49ers vs. Rams: St. Louis Grades, Notes and Quotes

The St. Louis Rams (4-3) took down the San Francisco 49ers (2-6) with a score of 27-6. Not only does the win give St. Louis a perfect 3-0 record in the division, but it marks the first time the Rams have possessed a winning record at midseason or beyond in the Jeff Fisher era. 

In fact, it's the first time the Rams have owned a winning record—other than being 1-0—since Week 5 of the 2012 season, when the Rams were 3-2.

The Rams entered the game as heavy 7.5-point favorites, per Odds Shark, and St. Louis did not disappoint. Fisher's Rams have a history of not showing up against lesser teams, but not this week. The Rams dominated in every aspect. 

On offense, the Rams outproduced the 49ers 388 total yards to 189. St. Louis mustered more passing yards (191 versus 151) and rushing yards (197 versus 38) than San Francisco. The Rams won time of possession by three minutes and had 16 first downs while the 49ers were held to 11. 

As usual, Todd Gurley and the St. Louis defense dominated. 

Gurley finished with 133 rushing yards and a touchdown. The defense did not allow a single touchdown for the second week in a row and sacked Colin Kaepernick three times. 

The 49ers were completely lifeless for four quarters. Between the body language from the San Francisco players and the total lack of execution, it was clear they were entirely overwhelmed and had no answers. They're merely a shell of the Jim Harbaugh 49ers. 

As for the Rams, the players displayed a level of energy and excitement that St. Louis has not witnessed in some time. With each passing week, it's becoming clear that this is not a typical middle-of-the-pack Fisher team. This year is different. 

The Rams are a threat.

St. Louis will attempt to build on its win streak next week when it takes on the 5-2 Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, things won't get any easier for the 49ers, as they're set to host the 6-1 Atlanta Falcons. 

As for Sunday's game, read on for position grades, key quotes and takeaways. 

Position Grades for the Rams

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

Position	Grade
QB	C+
RB	A
WR	C
TE	A
OL	A
DL	A
LB	A
DB	A
Special Teams	C
Coaching	B

Nick Foles continues to be what the Rams hoped he could be—a stable quarterback who can avoid turnovers and make just enough throws to keep the offense afloat. 

There was nothing spectacular about Foles' performance. He went 14-23 (60.8 percent) for 191 yards and a touchdown. It could have been a big game for him, as the 49ers entered this game with the second-worst pass defense in the NFL (292.7 yards per game), but Foles could not connect with his receivers on the majority of the downfield shots. 

Still, Foles was reliable and continues to be an upgrade over the backup-caliber passers—Kellen Clemens, Austin Davis, Shaun Hill—the Rams have dealt with the past two seasons. 

At running back, Gurley remains an unstoppable force. According to the Fox broadcast, He's now the first rookie back to post over 100 rushing yards in four consecutive starts.

Despite missing the first two games entirely and getting just six carries in Week 3, Gurley entered this game ranked 12th in the NFL in rushing. This latest 133-yard performance should put him in the top 10, which is simply incredible considering the time he missed, combined with the fact he's a rookie coming off a knee injury. 

Tre Mason—who has been quiet this season—also contributed with 46 yards on 15 carries. Tavon Austin also added 21 yards on three attempts, including a two-yard touchdown run. 

The receivers were not productive in this game, at least for the most part. Bradley Marquez and Brian Quick each had a five-yard grab, but other than that, Austin was the only wide receiver to catch a pass. He had 98 yards on four catches, including a 66-yard touchdown. Kenny Britt nearly got involved with a deep ball in the first half, but he dropped it. 

Tight end Jared Cook picked up the slack for the receivers. Cook, who has been a major target of fan criticism this season, had a much-needed big game. He hauled in a 49-yard pass to set up Austin's rushing touchdown. He also caught a score on a successful two-point conversion attempt. 

Cook and tight end Lance Kendricks were also heavily involved in the run blocking, so the whole unit managed to contribute in more ways than one. 

As for the offensive linemen, they likely played their best game of the 2015 season. Foles was not sacked once and was kept clean. On many instances, he had all day in the pocket. The run blocking was also phenomenal. Gurley had a mile-wide lane and was practically untouched on his 71-yard score. 

The defensive line was also dominant, as usual. Aaron Donald was a handful. Michael Brockers made a backfield tackle for a safety and also recorded a sack. Robert Quinn had a sack and a tipped pass—he was a nightmare for Joe Staley of the 49ers. 

The linebackers were stout and held the San Francisco backs to just 10 rushing yards. Akeem Ayers had two deflected passes and James Laurinaitis continues to excel in run support. 

The secondary also had an excellent showing. The defensive backs allowed just one pass for over 20 yards and only two passes exceeded 15 yards. Safeties Mark Barron and T.J. McDonald punished receivers and ball-carriers all day long. 

On special teams, the fundamentals were sound for the most part, but the field-goal unit allowed a 40-yard Greg Zuerlein attempt to be blocked. 

As for coaching, the game plan seemed to work flawlessly and the team was ready to play. However, the discipline was out of control. The Rams committed 12 penalties for 93 yards. Had it been a closer contest, those penalties would have really hurt the team. That's something the Rams must work on this week. 

Rams Have Been Waiting Years for a Todd Gurley-Like Player

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

The Rams gained a reputation as a high-powered offensive juggernaut during the Greatest Show on Turf days. That ended over a decade ago. Since then, the Rams have been incapable of constructing anything resembling a healthy offense, with some minor exceptions (the 2006 season). 

St. Louis hit rock bottom in 2009, when the team finished last in point production, averaging just 10.9 points per game. 

At the beginning of the 2015 season, it looked as though we were about to witness another miserable offensive season. During the first three weeks, the defense excelled, as usual, but the offense was dead in the water. The Rams averaged just 15.6 points per game during those three contests. 

In the four games since Gurley took over the starting job, the team's point production has jumped to 21.3 points per game. If that was the Rams' point average for the entire year, it would still only rank a very average 21st in the league, but that's plenty enough to succeed with the backing of a stingy St. Louis defense. 

The difference has been Gurley. He has managed to single-handedly put the offense on his shoulders and run with it. 

In recent years, the Rams have used high draft picks on key offensive pieces—Sam Bradford, Lance Kendricks, Brian Quick, Isaiah Pead, Austin, Mason—in hopes that they'd stumble upon a star capable of freeing the offense from the clutches of mediocrity. But Austin is the only player from that group still making a considerable impact. 

With the selection of Gurley at No. 10 overall in last spring's draft, the Rams have finally located an elite playmaker capable of transforming the offense. The Rams have found the centerpiece they've been looking for since the end of the Greatest Show on Turf. 

Gurley's rise to the spotlight has been remarkable. As Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported, no player has ever rushed for more yards in his first four starts since the NFL merger. Barring injury, he'll almost certainly finish in the top 10 in rushing yards this season, despite missing most of the first three games, and could feasibly contend for the 2015 rushing title. 

Just like Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald transformed the defense, Gurley is transforming the offense. With him on board, the 2015 Rams have what it takes to reach the next step. 

The Tavon Austin Draft Pick Is Finally Paying off

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

Gurley is receiving most of the attention on offense, and rightfully so, but Austin has also been quite the contributor this season. 

Austin's performance against the 49ers was his best game of the season. He finished with 119 yards from scrimmage, including 98 receiving yards and two total touchdowns. It's the second time this season he has exceeded 100 yards from scrimmage with multiple touchdowns—he did so against Arizona in Week 4, with 116 offensive yards and two receiving touchdowns. 

Austin currently leads the Rams with seven total touchdowns. Gurley is the only other Rams player with more than one touchdown this season (three). 

After Austin was held under 500 yards from scrimmage with only two touchdowns in 2014, the outlook for his career was beginning to look grim. Given his status as a former No. 8-overall draft pick from 2013, the team needed much more out of him. 

This season, it has been a breakout year for Austin. He's on pace for 973 yards from scrimmage and 16 total touchdowns, and there's no indication he's about to slow down. 

There's not a spot on the Pro Bowl roster for a utility weapon who plays multiple positions. If there was, Austin would be running away with that honor. 

It appears the former top-10 pick is finally paying dividends. 

Jared Cook's Performance Was a Welcomed Relief

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Rams fans are surely thrilled to see Cook contribute to the win, but no one is more relieved and satisfied than Cook himself. After a rough five-game stretch, this is exactly what Cook needed. 

Cook started the year off strong with a five-catch, 85-yard performance against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. He even followed that up with a 47-yard showing against Washington in Week 2. 

However, following his Week 1 performance, Cook had a very rough five-game stretch. He dropped four passes and lost a critical red-zone fumble against Cleveland that could have swayed the momentum of that game. 

Against San Francisco, Cook came up big. He hauled in two passes for 57 yards, including a 49-yard grab to set up a touchdown. He also caught a two-point conversion attempt. 

At 6'5" and 254 pounds, Cook has always possessed the physical tools to succeed as a mismatch nightmare. If this latest performance boosts his confidence and helps his consistency, he'll provide the St. Louis offense with a much-needed aerial weapon. 

If Cook can get his head on straight and avoid mistakes, he can still be an asset this season. 

Dick Stockton on Janoris Jenkins

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"Janoris Jenkins is having a fantastic season." -Dick Stockton, per Fox broadcast. 

Donald, Quinn and the entire defensive line get a lot of credit, as that group is the keystone of the defense. But let's not overlook the other vital pieces on this defense, including Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins. 

As Dick Stockton mentioned during the broadcast, Jenkins is playing excellent football. In fact, very few NFL cornerbacks are playing better than Jenkins at this point. 

Jenkins entered this game with a 7.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, which has him tied with Pro Bowler Darrelle Revis as the site's ninth-best corner in the game. And even though opposing passers have avoided Jenkins, he still has two picks and a forced fumble this season. 

Jenkins' improvements are partially due to the fact he's playing in a contract year, but it's also the result of him simply maturing as a player. He is taking far fewer gambles in coverage this season and isn't giving up the occasional big play like he used to. 

When it comes to the secondary, Jenkins has been the star of the group this season, and it's not even close. If the season ended today, he'd be able to punch his ticket to Hawaii. 

Jeff Fisher on the Penalties

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"I don't have an explanation for the penalties." Jeff Fisher, per the postgame press conference. 

It was a solid victory for the Rams, but it's still hard to ignore the overwhelming number of penalty flags in this game. It was one of the most penalized games in recent memory, as there didn't seem to be a sizable drive by either team that wasn't haunted by flags. 

As the Fox broadcast mentioned, the 18 combined first-half penalties were the most flags in an opening half this season. Overall, the Rams were flagged 12 times for 93 yards and the 49ers caught 13 penalties for an equal number of yards. 

The Rams struggled with penalties during the preseason, and Fisher teams have a reputation for getting out of control, but this cannot continue.

This is something the Rams must work on moving forward. It's easy to overcome penalties against lesser teams, but this could really hurt St. Louis in games against quality opponents.

Jim Thomas on Next Week's Game in Minnesota

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"Know it's early, but next Sunday's game pits NFC current No. 6 seed (Minnesota) against No. 7 (Rams)." -Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, via Twitter. 

The Rams' current two-game win streak is certainly promising, but many NFL teams are capable of beating Cleveland and San Francisco in back-to-back weeks. St. Louis hasn't had a quality win against a superb opponent since its Week 4 road victory in Arizona. 

As Jim Thomas mentions, next week's game in Minnesota will be a chance to face off with a quality playoff-caliber opponent. It's still early, but the 5-2 Vikings and 4-3 Rams are currently battling for an NFC wild-card spot, so this upcoming game is vital. 

If the Rams hope to take the next step and become a playoff team, they need to find a way to win these tough games, even if they're on the road. 

A victory against Minnesota will not only provide a boost of confidence, but it'll help St. Louis' wild-card efforts and keep it just a hair behind Arizona in the race for the NFC West. 

If the Rams are truly new and improved compared to past Fisher teams, they'll show up next week. 

Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and serves as the Rams' 2015 game-day correspondent. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer profile or by following him on Twitter.