Golden Nuggets: At long last... game day!

49ers vs. Rams observations, predictions: No love lost between these two rivals (paywall)

“The Rams’ pass attack might not be as dynamic anymore, but McVay is attempting to shift to a more multiple unit that actually has used 6-foot-3, 225-pound receiver Ben Skowronek at fullback over 29 snaps so far. As a result, L.A. is now more capable than ever of running out of passing formations.”

Kyle Shanahan: It’s ‘unfair’ to blame Jimmy Garoppolo for 49ers’ struggles

“Always with the quarterback, when you struggle, he’s probably going to get too much blame,” Shanahan added while speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area. “I mean, just as an offense, we didn’t play well at every single position, so to put that all on Jimmy, I think, is very unfair. I think it goes with the whole offense.

2022 NFL season: Four things to watch for in Rams-49ers game on ‘Monday Night Football’

“The Rams’ road to first place in the division has not been a pretty one. Much of that is due to Stafford’s turnover-happy start to the season. He is currently tied with Mac Jones and Jameis Winston for most interceptions in the league with five. While his struggles have opened up questions about the elbow problem that reportedly plagued him during the offseason, Stafford has also simply forced his share of ill-advised prayers. His miscues and the Rams’ 30th-ranked running game is a chicken-and-egg situation thus far, but the end result is 20.3 points per game and 306.3 total yards per game, both franchise lows in the first three weeks of any season under McVay. A giveaway-free game will be a tall task. San Francisco’s defense has been swarming all year. The unit ranks third in points allowed and second in yards allowed. It has familiarity against Stafford, and it has the track record — he threw two interceptions in both of last year’s regular-season matchups.”

Silver: 49ers and Rams both craved new QBs. How L.A. succeeded where S.F. stumbled

“Realistically, it was always a long shot that the Niners would land Stafford. Newly hired Lions general manager Brad Holmes had worked in the Rams’ front office for the previous 18 seasons, and many NFL front-office executives believe he and his former boss, Rams GM Les Snead, had a loose arrangement to get a deal done.

Also significant was the fact that Holmes had a high opinion of Goff, who is off to a good start for the Lions in 2022. Because the Rams were so desperate to gain salary-cap relief by extricating themselves from Goff’s contract, they essentially overpaid for Stafford. Even if the Niners had been willing to do that, it probably wouldn’t have been enough, because the Lions were lukewarm on Garoppolo as a replacement.”