Rams seeing red every time San Francisco 49ers come to town

A throng of 49ers fans cheer in SoFi Stadium in game against the hometown Rams.

Staff Writer

Sept. 20, 2024 3:01 AM PT

Jimmy Garoppolo has been on the other side, the one that feels a loud and warm embrace every time the San Francisco 49ers visit SoFi Stadium to play the Rams.

During six seasons with the 49ers, the veteran quarterback was 8-0 against the Rams in regular-season games. Garoppolo’s only defeat came in the 2022 NFC championship game at SoFi Stadium.

Garoppolo, now Matthew Stafford’s backup for the Rams, will not play Sunday in the home opener against the 49ers unless Stafford is injured — a possibility that grows every time the Rams lose another offensive lineman because of injury.

But Garoppolo knows what the Rams are up against. Not only are they facing the defending NFC-champion 49ers, who play home games in Levi’s Stadium, but also their fans who annually swarm to the Inglewood stadium that many have dubbed Levi’s South.

“It’s weird,” Garoppolo said. “Being on this side of it, we’ve got to deal with the noise a little bit, just being honest.

“But we’ll see what happens Sunday. Rams nation came out pretty good in the preseason, so hopefully for the home opener it will be a good crowd.”

Rams fans who attended preseason games against the Dallas Cowboys and the Chargers in August did not see Rams starters in action because coach Sean McVay did not want players projected as significant contributors to suffer injuries.

Many of those stars won’t play Sunday, however, because of injuries suffered in defeats to the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals.

Receiver Cooper Kupp (ankle) is sidelined indefinitely and receiver Puka Nacua, offensive linemen Steve Avila, Joe Noteboom and Jonah Jackson, cornerback Darious Williams and safety John Johnson III are on injured reserve.

The Rams are 0-2 for the first time in McVay’s eight seasons. The franchise has not been 0-3 since 2011, when the St. Louis Rams started 0-6 and finished 2-14.

“You don’t sign up to play NFL football to go 2-0, 3-0, 4-0 or whatever it is,” said Stafford, a 16th-year pro who has completed nearly 70% of his passes, with one touchdown and one interception. “You sign up to get opportunities to go play those games. You have to attack each opportunity with the same amount of effort, execution and all those things that it takes to win.

Rams quarterbacks Matthew Stafford (left) and Jimmy Garoppolo walk onto the field before game.

“We’re excited to get another opportunity to do that. Whatever the record is, the record is. You have to go out there and prove it each week.”

The Rams’ season-opening overtime loss to the Lions and their 41-10 loss to the Cardinals are not a predictor of the whole season, according to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

“Whether you lose two in a row after winning 10 in a row or you’re starting 0-2, if you lose two in a row in the NFL, that’s always a kind of an Armageddon feeling in a building, especially when you lose lopsided like that,” Shanahan told Bay Area reporters, adding, “By no means was that [an] indication of what this team’s going to be going through the rest of the year.”

The 49ers (1-1) are coming off a 23-17 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings.

Star running back Christian McCaffrey is on injured reserve, receiver/running back Deebo Samuel is out because of a calf injury, and tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (hamstring/calf) did not practice Thursday.

But Shanahan still has quarterback Brock Purdy, receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings and fullback Kyle Juszczyk. A talented and experienced offensive line has cleared the way for running back Jordan Mason to rush for at least 100 yards against the New York Jets and the Vikings.

The Rams defense played well for most of the game against the Lions before faltering in overtime, but the Cardinals exploited the Rams from start to finish, amassing 489 yards with 231 rushing.

“You really can’t point at one specific player, one specific unit,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “Obviously, just not good enough all the way around.

“Whether it’s coaching, whether it’s playing, just have to be better.”

End Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner lead a 49ers defense that will be fortified by the return of safety Talanoa Hufanga, who has been recovering from November knee surgery.

The 49ers defense seems to amp its intensity and physical play in games against the Rams.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo passes against the Rams in 2022.

“The rivalry plays a role, to be honest,” Garoppolo said. “These games are turned up, man.”

Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur worked under Shanahan for six seasons, four with the 49ers. Can Garoppolo’s experience also aid the Rams in their preparation for the 49ers?

“Probably more so between Jimmy and Matthew and maybe even just in the locker room in general,” LaFleur said.

Before the 2023 season, when he played for the Las Vegas Raiders, Garoppolo scrimmaged against the 49ers during a joint practice. But Sunday, his first game with the Rams after serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy in 2023, will be the first time he will see former 49ers teammates for a game.

“It’s going to be weird, not going to lie,” Garoppolo said. “I think just initially seeing the different jerseys will throw me off a little bit, but once the ball starts going and we start playing, it’s just football.”

And if he were to get in against Bosa and Warner?

“The trash talk would get real, real quick, I’ll bet,” he said, chuckling. “That’s one thing I know that would pick up, just from knowing those guys.

“It would be cool, but [Stafford’s] got it right now. So I think we’re in good hands. Staff’s been ballin’, man.”