5 key stats that define 49ers smashing win over Rams
By Peter Panacy
31. 42. Final. 10. 51
The 49ers demolished the Rams in prime time, pulling off a 31-10 victory, and these five stats help define why the Niners ended up in the win column.
The San Francisco 49ers finally put together their first statement win of the 2021 season. Too bad it came in Week 10 with their first complete victory, a 31-10 one-sided drubbing of the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium on Monday Night Football.
But no one on the Niners’ side will complain about the end result.
San Francisco was dominant on all three phases. And if you include coaching, the 49ers were better in all four phases, too. Head coach Kyle Shanahan got back to his roots by running the ball early and often, which not only kept possession in his offense’s hands but also prevented Rams head coach Sean McVay’s high-octane offense from doing much damage.
In total, the Niners rushed a whopping 44 times in the game.
Yet that stat doesn’t tell everything about what happened from Week 10’s performance. In addition, here are five other stats that reveal just why San Francisco experienced such a one-sided victory over its NFC West rivals.
No. 5: 49ers nearly doubled Rams in time of possession
A great formula for not letting Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Co. from doing damage? Don’t let them have the ball.
True, Stafford was beset by plenty of his receiving targets dropping his passes, including one that went off tight end Tyler Higbee’s hands and into the arms of safety Jimmie Ward, who returned it 27 yards for a pick-six touchdown. Yet Stafford was still able to pass for 243 yards and could have had a lot more if it weren’t for the drops.
Instead of letting this be a factor, the 49ers ensured Los Angeles wouldn’t have the ball too much, out-possessing their opponents by a timeframe of 39:09 to 20:57.
Almost double the possession time in favor of the Niners.
Running the ball, even if it only gained an average of 3.5 yards on the 44 carries, was nevertheless effective and kept San Francisco’s offense on the field against a gradually worn-down Rams defense.