Wins over Rams due to physicality at line, Kittle says
Three long-tenured members of the 49ers, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, defensive coordinator Demeco Ryans and tight end George Kittle, were posed the same question Thursday: Why do the 49ers match up so well with the Rams?
Notably, they didn’t push back on the question because there is overwhelming evidence their NFC West rivals have been a favorable matchup: The 49ers have won five straight games against Los Angeles and handed them a 31-10 beatdown less than two months ago.
McDaniel and Ryans, perhaps wary of providing Xs-and-Os intel, both talked around the topic.
“When we’ve played the Rams,” McDaniel said as part of his answer, “our best players have made plays and we’ve found ways to score.”
“It’s a division opponent and it’s two teams who are very wellcoached teams, two teams who play hard,” Ryans said.
The authentic answer? That came from Kittle, whose response could have doubled as a warning to the Rams (12-4) before the 49ers (9-7) visit them at SoFi Stadium on Sunday in a high-stakes regularseason finale.
The 49ers can secure a playoff berth with a win, and they would need the Saints (8-8) to lose at Atlanta (7-9) to reach the postseason with a loss.
Kittle didn’t give up any schematic secrets in explaining why he thinks the 49ers have owned the Rams: That’s because their success has been more about bullying than trickery, according to the tight end who relishes in-the-trenches blocking.
“Whenever we play them, we try to come out and try to be physical as we possibly can,” Kittle said. “That’s what we’re really good at. I
think we’re one of the most physical offenses in football coming off the line of scrimmage, as an offensive line, fullback, tight ends and our running backs.
“And then when our wide receivers decide to go hit safeties in the mouth on a run play it kind of changes the game. You either have to match that intensity or you have to get out of the way. Sometimes guys get out of the way.”
The 49ers have spent the past two-plus seasons shoving the Rams out of the way. San Francisco’s five-game winning streak against Los Angeles, for example, has been bookended by victories in which the 49ers have dominated the line of scrimmage.
In 2019, the 49ers began the streak with a 20-7 win in which their defensive front was overwhelming: Los Angeles had 10 first downs, 157 yards, went 0-for-13 on third and fourth down, and quarterback Jared Goff had a career-low 78 passing yards.
In November, in the teams’ most recent meeting, the 49ers’ offensive line helped grind down the Rams: The 49ers rushed for 156 yards on 44 carries, their most carries in a game since 2012, and began with a merciless 18-play, 93yard touchdown drive that lasted more than 11 minutes and featured 13 runs.
Garoppolo suggested the 49ers needed just that opening drive to break the Rams’ will.
“I don’t want to say it took their soul away,” Garoppolo said after the game, “but it definitely did something.”
Two months later, though, some things have changed. Most significantly, the 49ers have major question marks at their most important position. Garoppolo is questionable to play because of torn ligament and fracture in his right thumb. His backup, rookie Trey Lance, would make his third career start if Garoppolo is sidelined.
The Rams have won five straight, are playing at home and are 41⁄2-point favorites.
The 49ers’ likely response? Yawn. Consider their most recent visit to Los Angeles: In 2020, the 49ers arrived with a 4-6 record, started backup QB Nick Mullens, were 61⁄2-point underdogs — and won 23-20.
In November? The 49ers were 3-5 and 31⁄2-point underdogs before their 21-point blowout win. In October 2020, the 49ers had a 2-3 record and were 31⁄2-point underdogs before beating the Rams 24-16.
The Rams, who are 31-12 against the rest of the NFL over the past three seasons, have been favored in four of the past five games they’ve lost to the 49ers.
Asked about the 49ers’ recent ownership of the Rams, linebacker Fred Warner began with a smile and laugh, wary of providing bulletin-board material before kickoff.
“They are an outstanding football team,” Warner said. “They are literally one of the best teams in the NFL right now. … If we don’t come to play, they’re going to embarrass us.”
But it’s worth remembering what Garoppolo said after the 49ers embarrassed the Rams on Nov. 15. Asked if the 49ers had a “mental edge” on their division rival, Garoppolo indicated a physical advantage might also be at play.
“When you win five in a row, yeah, maybe a little bit,” Garoppolo said. “It’s just our style that we play with.”