Rams Week 7 preview: 5 questions with Niners Wire...

Rams Week 7 preview: 5 questions with Niners Wire

Cameron DaSilva

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

The Los Angeles Rams will head north to Santa Clara on Sunday to take on the 49ers this weekend in their third straight road game. The Rams have ripped off six consecutive wins to start the year and are eyeing that glorious 7-0 record, but Kyle Shanahan and San Francisco stand in their way.

To find out more about the 49ers, we chatted with Kyle Madson of Niners Wire to get a behind-the-scenes look at the team.

1. How different does the offense look with C.J. Beathard in place of Jimmy Garoppolo?

The offense looks the same schematically. They still lean on the run to set up their play action passing game. It’s a lot like the Rams’ offense but with worse players. Beathard has actually done a nice job conducting the offense, he’s just not as good as Garoppolo. He’s not as good of a decision maker, his release isn’t as quick and his arm isn’t as strong. All of those things shine through in ways that have adversely impacted San Francisco in each of Beathard’s three starts.

2. Who’s the most dangerous player on offense for the 49ers? Is it Matt Breida or someone else?

It’s probably Breida because of the volume of touches he gets. His ability to turn even a small crease into a 20-yard run is what’s helped make the 49ers so successful on offense. However, tight end George Kittle is hard to ignore. He’s averaging about four catches for 70 yards on seven targets per game. He’s a tremendous blocker as well and has a ton of athleticism. He’s taken a screen pass 40 yards, and scored an 82-yard touchdown on a seam route this season. Kittle really does it all in the passing game. Pro Football Focus has him graded out as the third-best tight end in the league this season.

3. The 49ers have sunk assets into their defensive front in recent years, but how has it turned out?

Not great, Cam! Solomon Thomas (No. 3 pick in 2017) is not an effective player and playing just over half the snaps. Arik Armstead (No. 17 pick in 2015) has been mostly ineffective. Their inability to hurt offenses allows teams to focus on the 49ers’ best defensive lineman, DeForest Buckner (No. 7 pick in 2016), but he’s still managed to produce this season. What they’re really lacking is pass rush off the edge. Neither Thomas nor Armstead can rush from the outside, and Buckner is at his best on the interior. They just have too many players who play the same position and aren’t particularly good in the scheme. That’s not an awesome recipe for success, FYI.

4. Is Richard Sherman still the same player he was with the Seahawks after that Achilles injury?

He isn’t the player he was in Seattle, but that doesn’t mean teams are eager to test him. Sherman was never a guy who relied on his athleticism, and now the little athleticism he had is dwindling. However, he is extremely smart and uses that to his advantage. Teams have targeted him only 10 times all year. He’s allowed two receptions for 28 yards in 204 coverage snaps, per PFF. It’s hard to be a lot better than that.

5. Prediction for Sunday’s game?

I think it goes a little bit like Monday night went. The 49ers will score a little bit to keep things interesting, but the Rams are just a better team and it’ll shine through. Whether they pull away due to turnovers or a couple defensive stops, the 49ers just don’t have the horses on either side of the ball to win in the shootout this is bound to become. Rams 41, 49ers 27