Getty The Rams before their September 25, 2022 road game in Arizona.
Arguably, the most criticized and ridiculed quarterback this week is the one the Los Angeles Rams will soon prepare for during practices in Thousand Oaks.
And, he’s a quarterback who Ram fans remember for throwing the football toward Travin Howard’s direction on January 30, 2022 in Inglewood.
Since that NFC title game appearance, Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers has witnessed the following whirlwind of events: Being the subject of trade rumors, undergoing shoulder surgery that delayed his trade value, avoiding being released, not practicing or being given a 49ers playbook and, through all of that, planting himself back as QB1 for S.F.
But he also pulled this blunder against the Denver Broncos in Week 3:
If there’s any advantage Garoppolo has against the Super Bowl champs, it’s that he’s never lost a regular season meeting as a starter against the Rams per Pro Football Reference. However, one insider who covers the 49ers unveiled a pivotal number the Rams can hit to swing the advantage their way for the upcoming Monday Night Football showdown on October 3.
The Advantage, in Seconds
David Lombardi of The Athletic brought out some telling statistics involving seconds on Monday, September 26.
Lombardi, who covers the 49ers, calculated the average snap to release time Jimmy G had in distributing the football in all three games versus the Rams. Here’s two of the three numbers:
Week 10 contest won by the 49ers 31-10: Garoppolo needed just 2.3 seconds to throw the football. Was only sacked once and threw two touchdown passes.
Week 18 (season finale) game won in overtime by the 49ers 27-24: The seconds to throw slightly went up to 2.4 seconds. Was sacked three times, threw one touchdown pass and intercepted twice.
But then came this number — a magic number the Rams can aim to hit on Monday.
NFC Championship game: Garoppolo’s average snap to release time went to 3.1 seconds — Rams win and move on to the Super Bowl.
“49ers were playing with a compromised offensive tackle situation in all three games. You already know which two they won and which one they lost,” Lombardi tweeted.
Lombardi included this statistic: In the 11-10 loss to the Broncos, Garoppolo was given an average of 2.6 seconds to throw. Denver, led by former Rams assistant Ejiro Evero as defensive coordinator, sacked Garoppolo four times in the victory to drop the 49ers to 1-2 overall.
Meanwhile in Arizona, the Rams snatched the more mobile and dynamic Kyler Murray twice for sacks. Aaron Donald got his 100th career sack on Murray which involved chasing him down. Terrell Lewis only needed three seconds to get to Murray off his bull rush:
Terrell Lewis (262 lbs) goes speed to power & walks the 308 lb OL back towards the QB. Once he got the QB “off the spot”, Lewis sheds the OL & gets the sack!
Once you get the OL to turn the shoulders/kick sideways, it’s almost impossible to stop power! #passrush #ramshouse
Three seconds — that’s what helped key that NFC title win and how the Rams finally toppled Jimmy G and his 49ers.
But along with the three seconds advantage, the Rams have another reason in having the upper hand in the trenches.
Opponent is Enduring Reshuffled Line
The best pass protector and most powerful run blocker on the 49ers Trent Williams is out for this contest due to sustaining a high ankle sprain against Denver.
This means Colton McKivitz is likely going to be slotted in his place.
McKivitz has filled for Williams before: The season finale win over the Rams in the 2021 season. However, he surrendered two sacks that afternoon.
There’s more. The 49ers are relatively inexperienced on the interior offensive line this time around as Alex Mack is retired and Laken Tomlinson is paving lanes for the New York Jets. Rookie Spencer Burford has been thrown into the fire at right guard — and struggled with containing pressure up the middle versus the Broncos with three pressures allowed his side. New center Jake Brendel and left guard Aaron Banks have also been tested by rushes.
That trio along with the rest of the line will soon face a Rams defense that’s produced seven sacks through three games, which also includes inside linebacker Bobby Wagner tying for the team lead with two sacks.
As the saying goes, every seconds matter. And for the Rams, it’s never been more truer versus Garoppolo and the 49ers.