SANTA CLARA — Right here is how the 49ers (2-2) graded in Monday evening’s 24-9 house win over the Los Angeles Rams (2-2):
PASS OFFENSE: A-
Jimmy Garoppolo as soon as once more rebounded from a foul outing, and he did so with out committing a turnover or being sacked. The ever-scrutinized, ever-youthful line allowed just one hit on Garoppolo, and that was by Aaron Donald, who once more received neutered by this staff. Garoppolo was 16-of-27 for 239 yards, with practically half that manufacturing coming from Deebo Samuel (six catches, 115 yards, with a 57-yard landing within the twilight). Brandon Aiyuk caught all 4 of his targets, however for simply 37 yards with the sport plan centered on fast throws. George Kittle (2 catches, 4 targets, 24 yards) stays a irritating afterthought, however consider he missed the primary two video games with a groin harm and likewise had to assist block rather a lot. Jauan Jennings had a third-down conversion but additionally a third-down drop. Kyle Juzczyk opened a scoring drive with a 35-yard catch.
RUN OFFENSE: B
No, this wasn’t the 40-plus carry recreation that triggered final yr’s house win over the Rams. As a substitute, the 49ers had simply 22 carries (88 yards). None was larger than Jeff Wilson Jr.’s 32-yard landing run for a 7-3 lead. He had 18 of their 22 carries, thus conserving Jordan Mason, Marlon Mack and Tevin Coleman on the bench. Samuel gained solely 2 yards on two carries. Garoppolo had a 3-yard run on third-and-2 that seemed eerily harking back to Trey Lance’s ankle-fracturing run merely as a result of it went up the center.
PASS DEFENSE: A
Talanoa Hufanga’s 52-yard interception return for a landing sealed the win. That play and Hufanga’s sensational begin to his sophomore season compelled Deommodore Lenoir to launch the phrase: “All-Professional Huf.” Don’t neglect about NFL sack chief Nick Bosa, whose two sacks raised his season complete to 6. The 49ers sacked Matthew Stafford seven occasions, with two from ex-Ram Samson Ebukam and one apiece by Lenoir, Charles Omenihu and Hassan Ridgeway. The 49ers might have intercepted Stafford much more, however they had been most happy with not permitting Cooper Kupp into the top zone on any of his 14 catches (19 targets, 127 yards).
RUN DEFENSE: B
The Rams are the Stafford-Kupp present, so the run recreation is a mere sideshow, and one the 49ers restricted to 57 yards on 18 carries. Starter Cam Akers had simply 13 yards on eight carries, and 6 of these yards got here on their opening drive. The 49ers delivered 9 tackles for losses. Dre Greenlaw had a career-high 15 tackles, although many got here in move protection. Kevin Givens and Ridgeway crammed in nicely for injured starters Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B-
This recreation might have taken a depraved flip for the 49ers when Ray-Ray McCloud fumbled a kickoff return after the Rams closed inside 14-9. Marlon Mack recovered that unfastened ball and the 49ers responded with a Robbie Gould discipline aim. McCloud, to his credit score, responded with a 22-yard punt return the following time he touched the ball, and that drive ended with Gould lacking left on a 42-yard discipline aim to maintain it a one-score recreation till Hufanga’s heroics.
COACHING: A
Great job by Kyle Shanahan and his employees to reverse course after final weekend’s prime-time dud in Denver. Particular kudos to defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who combined up his assault and threw extra blitzes than traditional to assist a defensive entrance lacking Kinlaw and later Armstead.