Yes, the LA Rams pass rush is coming for you, Jimmy Garoppolo

The LA Rams pass rush is not playing around right now. Since a three-sack performance in Week 18, the LA Rams have been getting to the quarterback. The Rams got to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray for two sacks but harassed him throughout the entire game. By the final gun, he has passed 19 of 34 times (55.9 percent accuracy) for 137 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions.

The following week, the LA Rams pass rush had gotten to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady for three quarterback sacks, and harassed him throughout the entire game as well. Brady passed 30 of 54 times (55.6 percent accuracy) for 329 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. But that was only part of the story.

Now all of that attention is focused on one quarterback, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garopppolo. From what we witnessed so far when he faced that Green Bay Packers defense, that is not good news for Niners fans.

Timber!

To say that the 49ers are winning despite their quarterback play is pretty spot-on accurate. Along the same line of quarterbacking skillset of Trent Dilfer, the 49ers have relied on a smothering defense and their running to advance so far in the playoffs. As for their quarterback play?  In two playoff games, he’s thrown 27 of 44 times for 303 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. He has led the offense to 36 points in two games. Scratch that. one touchdown was the result of a blocked punt. He has led the 49ers to 29 points in two games, a 14.5 point average per game.

So how have the 49ers advanced? Their defense has held the competition to 27 points over the same two-game period. Over the past four games, he’s thrown six interceptions to just two touchdown passes.

And now, he has to face a red hot pass rush? And he’s trolling the Rams to boot?

He’s either incredibly sharp or the dullest tool in the shed. Based on his playoff performance so far? I think that we can rule out High IQ.

Time to fell the 49ers’ redwood

Just as the video footage played by other teams can be used to dissect and deny the LA Rams offense, the video footage on the 49ers offense with Jimmy Garoppolo is overflowing with great ways to make his life miserable.  His most recent game, against the Packers, put on display how their defense made his life a living hell.

Between frigid temperatures and a pass rush that was in his face, he was never really in the game. The 49ers scored their lone touchdown on a blocked punt on special teams and two field goals.

While the LA Rams may not be able to conjure up sub-freezing temperatures, they can most certainly conjure up a defense that will frustrate Garoppolo. The 49ers love to pass across the middle, run the ball, and then test the secondary deeper.

Since the 49ers will be speeding up their tempo for their passing game, the Rams should be practicing jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage and screwing up that timing. Hopefully, the Rams will get Ernest Jones back this week as well.

This game will be a no-holds-barred slugfest. Until now, the Rams have held back, while the 49ers have committed everything to beat the Rams. Now, that will be true for both sides. When two teams face off in the NFC Championship Game, only one team will move on to Super Bowl LVI.