San Francisco 49ers vs Rams starts with a simple question: can the Rams keep Christian McCaffrey from finding daylight outside the tackle box? That sounds easier than it plays.
Kyle Shanahan wants the defensive front moving sideways. George Kittle can wash a defender inside. Kyle Juszczyk can lead through the alley. Then McCaffrey presses the edge, waits for one defender to lose leverage and plants his foot. Los Angeles just added the league’s most dangerous answer.
The Rams acquired Myles Garrett from Cleveland on June 1, sending Jared Verse and three draft picks to the Browns. Garrett arrives after setting the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks in 2025.
Forget the sack total for a moment. Garrett’s bigger impact on 49ers vs Rams could come when Purdy never drops back. If Garrett sets a hard edge and forces McCaffrey inside, San Francisco’s blocking angles change immediately. If he attacks too aggressively, Shanahan can make that aggression work against him. That battle will follow both teams all the way to Melbourne.
The Rivalry Moves to Melbourne but the Fight Stays Familiar
The 49ers and Rams kick off their regular season at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, September 10 at 5:35 p.m. PT. In Melbourne, the game begins Friday, September 11 at 10:35 a.m. AEST. It will mark the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia. The location changes. The football problem does not.
These teams know each other too well for cheap deception to carry an offense for four quarters. Shanahan and Sean McVay have spent years attacking many of the same defensive rules from opposite sidelines. You cannot trick a division rival forever.
Instead, 49ers vs Rams often turns on whether a defender takes the correct first step and whether the blocker across from him wins six inches of leverage. That matters most against San Francisco’s run game.
McCaffrey does not need a clean highway. Give him a crease between an over pursuing edge and a late linebacker, and a routine outside zone call can become the play that changes a drive.
Shanahan Wants the Rams Running Sideways
The beauty of San Francisco’s outside zone game comes from how ordinary everything can look before the snap. Purdy gets under center. McCaffrey settles behind him. Kittle tightens his split. Juszczyk shifts across the formation.
Then everyone moves. Trent Williams may reach for the outside shoulder of the edge defender while the interior line works combination blocks toward the second level. Kittle can block down. Juszczyk can slice across the formation or lead toward daylight.
Each movement changes somebody’s run fit. That is the real stress point.
When McCaffrey presses toward the perimeter, Rams linebackers Nate Landman and Omar Speights cannot sprint blindly toward the sideline. They have to read the blocks first. If Kittle seals the defensive end, the linebacker may need to scrape outside. When Juszczyk inserts through the C gap, that same linebacker could suddenly have to meet a fullback coming downhill.
McCaffrey Makes Every Fit Feel Dangerous
San Francisco leaned heavily on McCaffrey last season for a reason. He produced 2,126 yards from scrimmage in 2025, rushing for 1,202 yards while adding 924 through the air. Those numbers matter, but his versatility tells the bigger story.
Put McCaffrey in the slot and the Rams have to decide who follows him. Motion him back into the backfield and the original coverage picture can become a run fit before the ball ever moves. Suddenly, a linebacker preparing to handle a receiver has to diagnose outside zone.
That is where Shanahan earns his advantage. The same personnel can threaten the perimeter, attack between the tackles or release McCaffrey into space. San Francisco does not need to substitute to change the problem. For 49ers and Rams, that means Los Angeles must communicate before it can tackle.
Garrett Versus Williams Is More Than a Pass Rush Matchup
The marquee collision almost advertises itself. Myles Garrett against Trent Williams. One attacks edges with rare speed and power. The other has spent years erasing elite rushers from San Francisco’s left side.
Yet this matchup becomes more interesting when Purdy hands the ball off. If Garrett screams upfield looking for the quarterback, Shanahan can run underneath him. McCaffrey only needs Williams to steer Garrett past the intended lane.
On the other hand, Garrett can ruin outside zone without touching the running back. Set the edge. Stay square. Force McCaffrey to turn uphill before he wants to. That gives the pursuit time to arrive.
San Francisco cannot build its entire plan around double teaming Garrett, either. Doing so would create another problem.
The Rams Have Enough Muscle Inside to Punish Extra Attention
Garrett will draw cameras, but Kobie Turner, Poona Ford and Braden Fiske may decide whether the Rams actually stop McCaffrey. Byron Young gives Los Angeles another edge presence on the opposite side. Together, that front can punish an offense that slides too much help toward one defender.
Double Garrett and Turner gets a cleaner matchup. Send Kittle toward the edge and Ford may see fewer bodies inside. More importantly, the Rams already showed they can win a critical fit against McCaffrey.
During Los Angeles’ 42-26 victory over San Francisco last November, Byron Young stopped McCaffrey for no gain on fourth and 1 at the Rams’ 11 yard line. That snap provides the blueprint. Young did not chase a highlight. He handled his responsibility and closed the lane. Against this offense, boring discipline can feel devastating.
The First 2025 Meeting Shows Why McCaffrey Cannot Be Judged by Rushing Yards
The earlier meeting told a different story. San Francisco won 26-23 in overtime. McCaffrey rushed for only 57 yards, hardly a dominant ground performance. Then look at the other column. He added 82 receiving yards, giving him 139 yards from scrimmage.
That is the trap Los Angeles must avoid in Melbourne. Sell out against the run, and McCaffrey can leak into the flat against a linebacker. Play lighter boxes, and Shanahan can lean on Williams, Kittle and Juszczyk.
For 49ers vs Rams, controlling McCaffrey means controlling the entire structure around him rather than chasing one rushing statistic.
The Perimeter Stress Does Not End With McCaffrey
That structure extends beyond the backfield. Once Shanahan gets the Rams flowing hard toward McCaffrey, every blocker on the perimeter matters. Kittle can cave down an edge defender. Juszczyk can escort the run outside. Even the receivers become part of the equation. That is where Mike Evans fits.
San Francisco signed the veteran receiver to a three-year deal in March after 12 seasons in Tampa Bay. His obvious value comes on vertical routes and contested catches, but his size also gives Shanahan another body to use against defensive backs near the edge.
McCaffrey pointed to that part of Evans’ game during OTAs, remembering how difficult Evans made life for defenses in both the passing game and the run game. A 6-foot-5 receiver does not need to pancake a cornerback.
He only has to hold the block. If Evans keeps a defensive back occupied for another second, McCaffrey can clear the alley before pursuit arrives. That threat also creates the next counter. The moment a corner starts charging downhill to beat the block, Shanahan can send Evans past him.
Successful Runs Buy Brock Purdy Better Throws
Every five-yard carry does something for Brock Purdy. It keeps Garrett from ignoring the run. Second-and-5 lets Shanahan keep the entire call sheet alive. Play-action works better. Boot concepts remain credible. The Rams cannot simply turn their front loose.
Third-and-9 brings a completely different game. Garrett can hunt. Turner can attack a guard’s edge. Byron Young can widen his rush. The secondary gets to play the sticks instead of worrying about McCaffrey ripping through a light box.
That is why the run-fit battle matters even when San Francisco does not produce explosive runs. Four yards can be enough. The 49ers want to stay ahead of the chains until Los Angeles starts leaning toward McCaffrey. Once that happens, Purdy gets the throwing windows Shanahan has spent the previous snaps creating. That sequence has always powered this offense.
Melbourne Will Reveal Who Controls the Edge
The international stage will make 49ers vs Rams look enormous. The decisive moments may look much smaller. Watch Williams’ hands when Garrett aligns over his side. See whether Garrett keeps his outside shoulder free or attacks directly into the backfield.
If Landman and Speights scrape cleanly behind Garrett, McCaffrey may spend the morning cutting into crowded lanes. Should Garrett pinch inside or fly too far upfield, San Francisco will attack the space he leaves.
Kittle and Juszczyk matter just as much. Their ability to move defenders at the edge can turn a two-yard gain into eight before McCaffrey ever meets a safety. After San Francisco strings together two or three productive runs, Shanahan starts hunting bigger rewards.
Purdy turns his back to the defense. McCaffrey sells the handoff. A linebacker steps forward. Evans or Kittle slips into the space behind him. The Melbourne opener may feature stars all over the field, but the tactical argument stays brutally simple.
San Francisco wants one Rams defender out of his gap. Los Angeles needs all eleven to stay home. When McCaffrey plants his outside foot in Melbourne, that difference could decide everything.
READ MORE: New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks: The Pass Protection Edge
FAQ’s
Where is the 49ers vs Rams game being played?
The 49ers and Rams kick off their regular season at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. It marks the NFL’s first regular-season game in the country.
Why are run fits so important in this game?
Run fits dictate which defender owns each gap. One wrong step gives Christian McCaffrey room to explode for a massive gain.
How does Myles Garrett impact the 49ers run game?
Garrett sets a hard edge at the line. He forces running plays back inside where pursuit tackles can finish the play.
How does Mike Evans help San Francisco’s running game?
Evans brings a massive 6-foot-5 frame to the perimeter. He blocks defensive backs to clear open lanes for McCaffrey.
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