receiving yards. Despite being used sparingly on offense, Powell is quite adept at making the most of his time on the field, using his six offensive snaps to develop a budding synergy with Stanford. He also logged a 31-yard kick return and remains the primary return man for the Rams heading into their Week 4 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. With Cooper Kupp as the unquestioned top option, Powell has the tools to become a complementary piece to Allen Robinson and Ben Skowronek on Monday night.
Interior Defensive Line
At the risk of sounding cliche, the 49ers are a team that was born to run. San Francisco is averaging 151 rushing yards per game as a team, as well as 4.5 yards per carry. Through three games, the Niners have amassed 453 yards on the ground. As such, Los Angeles’ defensive front will have its hands full. As a unit, the Rams’ run defense has held their opponents to an average of 93.7 yards per game, as well as 3.8 yards per rushing attempt. With both teams attempting to ensure that ‘something’s gotta give in prime time on Monday, tackle Greg Gaines will be called upon to seal the middle, allowing both ends A’Shawn Robinson and Aaron Donald the freedom to maneuver in both run and pass defensive schemes.
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