49ers will sweep season series vs. Rams if they win these matchups

With a win in hand over the Rams already this season, the 49ers will look to sweep the season series in Week 8 and can do so by winning these matchups.

It almost seems as if every time the San Francisco 49ers need a “get right” game, the Los Angeles Rams are on the docket.

After a disappointing 3-5 start in 2021, the Niners pummeled the Rams in prime time. Then again, earlier this season in Week 4, San Francisco turned around a 1-2 start to the year by beating LA by a score of 24-9 by holding quarterback Matthew Stafford and Co. out of the end zone.

Riding back-to-back ugly losses to the Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs, perhaps head coach Kyle Shanahan and his squad can again right the proverbial ship by defeating the 3-3 Rams once more, turning SoFI Stadium into “Levi’s South” in the process.

Los Angeles is dealing with its own problems, some of which may be attributed to what some call a Super Bowl “hangover.” Still, the 49ers will need to win some key individual matchups to ensure Shanahan’s regular-season dominance over these NFC West rivals continues, resulting in yet another season sweep for the Niners.

These five matchups will be vital for San Francisco.

49ers vs. Rams matchup No. 5: Nick Bosa vs. LA’s offensive line

In the last two weeks, the 49ers have lost the battle in the trenches. And while some may attribute that fact to the absence of injured defensive tackle Arik Armstead, there is still room for the Niners’ defensive playmakers to make impact plays.

This points to Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa.

Bosa, who has seven sacks on the season, is squaring off against what’s been a troubling offensive line for Los Angeles in 2022. Recently, Pro Football Focus ranked LA’s blockers next to last in the entire NFL heading into Week 8, and Stafford has already taken a whopping 22 sacks over six games this season.

Seven of those came by way of San Francisco the last time these two teams played, and Bosa had two of them.

Needless to say, that was a big reason why Stafford and the Rams offense struggled back in Week 4, and the 49ers would love nothing more than a repeat performance.