Can the Rams break their losing streak against the 49ers in the regular season even without Matthew Stafford?
In Week 18, the Los Angeles Rams will play the San Francisco 49ers. There will be a preseason vibe to this game between two division rivals because both Brock Purdy and Matthew Stafford are expected to be sidelined. Carson Wentz will now face Sam Darnold. That does not, however, imply that the Rams will give up on winning. Here are five strategies to beat the 49ers.
1. Run the Offense Efficiently
On the attacking end of the ball, Kyren Williams, Cooper Kupp, and Matthew Stafford will all be rested by the Rams. For players like Carson Wentz, Zach Evans, and Royce Freeman, this will be a huge chance. The offensive line appears to play even though the Rams will be resting some of their starting players. Sean McVay stated on Friday that
“Carson (Wentz) will obviously get to play behind our offensive line, and if Kyren is playing, I believe it will give those running backs more opportunities than they would have otherwise. Well, let’s see how Davis Allen does going forward. It will also present an opportunity for our tight ends with Higbee out. Then, Puka (Nacua) and Demarcus Robinson at the receiver position will provide Tutu with additional opportunities.”
Apart from Williams, Kupp, and Stafford, the Rams offense will be operating at maximum capacity for the most part. Wentz has spent nearly half of the season in Los Angeles. Could he lead the offensive? Freeman and Evans will have an opportunity to demonstrate their run game prowess. Next season, Wentz might be able to play behind Stafford as a backup if he can demonstrate that he can manage the offense.
2. Play Opportunistic on Defense
With Brock Purdy out of the lineup, the 49ers will start Sam Darnold at quarterback. Darnold is a quarterback who frequently puts the ball in danger or tries to do too much, which results in a lot of mistakes and unfavorable plays. The defense must be opportunistic and work to create opportunities for the offense even in the absence of Jones and Donald.
In this game, the Rams should have opportunities to intercept a pass or execute a play that changes the course of the game. Being prepared for that eventuality and executing a play will be crucial. Only 14 turnovers have been committed by the Rams defense this season, which is 30th in the NFL. Before the postseason, that must change.
3. Sound tackling in the Secondary
It all comes down to secondary tackling when it comes to playing the 49ers. San Francisco’s big plays usually occur when the Rams miss tackles on the defensive end of the field during games between these two teams. That was the case with Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel touchdowns earlier in the season.
Apart from Donald and Jones, the Rams’ starting defense will be the ones on the field. Throughout the second half of the season, Quentin Lake has performed admirably, and Ahkello Witherspoon is a strong presence at cornerback. The 49ers will put the Rams defensive backs to the test, so they must demonstrate their willingness to tackle.
4. Get out of the Game Healthy
The Rams’ obvious objective in resting important starters for this game is to stay healthy going into the postseason. Although defeating a division rival is important for seeding and bragging rights, the Rams don’t seem to be prioritizing that this week. This week, McVay stated,
“There are a few layers to it, and upon closer inspection, we’ve simply felt that this strategy works best for our group. You want guys to go compete and win, but that’s not how we felt at all.I am aware of the possible outcomes; everything happens, even though you mistakenly believe you are aware of it. Taking all of that into account, it didn’t seem like the best course of action for our team to try to maintain the sixth or know you could be the seventh.”
The Rams want to win this game so they can stay healthy for the postseason. We already know who is out for the Rams, but it will be interesting to watch how they manage other important players like Rob Havenstein, who would be a tough loss if he is unable to play in the postseason. A
5. Hope For a Bears win Against Packers
Even though the Rams aren’t competing for the sixth seed directly, it still matters. Since the new playoff format was implemented, six seeds have a 4-2 record; the Rams won as a six seed in 2020. A seven-seed, meanwhile, has never prevailed in a postseason game. The Rams will probably play the Dallas Cowboys if they are the seventh seed. It would be different in round two versus the Cowboys than in round one. This time, Rob Havenstein and Kyren Williams would be in the starting lineup. Having said that, the Rams struggle against Dallas in their matchup.
Even with a loss, the Rams can secure the sixth seed. But it also means that, for the first time since 2015, the Chicago Bears must prevail at Lambeau Field. Though they have been playing well lately, can we really trust the Bears? The Rams would probably travel to Detroit as the sixth seed. Apart from the Philadelphia Eagles, that’s the match that Los Angeles will be interested in… plots aside.