INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 09: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers leaves the sector following a 27-24 extra time win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Picture by Joe Scarnici/Getty Pictures)
The 49ers are on the cusp of a second Tremendous Bowl look in three years.
Given the place this group was just a few weeks in the past, given the best way it was enjoying for almost all of the season, this doesn’t make an incredible quantity of sense.
Misplaced within the whirlwind of the ultimate few weeks of the marketing campaign has been a clear-cut understanding of their success.
However this group is right here and they're each bit able to successful another sport towards their should-be rivals.
Sure, Rams and Niners are pure enemies, however they’re rivals solely in the identical manner a hammer is a rival to a nail. San Francisco has gained six straight video games towards their Southern California friends.
Can they make it seven within the greatest sport these two groups have performed for the reason that Rams returned to the West Coast?
It’ll be an in depth one, however these 5 battles will decide the victor:
49ers win if:Okay’Waun Williams appears like his previous self.
Rams win if:Matt Stafford eschews the deep ball and establishes a rhythm with Cooper Kupp and tight finish Tyler Higbee working within the slot.
The Niners have struggled in current weeks to comprise inside-the-numbers pass-catchers, as Williams has appeared at the very least just a few steps slower after a calf damage and a stint on the COVID listing.
In the meantime, the Rams have the perfect receiver within the sport, Cooper Kupp, who spends a complete lot of time inside. And in contrast to Aaron Rodgers, who will abandon one thing that's working for… causes… Sean McVay is just too good to not take free yardage.
A fast catch-and-throw sport for Stafford might additionally neutralize the 49ers’ cross rush, which might be large for LA.
The 49ers win if:Their run protection and elite linebackers proceed to play nicely.
The Rams win if:Operating again Cam Akers is ready to work into the second degree just a few instances within the sport, giving the Rams’ run sport some critical legitimacy and establishing play-action for McVay’s offense.
From Week 14’s win over the Bengals onwards, the 49ers have allowed a paltry, hard-to-believe, 3.1 yards per carry over seven video games. You merely don’t run towards this Niners group.
In the meantime, Akers — again from a near-miraculous Achilles tendon rupture within the preseason — has averaged 2.5 yards per carry within the playoffs on 41 speeding makes an attempt.
However Akers is a gifted again who may simply be warming up. If Akers is usually a issue on this sport — not simply somebody who runs in to the again of the offensive line — the sector will open up for the Rams and that’s a harmful proposition for San Francisco.
The 49ers win if:Proper guard Dan Brunskill can proceed to improbably shut down Aaron Donald
The Rams win if: Aaron Donald instructions double-teams all sport and fellow defensive lineman Greg Gaines has a monster sport as a run-stopper.
San Francisco is a group that wishes to run exterior the hash marks, however towards the Rams’ nickel and dime defenses, they’ll doubtless wish to assault LA’s mild field with inside zone rushes. The 49ers’ offensive line won't be in high type — particularly if Trent Williams doesn't play — however they need to have at the very least a one-man benefit on each run play Sunday. That, plus the random and inexplicable indisputable fact that proper guard Dan Brunskill has merely owned arguably the perfect participant in soccer, Aaron Donald, for the previous couple of seasons.
But when Donald calls for two males to dam him and Gaines can win his one-on-one battles up the center, that may change every little thing. The 49ers wish to run the ball 35 instances on Sunday, however they won't do it to the purpose of futility.
And with out the run sport, the Niners’ offense just isn't dynamic and towards this Rams group, they may lose.
The Rams win if: Linebacker Troy Reeder has the sport of his life.
The 49ers win if:Troy Reeder performs like Troy Reeder
Shanahan will construct a complete offensive sport plan round attacking linebackers who're poor in house. Reeder suits that mildew.
Reeder was one of many worst linebackers within the NFL this season — too gradual to do a lot in cross protection and never robust sufficient to be a real run stuffer. He’s a throwback to a bygone period. Shanahan will make it his mission to terrorize him with runs and passes.
Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo virtually completely throws between the numbers and the Rams have completed nothing to cease it through the years. Los Angeles has allowed opposing quarterbacks to finish 77 p.c of passes for almost 8 yards per clip this season, per ESPN. Garoppolo accomplished 80 p.c of his passes (29 of 36) over the center towards the Rams this season for 320 whole yards and three touchdowns.
I, of all individuals, suppose he can have a giant sport on Sunday.
If Reeder can discover it in himself to have the perfect sport of his life; If he can stand as much as Shanahan’s bullying, the Rams stand an opportunity.
The 49ers win if:They'll impose their will
The Rams win if:Their trench play improves
It’s a easy idea, however an necessary one — the 49ers have held a major benefit in physicality over the Rams of their final six video games.
That mentioned, the margin has tightened. In Week 18, the Rams have been clearly centered on matching the Niners blow-for-blow, and whereas they didn't, that sport was as shut as they arrive due to the elevated thump from LA.
If the Rams can take their physicality to a different degree — if they'll take additional yards on offense and dominate within the trenches, significantly with their line of defense towards maybe two second-string Niners tackles, this contest will favor Los Angeles.
The sport is perhaps performed below a roof in an ideal 72 levels, however that is nonetheless January and January soccer and all of the toughness it requires will nonetheless win the day.
My extraordinarily particular, 100-percent appropriate, no-way-any-part-of-this-could-be-wrong prediction:
Jimmy Garoppolo has an excellent sport, throwing for 2 touchdowns and establishing one other with a deep cross over the center to Brandon Aiyuk. San Francisco is ready to stand up to the absence of Trent Williams and so they maintain Cam Akers in verify.
The identical can't be mentioned for Kupp, who has a monster sport, although Odell Beckham and Higbee rating touchdowns for the Rams.
San Francisco is trailing 23-24 because of a missed Robbie Gould additional level, however they drive down the sector and Gould kicks a 38-yard game-winning area aim with 19 seconds remaining. The Niners maintain on for the ultimate seconds and advance to Tremendous Bowl LVI, 26-24.