REPORT: Rams Division Rival's Downfall Continues

The Los Angeles Rams won the NFC West after a challenging start to the season. Luckily for them, many of their division rivals have a long way to go.

Dec 12, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) reacts after making a catch for a first down next to San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams finished the season atop the NFC West after storming back from a 1-4 start. However, it was an uphill battle for the Rams, as they sustained many injuries.

Still, the Rams found a way to get it done, with multiple challenging wins over the second half of the season. One of those wins came against a depleted, prideful San Francisco 49ers team.

While both the Rams and the 49ers struggled at times this season, the Rams eventually figured things out. The two teams' defenses are trending in opposite directions.

Ben Rolfe of the Pro Football Network recently ranked every team's defense in the league. He ranked the 49ers' defense 26th.

In other words, Rolfe ranked the 49ers defense as one of the worst in the league.

"For all the attention the injuries on offense got this year, the decline of the 49ers’ defense was a huge concern as well,” Rolfe said. “Having been a top-10 unit each year between 2019 and 2023, San Francisco slipped to its worst season-long ranking since the Defense+ metric began.

“Run defense was a huge weakness this year. The Niners were 28th in EPA per rush and 25th in rushing success rate. Unlike past years, they couldn’t prop that up with an effective pass defense, where they ranked 25th in success rate.

“Looking ahead, cornerback Charvarius Ward and linebacker Dre Greenlaw stand out as the top free agents on this unit," Rolfe noted. "Losing Ward, in particular, would be a tough blow given the lack of depth at corner, as that’s an area the 49ers will need to address in order to return to contention."

Los Angeles' defense was one of the season's most pleasant surprises, as the unit was one of the youngest but most productive defenses in the entire league. The Rams entered the season expecting their offense to lead the way, but the opposite was true.

The Rams swept the season series with the 49ers and San Francisco's defense did not play well statistically. Still, it is noteworthy that as bad as the 49ers defense played this season, the unit still held the Rams without a touchdown in their second meeting.

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