Game grades, analysis from cathartic 49ers beatdown over rival Rams
49ers Defensive Grades vs. Rams
Defensive Line
Much like the offensive line, the defensive line was a little off-kilter in the first half.
In the run game, they had a tremendous push, but they couldn’t get hands on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, allowing him to pick apart the secondary.
But in the second half, as the 49ers began to press on the Rams, the defensive line got home, disrupting Los Angeles’ rhythm of the passing attack and cementing the victory.
Grade: B
Linebackers
Oren Burks was placed in a difficult position on a crosser to Cooper Kupp that gave the Rams their second touchdown. There are only a handful of linebackers in the NFL capable of covering Kupp down the field like that, and the Niners have one of them in Fred Warner.
The 12 total tackles Warner had don’t describe the violence in which he played against Los Angeles, becoming a rising tide for the defense, especially in the second half. His pressures on blitzes stifled the Rams’ offensive drives, his coverage was pristine, and above all else, he was everywhere.
The 49ers defense is a unit filled with stars, but Warner uniquely allows them to attack in a way other defenses cannot. He played up to his extremely high standards.
Grade: A-
Secondary
The Niners secondary was not spectacular, but it got the job done, especially in the second half when everything else was working on defense.
The first half was a concerning display, but they fixed it. There’s not much else to be said.