5 Keys to a Rams Victory Against the 49ers

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara on Sunday. While Sean McVay and company are seeking a divisional win, there is a lot more at stake in this matchup. If the Rams wish to win, these five keys are paramount to accomplishing that goal.

1. Get the ball in Kyren Williams' hands

Williams was magical against the 49ers until he wasn't...which led to him becoming incredible again. Before his critical fumble on the goal line, Williams was slicing and dicing the 49ers, especially as a pass catcher in the red zone. After his fumble, Williams made two big catches to force overtime in the fourth quarter and then made two more catches in overtime.

With the Rams' new dedication to 13 personnel, this is the day the Rams show that they can control the line of scrimmage against the 49ers and they should considering the 49ers injury-riddled defensive line.

2. Mac Jones must hit the ground repeatedly

Jones is dealing with an injury but he's proven that his condition doesn't matter when he torched the Rams in week five. The Rams weren't able to bring adequate pressure and Chris Shula did not blitz as much as one would expect, allowing Jones to pick the secondary apart.

Jones must go down and he must go down often so he doesn't feel safe in the pocket, forcing his feet to move faster than the 49ers want. This is where Jaylen McCollough and Quentin Lake come into play. The 49ers are going to do a great job holding the Rams' defensive line so their ability to get to Jones before he can get the ball out will determine the narrative of the San Francisco offensive attack.

3. Dare the 49ers to throw deep

The 49ers picked apart the Rams with constant throws underneath, using Christian McCaffrey's ability to run, paired with various personnel packages, to find matchup they can exploit. The Rams made sure they protected the deep throw and the run, allowing Jones to find pockets of space underneath.

Against a team like this, it's time to show the NFL why Kamren Kinchens is a premier safety. If the Rams have any hope for players like Emmanuel Forbes, Cobie Durant, and Roger McCreary to be long-term options, they're going to have to perform against the best and history says to bet on these guys to come through more times than not.

4. Christian McCaffrey can't escape tackles

Christian McCaffrey is going to get the ball. There's no doubt about it and he will have his successes here and there. He can not escape tackles. Let alone the production standpoint, when he breaks one, it ignites a fire in Kyle Shanahan and his offense that drives them to the end zone. He must be held up as much as possible.

5. The air belongs to the Rams

No matter what, this game will come down to who can make the critical throws late. The Rams have a revamped offense that might be McVay's best and a quarterback playing like this isn't his final season so the Rams must win by going to the air.

Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

In week five, they ran on fourth and one in OT, and it cost them everything. With Davante Adams and Puka Nacua firing on all cylinders, the ball must go north when it counts.

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