It was a stellar showing from the offense in Sunday’s win over the 49ers
The Los Angeles Rams notched their fourth consecutive win on Sunday when they toppled a shorthanded San Francisco 49ers squad, 42-26. It was one of their most impressive offensive showings yet, finding the end zone six times with no turnovers and 401 total yards.
The defense did a good job shutting down Christian McCaffrey, too, though George Kittle and Jauan Jennings both did some damage as receivers in a pass-happy game script for San Francisco. Here’s a look at how we graded each position group in the Rams’ win on Sunday.
Quarterback: A
Matthew Stafford continued his hot streak with yet another strong performance against the 49ers. He tossed four touchdown passes with no interceptions and hardly made any mistakes outside of one pass that was nearly picked off. He’s absolutely locked in and playing like the best quarterback in the NFL.
Running back: A
Since involving Blake Corum more at running back, the Rams’ running game has gone up a notch. Kyren Williams has stayed fresh and looks to be running with added juice, while Corum’s elusiveness and speed bring another element to the offense. They combined for 129 yards and two touchdowns on 27 total carries, bringing great balance to the team.
Wide receiver: B+
Puka Nacua and Davante Adams each dropped a pass, which were the lone blemishes from the receiver group on Sunday. Xavier Smith was the only other wideout to catch a pass, with Konata Mumpfield being blanked on two targets and Jordan Whittington seeing zero passes thrown his way. Overall, though, it was a very good game from this group.
Tight end: A-
The Rams’ tight ends have become a massive part of the offense, with all four of them contributing on Sunday. They each caught at least one pass and combined for 114 yards with two touchdowns, playing a pivotal role in Sean McVay’s new 13 personnel experiment. Colby Parkinson led the way with four catches for 41 yards and a score, but Terrance Ferguson also had a big 32-yard reception.
Offensive line: A
The O-line only allowed seven total pressures and no sacks. Stafford was hit just three times in the win, so the pass protection was excellent. The run blocking might’ve been even better, with four offensive linemen earning PFF grades of at least 86.9 in that department, and all four at 74.9 or higher.
Defensive line: B+
The Rams did a great job against Christian McCaffrey once again, holding him to 30 yards on 12 carries. The defensive line played a part in that, while also generating eight pressures between Kobie Turner, Tyler Davis, Poona Ford and Braden Fiske.
Inside linebacker: A-
Nate Landman forced yet another fumble in this one, officially his third of the season. He and Omar Speights were always around the ball, recording 11 tackles each to tie for the team high. They’ve become a strong linebacker tandem for the Rams, making it difficult for opponents to attack the middle of the field.
Outside linebacker: B-
With how quickly the 49ers got rid of the ball on offense, Jared Verse and Byron Young didn’t have many true opportunities to rush the quarterback. Young still had four pressures and Verse had two, but their presence wasn’t often felt in this game because of Mac Jones’ quick release, which was by design.
Cornerback: B
Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. were the primary cornerbacks on Sunday and they played fairly well. Forbes was the better of the two in coverage, allowing only one catch for 14 yards with one interception. He did miss two tackles, however, and Durant allowed five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Safety: A-
Jaylen McCollough and Quentin Lake were two standout players for Los Angeles, with Lake tying for the team lead with 11 tackles. Kamren Kinchens and Kamren Curl each missed one tackle but were still impactful throughout the game.
Special teams: B+
Harrison Mevis stepped in for Joshua Karty as the Rams’ new kicker and went 6-for-6 on PATs in his NFL debut. He didn’t attempt a field goal but he looked comfortable, which was encouraging. Jake McQuaide also performed well as the long snapper, replacing Alex Ward. Ethan Evans pinned one of his two punts inside the 20, too.