4 challenges Trey Lance will face vs. Rams (if 49ers start him)
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Jalen Ramsey, Rams secondary will challenge Trey Lance
In some regards, the Texans defense wasn’t wholly terrible in its matchup against Trey Lance in Week 17, and some metrics actually cite it as being a top-10 unit despite Houston’s 4-12 record.
Regardless, Los Angeles’ defense, namely its secondary, is wholly greater a challenge for the first-year pro, and it’ll present itself as a large obstacle for Lance to overcome if he’s given starting duties again.
The Rams have been almost as solid, defensively, against the pass as they have this season against the run, currently allowing an average of 5.9 yards per pass play, good for ninth best in the league. And while LA has given up a good deal of yardage, 3,795 entering Week 18, that’s probably due to the fact its opponents this season have been trying to catch up in games where Los Angeles has held a lead, thereby negating a run-heavy approach.
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A big reason why the Rams secondary has been so good is due to five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey, whose three interceptions and 15 pass breakups make him a particularly hard player to target.
And Ramsey’s 67.5 passer rating allowed when targeted effectively means he’ll blanket his side of the field, taking that away from Lance’s target areas.