Part 1: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers Have the Arsenal to Beat the Rams
The key is “arsenal.” San Francisco doesn't have to be the better team on paper. In our breakdown, Los Angeles wins more of the individual positional battles. But the 49ers possess the specific weapons necessary to beat them.
The Final S³ Position Board
| Matchup | Advantage |
|---|---|
| QB: Stafford vs. Purdy | Rams |
| RB: McCaffrey vs. Williams | 49ers |
| WR: Nacua/Adams vs. Evans/Samuel | Rams |
| TE: Kittle vs. Rams TEs | 49ers |
| EDGE: Garrett vs. Bosa | Rams |
| Interior Defense | Rams |
| Secondary | Rams |
| Coaching | Rams, slight |
That actually makes the article stronger. We're not pretending the 49ers have a better roster.
The argument is that McCaffrey, Kittle, Bosa, Warner, Purdy, Shanahan and the overall construction of San Francisco's roster give the 49ers enough firepower to attack Los Angeles in areas that matter.
And despite the Rams' advantages, Shanahan is one of the few coaches with the offensive creativity and familiarity to devise a game plan capable of neutralizing some of that talent.
S³ Bottom Line
The Rams have more weapons. The 49ers have the right weapons.
Los Angeles should be favored. They're deeper and more talented overall. But San Francisco isn't walking into this matchup hoping for a miracle.
They have an arsenal capable of beating the Rams.
