3 Numbers to know versus the Rams: Matthew Stafford loves attacking the slot

The Los Angeles Rams surprised many last week with their 30-13 win over the Seahawks in Seattle. Los Angeles couldn’t get anything going on the ground - Kyren Williams and Cam Akers combined for 81 yards on 37 attempts - but managed to score three rushing touchdowns to finish three drives that lasted ten or more plays. Matthew Stafford completed only 24-of-38 passes for 334 yards but stayed clean against Seattle’s pass rush.

Sunday, Stafford has to deal with the 49ers pass rush that has given him fits the past two seasons. The game could come down to how clean Stafford can stay or if the pass rush led by Nick Bosa can get to him and force turnovers.

Here are three numbers to know as the 49ers look to extend their lengthy winning streak against the Rams:

10

Pass attempts, Ten of Matthew Stafford’s 38 pass attempts against Seattle targeted slot cornerback Coby Bryant.

Stafford completed seven of those ten passes for 64 yards, with the longest completion going for 16 yards. But Bryant held his own going against Puka Nacua, allowing three receptions for just 29 of Nacua’s 119 yards while holding Tutu Atwell, Tyler Higbee, and Van Jefferson to a combined 35 yards on four receptions.

Sean McVay could attack the slot again, as the 49ers have some adversity at the position in the season’s early weeks.

Deommodore Lenoir earned his spot as the Week 1 starter in the slot, but as Ambry Thomas struggled - allowing five receptions on six targets - Lenoir got kicked out wide, and Isaiah Oliver took over at nickel. Oliver was presumed to be the starter after signing over the offseason but seemingly played himself out of the spot over camp and the preseason. Stepping in for Lenoir, Oliver allowed three receptions on three targets for 25 yards while making and missing a tackle.

The 49ers might catch a break, as Nacua didn’t practice with an oblique injury on Thursday. But he played only 11 snaps out of the slot, with Atwell taking half of his snaps against Seattle in the slot while also finishing with 119 yards.

35

Snaps. Nick Bosa played 35 snaps against Pittsburgh.

And that number will likely increase on Sunday in Los Angeles after Bosa finishes his first full week of practice with the 49ers this season.

Part of Stafford’s success on Sunday was Seattle’s inability to get to him, with the Seahawks recording zero sacks and only being credited for pressuring the Rams quarterback 11 times.

In the eight regular season games the 49ers have played against the Rams since drafting Bosa in 2019, the defensive line has been held to 11 or fewer pressures four times. However, two of those four games came in 2020 when Bosa missed the entire season due to injury. In the six regular season games Bosa has played against the Rams, the 49ers defensive line has averaged 22.5 pressures.

The 49ers defensive line has dominated this matchup in recent years. There’s no better example of that domination than the last time these two met when the 49ers pressured Stafford 35 times, with Bosa accounting for 14 of his own. If Stafford can’t get comfortable against the 49ers pass rush, the Rams and their lack of run game will struggle to move the ball.

64/34

Percent ratio. SoFi Stadium is projected to be 64 percent 49ers fans and 34 percent Rams fans.

Uhhh, you think?

49ers fans travel well and don’t travel anywhere better than to the stadium deemed Levi’s South by the Faithful. The 49ers have played in front of a crowd three times in the four-year life of SoFi Stadium, and each time, there was more red than blue in the seats. Sunday will once again sound and feel like a 49ers home game.

Oh, and did I mention the 49ers also wearing their home uniforms? So it’s also going to look like a 49ers home game, too.

*insert joke about a second home-opener here*

One last bonus stat about SoFi Stadium: the 49ers are 3-0 in the regular season against the Rams. The Rams are 3-6 at SoFi Stadium against the NFC West since it opened in 2020. If the 49ers win on Sunday, they’ll have more divisional wins than the Rams have in their building.