The San Francisco 49ers may have reached a tipping point in a season besieged with injuries, while the Los Angeles Rams showed once again why NFL observers believe they’re one of the best teams in football. The Rams handled the 49ers on the road 42-26 at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, earning a measure of revenge from an earlier loss to San Francisco back in Week 5.
With the victory, the Rams improved to 7-2 and are tied with the Seattle Seahawks (7-2) for the top spot in the NFC West. The two teams meet next week at SoFi Stadium. The 49ers dropped to 6-4 with the loss.
Here are my takeaways:
1. Matthew Stafford-Davante Adams connection powers Rams’ offense
The Rams rolled on offense, jumping out to a 21-0 lead before San Francisco made things interesting in the second half. The Stafford-to-Adams connection was the key to the team’s success. Stafford once again played like an MVP candidate, finishing 24-of-36 for 280 yards, four touchdown passes and no interceptions. Stafford’s favorite target was Adams, who finished with six catches for 77 yards on eight targets.
Los Angeles eclipsed the 30-point mark on offense for a third straight game. Also, during L.A.’s three-game winning streak, Adams has 16 catches for 172 receiving yards and six scores. Stafford leads the NFL with 24 touchdown passes. Adams leads the league with nine TD receptions, including eight in the red zone.
However, Adams had to leave the game in the fourth quarter with back tightness. And, oh yeah – leading-receiver Puka Nacua finished with five receptions for 64 yards and a score.
2. San Francisco has no answer for the Rams’ running game
The 49ers have been decimated on the defensive side of the football, including key players in linebacker Fred Warner, edge rusher Nick Bosa and rookie first-round-rookie defensive lineman Mykel Williams all out for the season due to injuries. And the depleted defense struggled to contain L.A.’s running game.
Kyren Williams finished with 73 rushing yards on 14 carries and two scores, while Blake Corum added 56 rushing yards on 13 carries. The Rams used heavy personnel groups to dominate up front. Per Next Gen Stats, the Rams used three-tight end sets on 18 running plays, totaling 85 yards.
Kyren Williams punches it in from two yards out for TD, giving Rams early lead over 49ers | NFL Highlights
3. Brian Robinson ignites the 49ers’ offense in the second half.
One of the few highlights for San Francisco was the play of Robinson, whom the 49ers traded for toward the end of training camp as a complement to workhorse running back Christian McCaffrey. However, entering Sunday’s game, Robinson had just 197 rushing yards and a score.
But Robinson helped lead a second-half comeback for San Francisco, totaling 41 yards on eight carries, including a 1-yard run for a score. The 49ers had just 31 rushing yards in the first half, but Robinson helped San Francisco get back into the game in the second half.
4. Shanahan has a decision to make: Mac Jones or Brock Purdy?
Jones made his eighth start this season and played solidly again, completing 33-of-39 passes for 319 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. Jones is 5-3 as a starter and has done a nice job of keeping San Francisco in the postseason hunt while Purdy rehabs from a turf toe injury.
However, the 49ers signed Purdy to a high-dollar deal for a reason. Understandably, Shanahan wants to make sure Purdy is as healthy as possible before returning, but the 49ers are risking the possibility of falling out of the playoff race while the QB1 watches from the sideline.
Purdy was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game before being ruled out.
Tom Brady thinks 49ers should KEEP Mac Jones at QB 1 when Brock Purdy returns | FOX NFL SUNDAY
4 ½. What’s next?
The Rams face the Seahawks next week in a heavyweight battle for the top spot in the division at SoFi Stadium. After that, Los Angeles hosts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) and Carolina Panthers (5-5) from the NFC South. The next three games should go a long way for the Rams in helping to earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The 49ers look to rebound from their first loss in the NFC West by traveling to the desert to face the Arizona Cardinals, who were bludgeoned by Seattle up in the Pacific Northwest. The 49ers escaped with a 16-15 victory over Arizona at home in San Francisco in Week 3.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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