49ers-Rams series currently lopsided
Kittle, Samuel have starred in a six-game win streak
The Los Angeles Rams earned the right to host this Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, but given the recent track record, there’s little doubt San Francisco 49ers fans will invade SoFi Stadium and provide their team with an additional edge.
Yes, the 49ers’ recent domination of the Rams even extends into its fan base.
Since the start of the 2019 season, the 49ers have owned every aspect of their head-to-head series against the Rams, winning six consecutive games, including a Week 18 overtime victory that propelled Kyle Shanahan’s squad into the playoffs.
Three weeks after rookie Ambry Thomas hauled in Matt Stafford’s final pass of the regular season for a game-sealing interception, the 49ers are headed back to Los Angeles for the chance to advance to their second Super Bowl in the last three years.
How have the 49ers imposed their will against Rams head coach Sean McVay and one of the most talented rosters in the NFC? We looked at five players who have had the greatest impact on San Francisco’s success. DEEBO SAMUEL >> Unsurprisingly, the engine that makes the 49ers’ offense go is also the engine most frequently seen bulldozing through the Rams’ defense.
Samuel got off to a slow start in his career against Los Angeles as he racked up a combined seven catches for 49 yards in two wins as a rookie, but he has been instrumental in the 49ers’ last four victories. In 2020, Samuel caught six passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers’ 24-16 win before snagging 11 receptions for 133 yards in their 23-20 victory.
This season, Samuel has done some of his best work against the Rams. He caught five passes for 97 yards and a touchdown while rushing five times for 36 yards and another score in San Francisco’s 31-10 blowout at Levi’s Stadium. In the 49ers’ 27-24 comeback win at SoFi Stadium in January, Samuel added four catches for 95 yards, eight rushes for 45 yards and a touchdown, and even threw a 24-yard touchdown pass in a performance that proved he’s one of the NFL’s most versatile playmakers.
KITTLE >> Why doesn’t the Rams’ defense devote more resources to stopping Samuel?
The answer likely has to do with the attention Los Angeles has to pay to Kittle, who has been a force throughout his career against the Rams.
The 49ers’ six-game win streak began when Kittle caught eight passes for 103 yards in a 20-7 win in October 2019 and continued when he added five receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco’s 34-31 victory later that year. While Kittle missed one of the two matchups in 2020 due to injury, he made his presence felt in the other with a sevencatch, 109-yard game that also featured a 44-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter.
The Rams held Kittle to just five catches for 10 yards in their last matchup, but earlier this season, Kittle recorded five receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown in another excellent showing.
When asked why San Francisco has maintained an advantage against Los Angeles earlier this year, Kittle pointed to the physicality of the 49ers’ offense.
“When our wide receivers decide to go hit safeties in the mouth on a run play, it kind of changes the game,” Kittle said. “You either have to match that intensity or you have to get out of the way. Sometimes guys get out of the way.” DRE GREENLAW >> Greenlaw is best known for his NFC West-clinching play in 2019 against another division opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, but some of the linebacker’s finest hours as a 49er have come against the Rams.
The Arkansas product was a non-factor in his first career matchup against Los Angeles in 2019, as the then-rookie played just eight percent of defensive snaps, but he overwhelmed the Rams the next time out as he led all 49ers defenders with 13 tackles (nine solo) and mixed in a 0.5 tackle for loss.
Greenlaw was again the leading tackler (eight) in San Francisco’s 24-16 victory in 2020 and tied for the team lead with Richard Sherman with seven tackles in the 49ers’ next win over the Rams. While an injury forced Greenlaw to miss this season’s October matchup, he picked up where he left off in January as Greenlaw again led all 49ers tacklers with 12 while adding a quarterback hit in his team’s overtime win.
In four career starts against the Rams, Greenlaw has been the 49ers’ leading tackler four times. ARIK ARMSTEAD >> Since the 49ers drafted Nick Bosa No. 2 overall in 2019, the Rams’ offensive line has done a relatively good job of neutralizing the 49ers’ star pass rusher, who has 1.5 career sacks in four games against Los Angeles.
With Bosa receiving extra attention from the Rams’ front in Week 18, Armstead feasted with one of the best regular-season performances of his career as he finished with 2.5 sacks, 2.0 tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and seven total tackles in the 49ers’ overtime win.
Armstead hasn’t been a consistent star against Los Angeles during the 49ers’ win streak, but he’s had other solid showings that have included two games with at least 0.5 sacks and two games with a pass deflected. As one of the 49ers’ best run-stoppers, Armstead deserves credit for plugging gaps against a Rams’ offense that’s been held under 75 rushing yards in both games against San Francisco this season. DANIEL BRUNSKILL >> Wait, who?
The 49ers spent their second-round draft choice on Notre Dame offensive lineman Aaron Banks with the hope he could be an instant-impact
player at right guard, but heading into the NFC Championship Game, Shanahan is thrilled to have Brunskill on his side.
The journeyman offensive lineman is hardly a standout, but he’s turned into a valuable asset against the Rams by earning a reputation for his success against future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. No interior defensive lineman in the NFL can wreck a game like Donald, but over the last two years, the Rams’ best player hasn’t been nearly as much of a factor against the 49ers in part because Brunskill has handled him so well.
Since the start of the 2020 season, Donald is only responsible for 1.0 sack and 5.0 tackles for loss against San Francisco. The 5.0 tackles for loss are still impressive, but the BrunskillDonald matchup feels like one the Rams should be able to exploit with more regularity and that simply hasn’t happened because the 49ers’ right guard has held his own.
To be clear, Brunskill will need help from left guard Laken Tomlinson — who had one of his worst games as a 49er in Green Bay — and center Alex Mack, but the 49ers have reason to believe they can contain Donald because Brunskill has shown he’s capable.