SF 49ers: Deebo Samuel, defense grade out well vs. LA Rams

SF 49ers Special Teams, Coaching Grades vs. LA Rams

Robert Saleh coached better than head coach Kyle Shanahan. And Shanahan outcoached the Rams’ head coach, Sean McVay.

Shanahan improved to a 5-3 overall record against his NFC West rival, doing so with the inferior roster and far more injuries.

But he had to make sure his special teams unit played a key role.

It’s a good thing Robbie Gould’s lone miss from 50 yards out didn’t come back to haunt the Niners too much.

That turned into Gould’s only gaffe from the game, as he connected from 46, 44 and 42 yards out, the last one being of the game-winning variety, not overly different than the game winner he had when these two teams played back in Week 16 of 2019.

It was also refreshing to see punt return specialist Trent Taylor not make the same kind of gaffe he had back in Week 10 when he let a fair catch go but didn’t call off his teammate to get out of the way.

Special teams was a quiet reason why San Francisco came away with the win, the three field goals from Gould being a primary factor.

Shanahan didn’t call a bad game at all. If Nick Mullens had the accuracy, the SF 49ers would have likely gained 400 yards passing through the air. There were opportunities there for the taking, and a more accurate quarterback would have capitalized on those chances.

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Still, Shanahan changed things up a bit and didn’t fall too deeply into the run-run-pass play-calling he often would get into at various points earlier this season. And even when the Rams starting selling out to stop the run, Shanahan didn’t abandon that approach either, instead letting Mullens make high-percentage plays late in the fourth quarter.

But Saleh was the star.

San Francisco forcing four turnovers on defense was a great result-producing effort, and the fact the defense was able to make play after play following an SF 49ers offensive gaffe or shortcoming speaks measures to just how well the defensive coordinator has handled his own unit’s adversity this season.

Yes, Saleh will be a head coaching candidate in 2021.

For now, though, all that matters is the Niners keeping their still-dim playoff hopes alive, and beating the Rams was about as must-win a scenario San Francisco has had this season.

Good to come out on the right side.