Los Angeles Rams bold predictions for Week 15 Thursday Night Football vs. 49ers

12/10/2024 05:27 PM

In Week 14, the Los Angeles Rams did the unthinkable: they beat the Buffalo Bills in a game where Josh Allen accounted for six touchdowns.

That’s right, for the first time in NFL history, a quarterback put up over 340 yards, threw three touchdowns, and ran for three more and lost, in large part because his defense almost never stopped the Rams from scoring drive after drive after drive.

Suddenly, the 7-6 Rams are seriously back in the hunt for the playoffs with four games left to play, have momentum at their back, and might just take one of the most back-and-forth seasons you can imagine and give it a Hollywood ending, which is something a team that plays mere miles from Tinsel Town should know a thing or two about.

Unfortunately, however, the Rams won’t have long to celebrate their win, as they’re slated to face off against their division rival San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football in a game with incredible NFC playoff implications.

Are the Rams, on the road, favorites in this game after their masterful Week 14 effort? Maybe yes, maybe no, but after San Francisco secured their own big win over the Chicago Bears last week, this had the potential to be one of the better TNF games of the season.

1. Matthew Stafford doesn’t match his Week 14 passing production

In 2024, Matthew Stafford has yet to throw for 300 yards in two straight games.

Now granted, he’s only passed the 300-yard mark twice on the year, hitting 317 in the season opener against the Detroit Lions and a season-high 320 in a Week 14 win over the Buffalo Bills, so it’s not like he’s had a lot of opportunities to hit the mark, but unfortunately for LA, Stafford’s raw passing production has taken a step back since 2023, when he threw for over 300 yards in his final three games of the season.

Is Week 15 when Stafford turns it all around? Will he step foot on Levi Stadium and look down Kyle Shanahan on the other sideline before throwing the ball for 300 yards on the way to a big win? Or will he instead struggle to get much going through the air for the second time this season, 11 games after throwing for just 221 yards in Week 3?

You know, in the NFL, things can really go either way, but things certainly aren’t looking ideal for Stafford to secure that sweet, sweet statistical advantage, as the 49ers’ passing defense remains very good despite suffering a plethora of injuries in 2024.

Sure, the 49ers are down multiple key defensive players, with Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw, and Drake Jackson all out, Javon Hargrave, Ambry Thomas, and Kevin Givens on IR, and Malik Mustapha and Yetur Gross-Matos both questionable. Sure, the Rams are coming off of their best win in 2024. And sure, LA has the 49ers’ number after basically starting their 2024 collapse with a shocking Week 3 win, but does that mean Stafford is in line for an elite performance? No, as tough as it may be to admit, it’s more likely that Stafford throws for under 250 yards against the NFL’s third-ranked passing defense than he becomes only the second quarterback to throw for 300-plus yards against San Francisco in 2024.

2. Kyren William and Blake Corum go full-on Road Warriors

While the 49ers have been among the best passing defenses in the NFL so far this season, their run game has been far more middle-of-the-pack, ranking 12th in the NFL in yards allowed – 1,507 on the 15th fewest attempts. Now granted, the 49ers’ defense has allowed 19 rushing touchdowns, which is the third-worst mark in the NFL, but actually getting to the endzone has been tricky in 2024, as their 23.7 points per game highlights.

Could the Rams, who have historically skewed pretty far right on the run-pass ratio, end up securing their eighth win of the season by running the ball effectively against their division rivals? Statistically speaking, the answer is yes, and the anecdotal evidence backs it up, too, as the Rams have been running the ball great since turning their one-man wrecking crew into a certified tag team with Blake Corum consistently coming off the top rope after a hot tag on Kyren Williams.

That’s right, after having just 29 rushing attempts from Week 1-13 combined, Corum has averaged eight rushing attempts per game since Week 13 and has been really living up to expectations with the ball in his hands, amassing 76 yards for a 4.75 yards-per-carry average, which is nearly a full yard better than Kyren Williams total on the season.

Discussing how Corum has become part of the rotation during his Week 14 media session, McVay celebrated Corum, noting that he’s made the decision to feature him in the rushing game an easy one.

“Yeah, that has been. I think it’s good to be able to get both of those guys some work. You can really maximize… obviously, Kyren [Williams] is our starter, but continue to take advantage of Blake,” McVay told reporters. “I think he’s done a nice job each of the last two weeks getting a few more opportunities. I think it keeps Kyren fresher throughout the course of the game. Obviously, as games go on, there are some different scenarios, especially when you’re in a tight game like what yesterday was that elicits a little bit different response. Blake being out there is something that I think’s been earned, and I think it’s best for the group overall while keeping Kyren as fresh as possible while still allowing him to impact the game. You’re accurate on that for sure.”

Now granted, this is very much still Williams’ team on the ground, as he’s averaged 14 more carries per game than Corum since Week 13, but if the duo can work together to break the 49ers down on the ground, it’s only a matter of time before one of them rip off a big run and change the game for good.

3. Jared Verse and the Rams sack Brock Purdy’s playoff chances

So, if the Rams are going to win in Week 15, the biggest advantage they have in Week 15 versus Week 3 has to be the presence – or, in this case, the lack thereof – of Trent Williams at left tackle. Still widely considered one of the best tackles in the NFL, Williams is a force in both the run and passing game, with the 49ers routinely running behind the All-Pro stalwart in the pursuit of positive rushing yardage.

And in his place? Well, the 49ers will be playing a 2021 fifth-round pick, Jaylon Moore, who has just seven starts on his resume over his four-year NFL career.

Now granted, Moore has played well for the 49ers in 2024, holding a 79.5 rating according to PFF, which ranks 14th among 133 qualifying tackles in the NFL, but that number comes over just 184 total snaps, or 634 fewer snaps than right tackle Colton McKivitz. With two tackles who are at best good but nowhere near Williams’ level, the Rams should be able to get after the quarterback all afternoon long, especially Defensive Rookie of the Year favorite Jared Verse, who has been giving some of the best tackles in the league fits despite his limited NFL experience.

Will the Rams pull out the win in Week 15? Maybe yes, maybe no, but if they can control the game on the ground and keep Brock Purdy constantly off balance for a full 60 minutes, they certainly should, which would keep them in the running for the playoffs and potentially knock the 49ers out at the same time.

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