1.DeMeco Ryans is in the process of getting an upgrade. The defensive coordinator won’t be long to San Francisco because of how the team has performed throughout the beginning of the season. Monday night is the best performance he’s had to date. Ryans made the most of a weak Rams offensive line by turning up the pressure with various strategies, and thwarting the inexperienced Rams with a total 7 sacks. Ryans defense slowed to a bare minimum the Los Angeles offense to rubble and held to the Rams to 257 yards total and keeping them from the end zone completely. In the final minutes of the game when the game was in doubt, emerging player Talanoa Hufanga delivered the knockout punch by scoring a spectacular pick-six. We’ve seen enough of it to know the 49ers may not always see the most impressive performances of Jimmy Garoppolo, but if the defense can keep this up the team will have a chance in every game. Ryans likely to be on the head-coaching show in 2023.
2.The Rams’ offense is at a loss. The team is widely regarded as an expert in offensive play, Sean McVay hasn’t found an answer to Los Angeles’ struggles with the ball. Its offensive line is destroyed by injuries to the extent that Matthew Stafford chose to throw to Cooper Kupp — his sole target of choice when he was in double protection on third-and-10 rather than waiting a second to target Allen Robinson, resulting in an incomplete throw. Robinson is, however, continuing to search for an appropriate spot in the offense as Los Angeles hasn’t shown much of an offensive flow. Kupp is the only player Stafford needs to work with right this moment. The running game is lacking, as they’ve only gained the 57-yard mark as a team. It’s worthy of a spot on the outside of a milk carton and the only reason for McVay making three consecutive passes in a goal to-go scenario at San Francisco’s 8-yard-line.
3.Deebo Samuel has returned to his previous self. He has never really left and after the 49ers were unable to produce anything noteworthy only a week ago they went into their second straight prime-time game and went for it. Samuel was a literal player in catching a quick throw from Garoppolo (which was close to being blocked) and then turning into an unstoppable, nightmare-inducing force that sped across the field in the style of an 18-wheeler on the run with a gang of blockers along to ride along. The yards after catch total for the game was 53, which boosted Garoppolo’s final score during a game in which Kyle Shanahan wisely relied on playing a quick passing game and let the receivers take care of the work. Samuel was able to demonstrate the result, finishing with six catches and an impressive 115 yards and a touchdown. As Garoppolo declared afterwards The YAC Bros. are back.
4.This is an Talanoa Hufanga appreciation note. We have mentioned him in our first point of the night however, Hufanga earned his own appreciation note. The entire 49ers defense has been more efficient in the opening one month. That was a bit odd since Hufanga didn’t make a significant plays during the initial three quarters. In the end, Hufanga was saving his best play for last. Inching to an eight-point advantage in the fourth quarter, Hufanga read an incoming receiver’s screen, leaping Stafford’s pass that was intended for Kupp then juggling it before taking the ball when he was heading for the goal line. Hufanga’s catch made the Rams to sleep and the entire football world on the alert. It’s no longer necessary to be watching the 49ers every week to understand Hufanga’s impact is significant -and one of my favorites to watch in the whole league in 2022.
5.The Rams can’t survive the Bay Area once again. Monday night was Los Angeles’ seventh-straight regular-season defeat to division rival 49ers. They’re quite bad when they travel towards the San Francisco area, falling to 3-11-1 when playing on the road in the series against 49ers since the year 2008. It’s a long time before the beginning in the Sean McVay era, but regardless of coach and quarterback or the home city (they were located at St. Louis until 2016) it’s clear that the Rams simply can’t get their job completed with the help of San Francisco. Monday night’s game was only an event, however it’s still as a source of worry for the Rams with a 2-2 record. They have a tie with both the 49ers and the remainder in the NFC West, but have plenty of questions to be answered in the future. It’s tough to defend the Super Bowl title — one that was largely earned through defeating the 49ers at home in the NFC Championship Game — and results like this aren’t a good sign of confidence.
NFL Research: Matthew Stafford has thrown his 28th pick-six of his career Monday night, matching his record with the hall of famer Joe Namath for the third-most to be thrown by a football player in the last 50 years. Stafford did not throw a touchdown pass another game in a row which is being the first time that he’s managed to do with consecutive games between Weeks 15-16 of the season.
