49ers DB Ward will “pay him back” after LA Rams OBJ hit in Week 10

There is no love lost right now between the San Francisco 49ers players and the LA Rams players. That’s pretty obvious since both teams plan to compete for the one NFC spot in the upcoming NFL Championship Game, Super Bowl LVI. And it doesn’t help that the two head coaches: Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, came from the same coaching staff years ago. Is this a case of familiarity breeds contempt?

It has certainly played out in different ways. McVay has bested the NFL. But Shanahan has bested McVay. It’s almost as though the 49ers team treats each game against the Rams as some sort of measuring stick, a performance GPS to give them feedback as to whether or not they are a competitive NFL team. So far, they have been very competitive.

But there is a right way and a wrong way to enter a game like this one. Right now, San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmy Ward is in a very dark place, an “I want to hurt someone” kind of place, and his coaches and the media seem to be okay with it.

Now keep in mind that Jimmy Ward intercepted two Matthew Stafford passes on the way to a 31-10 win over the LA Rams. In that game, Odell Beckham Jr. debuted for his new team and was clearly limited in his understanding of the offensive playbook. But it was one of the only options available to the Rams offense after losing Robert Woods for the season.

Not a very smart thing to say to a hot microphone and video camera rolling.

Body Bag

Keep in mind that this was a comment after the first game, but coincided almost directly with what his teammate, TE George Kittle, said just three days before the Week 18 game was played:

"“Whenever we play them, we just try to come out and be as physical as we possibly can, and that’s what we are really good at,” he said. “I think we are one of the most physical offenses in football coming off the line of scrimmage with the offensive line, fullback, tight ends, and running backs. And when our wide receivers decide to go hit safeties in the mouth on a run play, that kind of changes the game.You either have to match that intensity or get out of the way. Sometimes, guys get out of the way. It’s definitely going to show up this Sunday about who is the more physical team, and it’s going to be kind of a body-bag game is my opinion.” – George Kittle per Grant Marek of SFGate.com"

Football is a physical game, that’s for sure. But the 49ers center, Alex Mack, stepped on the heel of defensive back Jordan Fuller (out for the season) and Taylor Rapp entered the NFL concussion protocol, an injury that he is only now showing signs of recovering from.

Injuries are no laughing matter

Are the 49ers targeting Rams players? That is, do they purposefully go out to injure players during the game? That’s a serious matter and one that is not easy to conclude based upon a stray comment or two.

It’s clear that comments were made prior to the Week 18 contest by 49ers players that refer to injuring Rams players, and it’s also quite clear that Rams players were hurt in the game. At the very least, NFL officials need to keep a close eye on 49ers players and be prepared to throw the flag instantly if there are any signs of being overly aggressive.

Let’s hope that both teams keep it clean and that there are no injuries in this one. But this is a physical game, after all. And the Rams face the 49ers, a team that has been rather boastful about their intentions of hurting players recently. It may not take very long before the unsportsmanlike conduct penalties are necessary.