49ers at Rams
Dome at America’s Center
St. Louis, Mo.
Sunday, Dec. 9, 2001
AT A GLANCE: Two of the league’s most explosive
offenses square off in a battle for NFC West supremacy. The 49ers will be looking for
their third straight road victory. The Rams had a rare off game in their last home outing.
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| OVERVIEW: Look for the sparks to fly in what promises to
be a fast-paced aerial circus. The Rams rebounded from a weak prime-time effort vs. the
Buccaneers with a 35-6 rout of the Falcons last Sunday in which they averaged a lofty 9.4
yards per offensive play.
More importantly, after losing three fumbles and being intercepted twice vs. Tampa Bay
six days earlier — and averaging five giveaways in each of their previous four games
— the Rams were error free.
The 49ers, meanwhile, rung up an efficient 35-0 victory over the lowly Bills on a wet
3Com Park field and received a big assist from an opportunistic defense for the second
straight week.
This game is a rematch of the Rams’ 30-26 victory in Week Two, when the 49ers hung
tough despite being outgained 425-232. A key factor was the 49ers’ inability to hang
on to QB Jeff Garcia’s passes.
All told, the 49ers dropped nine catchable balls, five of which came on third-down
situations and four of which were dropped by moody WR Terrell Owens, who sat in
stoned-face silence in front of his locker for an hour after the game.
Don’t be surprised if special teams end up playing a big role in this game —
for better or worse. The Rams’ kickoff-return coverage in particular has been a
glaring weakness of late.
When the 49ers have the ball:
No quarterback in the league has played any better this season than Jeff Garcia, who
suddenly looks likes the second coming of Joe Montana. Even though he has rushed for only
20 yards in his past five games since spraining his knee against the Bears in Week Seven,
Garcia is still one of the NFL’s most mobile singalcallers. He is consistently able
to buy time with his quick feet and surprising scrambling ability and has developed a
greatly improved passing touch when throwing on the run. |
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| Dome at America's Center |
| St. Louis, Mo. |
| Date: Sunday, December 9, 2001 |
| 12:00 p.m. Central Time |
| Type Of Turf: Artificial |
| Meeting Of The Year: Second |
| Previous Meeting: |
| |
San Francisco |
26 |
| |
St. Louis |
(-6.5) 30 |
| Season Record: |
| |
San Francisco |
9-2-0 |
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St. Louis |
9-2-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
San Francisco |
6-4-1 |
| |
St. Louis |
5-5-1 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
San Francisco (R) |
4-1-0 |
| |
St. Louis (H) |
3-2-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
San Francisco (R) |
3-2-0 |
| |
St. Louis (H) |
2-3-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf: |
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San Francisco |
2-0-0 |
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St. Louis |
6-2-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
San Francisco |
2-0-0 |
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St. Louis |
4-3-1 |
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| Look for the 49ers’ tremendously underrated
offensive line to try to suck the Rams’ undermanned defensive line into a lot of
counter-action, whereby it blocks in one direction and the play goes in another direction. The
Rams’ LB corps, which is expected to have Don Davis (wrist) back on the strong side,
will have to be at its best against double-threat RB Garrison Hearst and possibly rookie
Kevan Barlow (shoulder; check status). Hearst, who appears to have regained much of the
explosiveness he displayed prior to his career-threatening ankle injury, has rushed for
549 yards in the 49ers’ last five games, averaging 6.0 yards over that span.
Hearst also has been a productive receiver out of the backfield and adept at picking up
blitzes. The Rams’ secondary (check the status of safeties Adam Archuleta and Kim
Herring with ankle and hip injuries, respectively) would be wise not to focus primarily on
the ever-dangerous Owens.
J.J. Stokes (eight catches for 68 yards vs. Buffalo) has come on strong lately.
When the Rams have the ball:
Coming off a game against the Bucs in which he completed under 50 percent of his passes
for the first time in his career, QB Kurt Warner was picture perfect against the Falcons,
completing 17-of-23 passes for 342 yards (his seventh 300-yard game of the season) and
four TD passes.
Three of those scores went to RB Marshall Faulk, who had six catches for 128 yards and
12 carries for 70 yards. Faulk, who had 184 yards rushing and receiving in Week Two vs.
the 49ers, also could play a pivotal role picking up blitzes.
The Niners, one of the weakest pass-rushing teams in the league, need to generate a lot
more pressure and get in Warner’s face to force the Rams back into the turnover mode
that killed them in their only two losses.
A matchup to watch is 49ers rookie DRE Andre Carter, who has just one sack, vs. massive
Rams OLT Orlando Pace. Carter must somehow find a way to outquick Pace and disrupt
Warner’s rhythm.
The key matchup in the game, however, will be the Rams’ fleet-footed receiving
corps of Isaac Bruce (eight catches for 144 yards and a TD in the Week Two meeting), Torry
Holt (10-205-1 the last two weeks) and Az-Zahir Hakim (25-yard TD catch in Week Two) vs. a
steadily improving 49ers secondary that has come up with eight interceptions over the last
two games.
Keep a special eye on Bruce vs. CB Ahmed Plummer (four total picks vs. the Colts and
Bills).
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Dec. 2. |
Offense |
| WR |
83 STOKES, 89 Streets |
| OLT |
63 DEESE, 77 Willig, 76 Costa* |
| OLG |
65 BROWN, 60 Lynch |
| C |
62 NEWBERRY, 60 Lynch |
| ORG |
74 FIORE, 77 Willig |
| ORT |
78 GRAGG, 77 Willig |
| TE |
82 JOHNSON*, 88 Swift, 86 Jennings, 85 Clark |
| WR |
81 OWENS, 84 Wilson* |
| QB |
5 GARCIA, 13 Rattay, 3 Mirer |
| RB |
20 HEARST, 32 Barlow*, 27 P. Smith |
| FB |
40 BEASLEY, 22 Jackson |
Defense |
| DLE |
95 ENGELBERGER, 91 Okeafor, 90 Setzer |
| DLT |
97 YOUNG, 93 Schlecht* |
| DRT |
94 STUBBLEFIELD, 92 McGrew |
| DRE |
96 A. CARTER*, 90 Stezer |
| LOLB |
98 PETERSON, 56 Killens |
| LILB |
50 D. SMITH, 54 Stewart* |
| RILB |
53 ULBRICH, 55 Winborn* |
| LCB |
29 PLUMMER, 26 Holman*, 23 Williams* |
| RCB |
36 WEBSTER, 24 McCullough |
| SS |
30 SCHULTERS, 38 Heard |
| FS |
31 BRONSON, 38 Heard |
Specialists |
| PK |
6 CORTEZ |
| P |
7 BAKER* |
| H |
7 BAKER* |
| PR |
25 SUTHERLAND*, 84 Wilson* |
| KR |
25 SUTHERLAND*, 43 Lewis, 84 Wilson* |
| LS |
86 JENNINGS, 62 Newberry |
* Rookie |
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Offense |
| WR |
88 HOLT, 81 Hakim |
| OLT |
76 PACE, 60 Jones |
| OLG |
61 NÜTTEN, 71 Noa |
| C |
67 McCOLLUM, 65 Garcia |
| ORG |
62 TIMMERMAN, 73 Spikes |
| ORT |
50 TUCKER, 60 Jones, 70 St. Clair |
| TE |
84 CONWELL, 86 Manumaleuna*, 45 Robinson |
| WR |
80 BRUCE, 87 Proehl, 83 Murphy |
| QB |
13 WARNER, 12 Martin, 10 Bulger |
| RB |
28 FAULK, 24 Canidate, 25 Holcombe |
| FB |
42 HODGINS, 33 Watson |
Defense |
| DLE |
72 AHANOTU, 97 Jackson, 91 Little |
| DLT |
66 YOUNG, 79 Pickett*, 97 Jackson |
| DRT |
90 ZGONINA, 79 Pickett* |
| DRE |
98 WISTROM, 77 Moran, 93 Brown |
| SLB |
58 DAVIS, 52 Polley*, 51 Allen* |
| MLB |
59 FLETCHER, 56 Cohen |
| WLB |
55 FIELDS, 52 Polley*, 57 Brigance |
| LCB |
35 WILLIAMS, 23 Butler* |
| RCB |
21 McCLEON, 32 Bly |
| SS |
31 ARCHULETA*, 41 Sorensen |
| FS |
20 HERRING, 38 Coady, 30 Gary* |
Specialists |
| PK |
14 WILKINS |
| P |
4 BAKER |
| H |
87 PROEHL, 4 Baker |
| KR |
24 CANIDATE, 83 Murphy, 32 Bly |
| PR |
81 HAKIM, 32 Bly, 83 Murphy |
| LS |
45 ROBINSON, 90 Zgonina, 65 Garcia |
* Rookie |
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