The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-14 in a much-needed victory that brought the team back to .500 heading into the bye week, which placed them back into the playoff picture as the seventh seed in the NFC.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had his most efficient performance of his career, while both sides of the football played potentially their best half of the season in the second half last Sunday to overcome a halftime deficit en route to a division victory.
Here are the grades from the 49ers' win over the Rams.
Quarterback: A
Jimmy Garoppolo completed 21/25 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns, compiling one of his best performances, efficiency-wise, in a 49ers uniform.
As a result, the offense compiled 31 points for just the second time this season, and it came at a much-needed time.
Garoppolo showcased certain elements of his game that had been inconsistent in weeks past, specifically in regard to going through his progressions.
Garoppolo, known for locking onto early reads at times, went through the entirety of his progression on several occasions, which led to a team-high nine targets for running back Christian McCaffrey, which is unheard of for a running back under the Garoppolo era.
If Garoppolo can continue to go through his progressions on a consistent basis, while maintaining his 5% Big Time Throw percentage, the 49ers offense can reach the heights that its talent suggests it can this season.
Running Backs: A
Christian McCaffrey was every part of the 49ers' offense on Sunday, rushing for 94 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, which catching eight passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, and throwing for a 34-yard score to Brandon Aiyuk on a trick play.
Just nine days after his arrival in San Francisco, McCaffrey provided every element of what the 49ers asked in the offense, erasing any initial worries on whether the trade was worth it.
His vision and ability to maneuver past defenders bailed the 49ers out on several instances, and his skillset should only continue to be magnified once Deebo Samuel returns from his hamstring injury.
Jeff Wilson Jr., operating primarily as a fullback, had four rushes for 14 yards in his final game as a 49er, but overall; it was the McCaffrey show on Sunday.
Wide Receivers: B+
Similar to it being the Christian McCaffrey show for the running backs, it was the Brandon Aiyuk show for the receivers on Sunday, as the third-year wideout compiled six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.
The 49ers receiver now has three consecutive games with 80 yards, sparking a quiet breakout season from the 24-year-old, who currently leads San Francisco in receiving yards.
Ray-Ray McCloud operated as San Francisco's secondary option on Sunday with both Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings out due to injury, catching one pass for 11 yards on two targets.
McCloud had a big-play opportunity early in the game on a deep pass from Garoppolo that was underthrown, but catchable. However, McCloud didn't go for the ball, instead allowing it to come to him, which gave his defender a chance to make a play on the ball.
Willie Snead, Danny Gray, and Tay Martin each recorded zero stats as the other receivers who were available for the game.
Tight Ends: A
George Kittle had three catches for 39 yards and a touchdown, but had several nice contributions as a blocker, both in pass protection and in the running game.
Kittle saw heavy action on certain occasions when running routes, which freed up space for Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey, resulting in an efficient day for the skill position players.
Kittle's counterpart, Ross Dwelley, finally saw action during a game, and made the most of his opportunity with a wide open 55-yard catch due to the presence of McCaffrey in the flat.
Dwelley, unlike fellow tight end Charlie Woerner, caught the ball and should be relied on as a second tight in the passing game with his route-running and catching ability.
Offensive Line: B+
Once again, the 49ers' offensive line gave protection to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, which allowed him to progress through his reads consistently.
While the offensive line has been a scapegoat for the offensive woes, due to a few poor plays per game by individuals, they've arguably been the best position group for the 49ers in the first half of the season.
In the running game, Christian McCaffrey saw several holes that made it easy for him to operate, both between the tackles and outside of the tackles, which was a result of cohesion from the men up front.
Aaron Banks continues to display why the 49ers moved on from Laken Tomlinson with improved run-blocking and strong pass protection.
Currently, the offensive line is prone to make a few mistakes per game, especially on the right side, but the unit as a whole has been an underrated group this season and performed above expectations at the midseason mark.
- Rohan Chakravarthi
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Written by:Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
