49ers: 6 questions with Ramblin' Fan on Week 3 versus Rams

In advance of the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 3 contest versus the Los Angeles Rams, Niner Noise sat down with FanSided’s Ramblin’ Fan to preview this prime-time Thursday Night Football matchup between these NFC West rivals.

The San Francisco 49ers host the visiting Los Angeles Rams on a short week in Week 3, as both NFC West rivals get ready to square off on Thursday Night Football.

L.A. is coming off a 27-20 loss to the Washington Redskins, and they currently sit at 1-1 — one game above the winless Niners, who dropped a 12-9 divisional effort in Seattle against the Seahawks last Sunday.

To get more on what to expect from this prime-time bout, Niner Noise went behind enemy lines and discussed the contest with FanSided’s Ramblin’ Fan site expert, Dan Parzych.

San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

We asked six questions, ranging from topics related to both the Niners and Rams, to help preview this upcoming contest.

Here’s what Parzych had to say:

NN: Both the 49ers and Rams hired new head coaches this offseason, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, respectively. Both are known for their offensive abilities, but what specifically do you think McVay will try to employ, scheme-wise, this season and beyond? And what are the best weapons to help implement what McVay wants to do?

"RF: When it comes to Sean McVay, I think the most important factor for this season is the development of Jared Goff, and making sure he continues to progress at quarterback. Last season, Goff was at a major disadvantage due to poor protection along the offensive line along with a weak receiving corps, but all of that has changed as a sophomore.One of the reasons why Los Angeles was sold on McVay as their head coach was due to his success developing Kirk Cousins over the last two years, and they hope Goff turns out to be the same, if not better. But of course, Goff is still far away from even being at the same level as [Kirk] Cousins."

NN: Goff enters this season under a lot of pressure to perform. Early results seem to be good, but what do you think Goff needs to do this season to justify the high investment a year ago?

"RF: I think for Goff, it just comes down to his confidence level and leadership skills since the Rams did a great job fixing their areas of weakness on offense during the offseason.The last thing Los Angeles can afford to see happen is Goff show a lack of confidence kind of like Blake Bortles has with the Jacksonville Jaguars because the team has done an amazing job with setting him up to succeed, so now it’s up to the Rams quarterback to be confident enough in himself that he’s capable of getting the job done."

NN: The Niners haven’t exactly gotten off to a hot start, but San Francisco’s defense appears to be clicking. From an outsider’s perspective, what stands out to you from the 49ers’ defensive efforts over two games, and how do you think the Rams attack this group on Thursday night?

"RF: Honestly, as frustrating as that recent loss to the Seattle Seahawks was, the 49ers should be feeling all of the confidence in the world on the defensive side of the football.Keeping a talented offense like the Seahawks is never an easy task since Russell Wilson can be a nightmare for opponents at times, but to pull off this accomplishment while playing on the road in Seattle is even more incredible. All of a sudden, the Rams’ offense better realize this isn’t a game to approach lightly against the 49ers since Goff will need all of the help he can get from his teammates, especially Todd Gurley since Week 2 showed how much of a difference maker the running back can be."

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

NN: Which 49ers and Rams players do you view as the X-factors in Week 3 and why?

"RF: Throughout the offseason, the one player that always comes to mind on the 49ers is Carlos Hyde since he’s unfortunately struggled to be consistent over the years, but also has shown signs of having what it takes to be one of the top running backs in the league when healthy. Not to mention, Hyde had his way against the Rams in the opener last season, and after a strong performance against the Seahawks, the running back seems motivated more than ever.As for Los Angeles, Cooper Kupp seems to be a likely candidate, but Gerald Everett is going to take the cake for this one. Even though most of his production came on a 69-yard catch against the Washington Redskins in which he happened to find himself wide open, Everett showed why he was worthy of a second-round pick for the Rams in this year’s NFL Draft, and could be a key factor in the passing game moving forward."

NN: San Francisco’s offense has struggled to get anything going against two solid defenses the first two weeks. How do you think Los Angeles’ defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, plans on exploiting the Niners’ current offensive woes?

"RF: Last weekend’s game against the Washington Redskins, horrendous doesn’t even begin to describe how bad the Rams were at stopping the run, even with Aaron Donald finally being back in the lineup.The last thing Los Angeles can afford to have happen is Hyde and the rest of the ground game for the 49ers exploit the defense like Washington was able to do, so here’s to hoping Phillips can make the necessary adjustments to make sure that doesn’t happen again."

NN: Who wins this game and why?

"RF: This is a tough call because looking at the Rams and 49ers, both teams are coming off a frustrating loss in Week 2 that could have easily gone their way if it wasn’t for a few costly plays in the fourth quarter. But with Sean McVay heading into Week 3 knowing he missed the perfect opportunity to defeat his former team, don’t be surprised if the head coach feels a little extra motivated and pulls off the 28-20 win over the 49ers."

Ramblin’ Fan will be running Niner Noise’s questions over at their website soon, so be sure to check what we had to say about this upcoming Thursday Night Football matchup when it goes live.

And, of course, you’ll want to give Ramblin’ Fan a follow on Twitter — @RamblinFan — as well as Mr. Parzych himself — @DanParzych.

Next: NFL power rankings: League-wide shakeups after Week 2

The Niners and Rams kick off at 8:25 p.m. ET this Thursday from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

Rams vs. 49ers: 6 Thursday Night Football questions with Ramblin’ Fan

By Peter Panacy | Sep 19, 2017