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The 49ers (3-5) desperately need to run that streak to five when
they entertain the Rams (7-2) on Monday night at Santa Clara,
Calif.
While Los Angeles is battling the Arizona Cardinals (8-1) for
the NFC West lead, division rival San Francisco is trying to
save its season.
The 49ers lost 31-17 at home to the Cardinals last weekend,
leading to an increase of the frustration level.
A season that started with two consecutive wins has
disintegrated into one in which the 49ers would fall three games
below .500 if they can't slay the Rams, a go-for-broke team that
signed wideout Odell Beckham Jr. on Thursday.
"I definitely think there's a big hunger to win," San Francisco
coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday. "I think there's a huge sense
of urgency. ... There's a different type of disappointment, a
different type of frustration. But the hunger, the energy,
that's all still there."
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has passed for more than 300 yards
in back-to-back games. He knows the chatter is marking the 49ers
as underachievers.
"Well, our expectations are very high, so I think that leads to
the more of a disappointing feeling," Garoppolo said, "but that
is a good thing in a way. And I know it sounds weird to say, but
when you are progressing as a team, as an organization, you
start getting better, your expectations start going higher and
that's the way you want to trend.
"And so, when you do have losses and things like that, it
hurts."
The Rams endured a painful result last weekend when they lost
28-16 to the Tennessee Titans.
One of Los Angeles' two touchdowns came with 24 seconds left to
make the outcome look closer than it was.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford accepted blame for the setback, and
coach Sean McVay is looking for a bounce-back performance.
"We have to play cleaner football," McVay said. "I want to see
what we learn from our response. The last time we had a setback,
I liked how we responded."
McVay was referring to a 26-17 road win over the Seattle
Seahawks on Oct. 7, which occurred four days after a 37-20 home
loss to the Cardinals.
Stafford leads the NFL with 2,771 passing yards and ranks second
with 23 touchdown passes. The Rams rank fourth in total offense
(399.3 yards per game) and fifth in scoring offense (29 points
per game).
Yet that didn't stop them from securing the services of Beckham,
a three-time Pro Bowl selection who wore out his welcome with
the Cleveland Browns.
Beckham has 504 career receptions for 7,062 yards and 51
touchdowns in 88 career games. He will be added to the mix that
includes star wideout Cooper Kupp, who leads the NFL with 74
catches, 1,019 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns, and
Robert Woods (45 for 556 and four scores).
Linebacker Von Miller, another recent high-level Rams
acquisition, was happy about Beckham joining the team.
"Let's chase this ring family!!!!" Miller wrote on Instagram
above a photo of Beckham.
Miller (ankle) sat out Thursday's practice, as did center Brian
Allen (elbow).
Among the San Francisco players who sat out Thursday were safety
Jimmie Ward (quadriceps), cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (ankle) and
defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (calf).
The 49ers placed right tackle Mike McGlinchey (torn quadriceps)
on injured reserve earlier this week.
--Field Level Media
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