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The last time the San Francisco 49ers won at Levi’s Stadium, it was on October 18, 2020. And the opponent who took the loss in Santa Clara? The 49ers’ Monday Night Football opponent the Los Angeles Rams.
How did the 49ers topple the Rams that day? Per David Lombardi of The Athletic, they became run-heavy, which included getting Deebo Samuel some handoffs.
Is it worth it for the 49ers to revert back to this blueprint from nearly 13 months ago? Or is it better to learn from the last team that beat the Rams?
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On paper, it looks like a good idea in going ground-and-pound. Although a Rams defense expected to debut Von Miller is likely preparing for it.
But there’s one other idea that the 49ers could use…and an idea that one legendary Rams player already believes will get teams copying this to counter the now 7-2 Rams.
And the idea comes from the Tennessee Titans.
Turning up the Rush
Here’s what the Titans threw at the Rams during their 28-16 road stunner on Sunday Night Football:
- Less Blitzes: According to Next Gen Stats, the Titans blitzed just four times on 53 drop back attempts.
- 15 with four: Tennessee delivered 15 pressures with just four rushers.
- Five: That’s the number of sacks the Titans got of Matthew Stafford — 3.5 coming from defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons and one from defensive end Denico Autry.
A scheme like this got former Rams quarterback Jim Everett to send the online warning to the team he once took to the 1990 NFC title game that future teams will be using the same formula.
As Everett pointed out, this scheme was nothing fancy — just line up, attack the inside gaps, fool the offensive line by dropping back the linebackers when they show blitz and finally, use twists on the front line to wreck havoc.
This approach also got Jim Trotter of the NFL Network to realize in his Monday, November 8 column that when teams play the trench game versus the Rams, they’re immediately at a disadvantage:
“The unit is a thing of beauty when able to play with pace and have the down-and-distance in its favor. Points are as plentiful as Southern California sun rays on those occasions. But the sky turns gray when the Rams are matched against physical defensive fronts that are complemented by speed and coverage ability on the backend. In those instances, Los Angeles’ offense — and the pass protection, in particular — can give the appearance that it is overmatched.”
But there’s another tactic that the Titans and head coach Mike Vrabel brilliantly executed in the 12-point win: The Titans went after the Rams’ most shakiest pass protectors.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Rams’ right tackle Rob Havenstein, right guard Austin Corbett and center Brian Allen have all been given a pass blocking rating of below 70. The trio allowed four pressures up their side each as the Titans sent Simmons and Autry their way.
Left guard David Edwards has also been hot-and-cold as a pass protector. He’s allowed 13 QB pressures and was put on roller skates by Simmons on this play:
Do the 49ers Have a Similar Personnel?
If you look closely at the 49ers’ defense, the strength is the defensive line when they’re healthy.
Nick Bosa has two games of collecting two sacks and has seven this season. Arik Armstead has moved inside to the B gap and in the last two weeks, has put together the following numbers: 14 tackles (10 versus Arizona), five solo and one sack. And now, the newly acquired DE Charles Omenihu via the NFL trade deadline is anticipated to make his 49ers’ debut and add some extra length and strength to the front line.
The feeling is this: Bosa will be lined up over Havenstein most of the evening. Armstead will have his alignments over Corbett but also test Allen. He could also get lined up over Edwards to see if the left guard will redeem himself from the night Simmons gave him. Omenihu could be the one who swings inside and out.
Trotter mentioned “the more physical and muddy an opponent makes the game, the less the Rams like it.” Everett warned future defenses will come with a copy of the Titans’ approach. But now the 49ers could be the first to use that approach and put their own twist to it.
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