The San Francisco 49ers defense had little trouble with the Los Angeles Rams in their season-opening win, thanks in part to Case Keenum’s ineffectiveness. The 49ers held Keeneum to 17 of 35 passing, with only 130 yards and two interceptions.
The 49ers said they were focused on Todd Gurley, and willing to let Keenum try and beat them. However, they might have had a little help on their side. On Wednesday, NFL Network reporter Steve Wyche said he spoke with a 49ers player who said they were completely ready for the Rams passing attack:
I had a 49ers player telling me, when it came to the passing game for the Rams, they could tell by alignment and backfield motion after the snap exactly what the Rams' route tree was. Now, is that because they didn’t overly scheme? Is that because Case Keenum is limited?
While much of this probably does fall on the Rams own shortcomings, I’d say it’s a plus that the 49ers players were completely prepared for the situation. I don’t know what their meeting rooms and game preparations have been like, but clearly they’re not just twiddling their thumbs. The team did have seven months to prepare for this game, but even still, it’s nice to hear the team was ready for what they saw.