2) toe Purdy could place Jones back under the middle
Status toe QB Brock Purdy is unclear on the way to the game on Thursday. He missed the weeks 2 and 3 with the injury and then found pain in the game after Sunday against Jaguar. With a short turnaround, it could lead to Mac Jones starting his third game of the season. He was solid in wins against Cardinals and Saints, where Niners’ offenses went almost as efficient as it could have with Purdy below the center. Jones is dealing with knee injuries but has been practicing fully this week. It is also a matter of the position of Wr Ricky Pearsall, which has a knee injury and did not practice on Tuesday. Violations 49ers have had to throw the ball this season to succeed, with the running play. RB Christian McCaffreyhas had been very active but more successful in catching the ball than taking hands. They will need to find explosives somewhere, no matter who is getting started. Apart from Pearsall and McCaffrey, not many have come.
3) Pressure Rams versus 49ers’ Pass blockage
The rams will be healthy in front and have begun to put a lot of pressure on opposing games that pass. Byron Young (five sacks) is tied to the league in the league, with one or more in each game so far. Jared Verse has only two sacks but leads the rams with 17 pressure. They can also come with heat from the interior, where Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske are at the forefront, and the group is deep and versatile, allowing them to skip a short area. The rams Blitz (the ninth lowest ratio), but they come home effectively (44.9% pressure, fourth highest). On the back, the 49 men have been rather effective, although it was less true with Jones below the center. Jones’s sack ratio has been almost twice as high as Purdy, so you can expect a faster game that passes if Niners need to call his backup. Even with quality that prevents the front, the pressure of the rams can eat a team.