The Los Angeles Rams just can’t seem to beat the San Francisco 49ers during the regular season. The Rams would fall to their division rivals in Week 8 as the 49ers would outscore them 24-0 after Los Angeles jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.
Buy Rams TicketsWith the loss on Sunday, the Rams are now 3-4 and have sole possession of the No. 3 spot in the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks won and San Francisco defeated Los Angeles in Week 8, putting them ahead of the reigning Super Bowl champions in the division race thus far.
Following the 31-14 defeat at home, here are the studs and duds from Sunday’s divisional showdown.
Stud: Cooper Kupp
One of the only constants in the offense for the Rams has been Cooper Kupp. The All-Pro wideout finished with eight receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers. After leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns a season ago, Kupp now has 64 catches, 686 yards, and five touchdowns through the first eight weeks.
Stafford to Kupp! Automatic. @RamsNFL retake the lead.
📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/cSiNcKjZJe pic.twitter.com/gXgCMJ7xfN— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2022
Stud: Leonard Floyd
Leonard Floyd entered Week 8 without a sack and the edge rushers of the Rams had two total sacks on the season. The former first-round pick finally got on the board in the sack column with two sacks against the 49ers. Besides his two sacks, Floyd led the Rams with nine tackles in Sunday’s loss. The Rams are hoping that Floyd carries over his momentum to Week 9 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stud: Matthew Stafford
All things considered, Matthew Stafford played an efficient game against the 49ers in Week 8. The Pro Bowl quarterback completed 22 of his 33 attempts for 187 yards and a touchdown while also scoring a rushing touchdown. Stafford didn’t turn the ball over, though, with the Rams getting the ball out quickly, they didn’t connect on any big plays. Los Angeles will need more production from the skill players in the offense to give Stafford more help moving forward.
Stud: Nick Scott
Some of the secondary players struggled on Sunday, but Nick Scott wasn’t one of them. Scott tallied eight tackles and a pass breakup in the blowout loss at home. The former seventh-round pick’s pass breakup occurred in the first half when he prevented the 49ers from completing a big pass down the field to Ray-Ray McCloud.
Stud: Greg Gaines
The defensive front was solid in Week 8, and while Floyd got his first sack of the season, Greg Gaines also got his first sack of the season. The Washington product should credit Aaron Donald for allowing him to record his first sack of the season as the All-Pro interior defender got the initial pressure on Jimmy Garoppolo. The Rams could use more interior pressure from Gaines to aid the pass-rushing unit this season.
Dud: Tyler Higbee
Tyler Higbee has been one of the focal points of the offense this season, however, he’s seen his production fall off in two straight games. The veteran tight end caught only two of his six targets for 15 yards versus the 49ers in Week 8. Higbee also had a crucial dropped pass in the fourth quarter on a third-down play that could’ve been a massive play if he made the catch. San Francisco would score a touchdown right after Higbee dropped the pass, making the game 31-14.
Dud: Entire running game
The Rams continue to lack any sort of production from the running game this season and the offensive line injuries certainly haven’t helped the cause. Los Angeles elected to deploy Ronnie Rivers as the starting running back on Sunday, but the decision failed to provide a spark to the ground game as the Rams concluded with 56 rushing yards on 21 attempts. The trade deadline is approaching and the Rams could certainly make a move to add someone that can give them consistent production.
Dud: Derion Kendrick
Derion Kendrick has done a formidable job filling in at cornerback amid all of the secondary injuries the Rams have endured this season. That being said, the rookie cornerback had a rough outing in Week 8. The Georiga product had multiple blown coverages and he missed multiple tackles in the loss to the 49ers. With Troy Hill potentially returning soon, Kendrick’s role could change in the coming weeks.
