Do the lopsided LA Rams have anything left for second half in MNF?

At halftime, the LA Rams are behind the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 14-6. But there is more to it than that.  The 49ers have kept Jimmy Garoppolo clean, giving up no sacks yet. The LA Rams are back to letting defenses beat the snot out of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Rams have allowed four sacks for a total loss of 39 yards.

The Rams’ defense has, for the most part, held the 49ers’ offense in check. Garoppolo has barely completed over 50 percent of his passes. But one of those passes found its way into the hands of WR Deebo Samuel, who was able to make the LA Rams defensive backs take themselves out of the play on his way to a 57-yard touchdown reception.

In a similar fashion, the LA Rams defense has, for the most part, held the 49ers’ rushing attack harmless. If you pull out that one 32-yard touchdown run by 49ers RB Jeff Wilson Jr., the 49ers have rushed 11 times for 23 yards.

Need the reason? LA Rams inside linebacker Bobby Wagner is delivering, piling up seven tackles in just the first half. The next closest? ILB Ernest Jones has just four tackles as the Rams take possession of the football to start the second half.

The LA Rams are creatures of habit. By the time that quarterback Matthew Stafford had thrown 26 forward passes, more than half (14) had been thrown to WR Cooper Kupp. Six more were thrown to TE Tyler Higbee. Six passes targeted someone else.

The LA Rams have been ineffective in the red zone in this one. Much like their Week 3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the Rams’ offense has had to settle for a field goal in all three appearances in the Red Zone. In the third quarter, the Rams are winning the Time of Possession battle. But the offensive line has already allowed five quarterback sacks on Matthew Stafford. That is already 14 quarterback sacks on the guy who was pretty banged up last season.

The Rams have followed up a field goal by allowing the San Francisco 49ers offense to reply with a touchdown. And even as I’d typed that, the 49ers already have the football on the LA Rams’ 8-yard line and are threatening to put up their third touchdown.

Do the lopsided LA Rams have anything left for the second half in MNF? I don’t see any signs of life yet. The 49ers are heading in for another score at the end of the third quarter. It’s third down and goal to go on the LA Rams’ one-yard line.

End of the third quarter

On the second play of the fourth quarter, the 49ers kicked a field goal.