The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers have developed one of the more bitter rivalries in the NFL in recent years.
Kyle Shanahan has gotten the better of Sean McVay for the most part, winning six straight regular-season games. McVay and the Rams got the last laugh in the NFC Championship Game last year though, finally beating the 49ers and then going on to win the Super Bowl.
There was clearly no love lost when the two teams took the field for the first time in the 2022 season on Monday Night Football in Week 4. The 49ers were looking for revenge, while the Rams were looking to move to 3-1 to take an early stranglehold on the NFC West.
Ultimately, the two teams got back to the regular season status quo as the 49ers dominated the Rams in every facet of the game en route to a 24-9 victory at Levi Stadium.
There weren’t a lot of positives to take away from this game for the Rams, but let’s grade the performance of each of their units.
Rams Offense: D-
Through four weeks, the Rams offense clearly isn’t what it was a season ago.
The biggest issue is the offensive line, which has dealt with a number of injuries and as a result has struggled to protect Matthew Stafford. The 49ers were in Stafford’s face all night, recording seven sacks, a forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown.
Nick Bosa ALONE had 14 pressures in the game.
When Stafford did have time to throw, he was locked in on two targets as 33 of his 48 pass attempts went to Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee, which makes the Rams offense entirely too predictable.
Where is Allen Robinson?! Through his first four games as a Ram, Robinson has a meager nine receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. Against San Francisco, Robinson had just two receptions for seven yards.
In an offense that lacks big-play ability without Odell Beckham Jr. and Van Jefferson, Robinson needs to be better.
Rams Defense: C-
The Rams defense actually played well enough to keep the team in the game, holding the 49ers to just 17 points and winning the time of possession battle, which is usually a struggle for L.A. against San Francisco.
But jeez louise, will someone teach this team how to tackle?
I’ve been having nightmares of Deebo Samuel for three years now and that is no different after this game when he ran through tackle after tackle from Rams defenders.
The Rams’ secondary has a ton of injuries so they deserve some benefit of the doubt, but where was the pass rush? The 49ers offensive line is far from good, especially with Trent Williams out of the lineup, and the Rams still couldn’t get a single sack on Jimmy Garoppolo. No turnovers either.
Rams Special Teams: B
There wasn’t really anything notable that happened on special teams outside of the Rams creating a fumble on a kickoff but failing to recover it. With the game still close at the time, that could have been a difference-making play if L.A. was able to fall on the ball.
One thing worth pointing out though is that the Rams specialists have been awesome to start the year. Riley Dixon is averaging a career-high 49.5 yards per punt and Matt Gay is 14-for-14 on field goals and extra points.
Rams Coaching: D
As we’ve seen so many times when these two teams meet up, McVay was simply outcoached by Shanahan in this one.
Mcvay had no answer for the 49ers’ pass rush and the Rams’ struggles up front. Didn’t really see any clever screens or jet sweeps as we have in the past, and through four weeks, McVay still hasn’t found a way to make the team’s biggest offseason addition in Robinson work.
Additionally, all three times the Rams entered the red zone, they were held to a field goal. That can’t happen when you are trying to beat a tough division opponent on the road.
