Todd Husak and Larry preview tomorrow's 49ers vs Rams matchup: How will the defense hold up the Rams offense?

0:00New haircut? Looks good. Thanks man. Supercuts. Supercuts? Supercuts! Walked in, had an amazing stylist, affordable, and an out, even got a hot towel from my beard. Huh. Didn't even know they did beards. Oh yeah. Did a nice job cleaning things up. Makes sense that Supercuts has 4.8 stars on Google. 4.8 stars? Wow. Supercuts. Supercuts. Supercuts. Supercuts. Confidence without compromise. Book ahead at supercuts.com. All right. Welcome back. It's Niners Nightly, Larry Kruger with you on the eve of the 49ers beginning this season. That's right. Tomorrow night, Niners and Rams from Melbourne, Australia. And we'll be watching it. We'll be talking about it. And week one has arrived. Who else has arrived? It's Todd Husek, former Stanford quarterback now. He called in the 49er coverage here on these sports leader. And he's with us on the UMAA guest line to look ahead. What's up Todd?

1:00How are you? We got football. We got NFL football this week. College football is now a couple of weeks in. But NFL is where it's at. I'm super excited for the start of not just the NFL season, but the 49ers versus the Rams. Nothing like getting right into it in week one. Like they did a year ago with a win in Seattle. It'd be nice to get a home game to start week one of these times. But an opportunity. This is a great opportunity for the 49ers to get out in front of the NFC West standings, which they need to win, I think, to go deep into playoffs. It feels like football weather when it's when it gets really toasty in in the early fall. You remember from playing at Stanford. There are some hot hot days. Today's one of them. And it when it gets hot this time of year, it bakes. It's a really. Do you ever get a heat memory from from Stanford that stands out to you? Not necessarily on the road, but at home.

2:01On the road for sure, we opened up my senior season at Texas, where it was. Austin. I think that first week of September, and it was like 120 something on the field. And that was that was as bad as against the humidity. It was roasting. And it was, you know, it was. It was a very good time to get out of the field. Practices, I think, were. Like good memory where I'd come off the field and the next day you wake up and you got. You know, like your shoulders are nice and covered and then halfway down your arm where you're jersey ended. It was just cooked. So yes, it does get hot in the Bay area and certainly out the sun. All day is not, not the place to be. So I'm happy to be inside. And inside watching the games this weekend. Well, let's talk a little bit about the the stories going into this one. Um, Alfred Collins, the latest story done for the year. Um, rough mentors, Patel attendant at practice. Uh, Sam, oh, it's going to start on the injured list. The Niners lose two defensive linemen.

3:02Just since the cut down. Um, it's just such a, it's a, it's a rough situation going into this game. The key, the diamond that they have available will be Bosa or Diggy Zua. And then we'll see you on white C. J. West Grayson, Halton, Ramello, height, James Thompson, Collid cream. With Agbo O'Carran Quo, Sebastian Valdez, Kevin Givens and Vincent Anthony from Duke. Uh, on their practice squad, those are the practice squad options. Do the Niners have enough D line to win in week one? I think they do. I think Alfred Collins, well, a huge loss from a depth perspective. And really what. You were hoping for after last year's draft, when they address defensive line with those early picks is that this would not be the situation going into year two. This should have been a rebuilt defensive line. And instead they're getting guys back from injury, they're having to go either be a trade or some new bodies in their guys that have not been.

4:02I think the projected starters when they drafted them a year ago. And Michael Williams is coming back from injury. Hopefully I think his progress in year two will be a huge factor in how effective that defensive line can be. Osa can be, I think a difference maker. But again, is he going to play 65 plays a game? No. And so you need that rotation in there to help take some of the pressure off those guys that you're really counting on to be effective. And you need both of back like he's is he 100% I can't imagine he is. But if he can be 80% for 40 plays, is that enough to stop what is a or get to the quarterback? That's what really what they need to do slow down the run and get to the quarterback, which was such a problem a year ago. And something they addressed a year ago with the hope that all right, coming into 2026, we got that defensive line covered and instead.

5:02I've never heard of two guys going out for the year potentially alpha call is that for the year, but two guys getting going down after cut down day like there could have been if this happened two weeks ago, they could adjust somewhat, but instead they're going to have to go with some young faces. And it is a great opportunity for some young guys that they either picked up or drafted or brought in that we'll find out whether or not those guys can play early in the season. I think not according to plan, but we'll see how. How well those guys can pick up the system and play effectively, I don't think we're counting on those guys to necessarily get some sacks, but can Bosa get into the backfield, can they disrupt, can they create some negative run plays and then pressure Matt Stafford enough, where you have to get rid of the ball early, because if you can sit back in the pocket, it's going to be a long morning in Melbourne for the 49ers. Let's talk a little bit about the matchup, let's start with the Rams offense, Niners defense, you know, Stafford's the reigning MVP, he's got two really good backs, Kyron Williams, Blake, Corm, he'll throw it to his backs.

6:12They were the number one three wide receiver team in football until week seven of last year, when they switch from that to the number one 13 personnel three tight ends, they'll go one back, they'll go two backs, they'll go empty. You know, with the three tight ends, they got Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higby, Terrence Ferguson, they use Davis Allen, a little bit of former Clemson players, a fullback, it's a really good offensive line, then we give up 23 sacks, two great receivers in Tevanta, Adams and Pukin, they also added two to out well, who's can run by anybody. So they can stretch you vertically, they there's a lot of things they can do Stafford is amazing on play action, they added Cliff Kingsbury, he comes from Washington, he loves the hurry up, so I would expect some form of no huddle hurry up to try to change the pace and put more pressure. How do you see the match up between the Niners defense and Rahim Morris, who by the way beat this Rams team last year in Atlanta on a Monday night or where they got three sacks and three picks of Stafford and beat the Rams, how do you see the match up nine or D Rams, oh.

7:22Well, I think it's it's going to be a fascinating week one and the last few years, I think one one thing you can learn from the preseason is that you don't learn anything from the preseason right and we saw we saw Rahim Morris bring a little pressure, but how he feels with that front four front five front six. Can they create pressure with some blitzes and not expose maybe the corners or safeties to that big play Rams offense, which was really good, I mean the Rams were a play away or two plays away from making it a suitable year ago. And a lot of that was on big plays and so can they match up with Pukka Nukuah, who is really tough, both in the slot on the outside where he can not just catch and traffic, he can catch and run, he's great in the slot, he does it all. The way to beat that offense is to get pressure with four or five and so I think it'll be really interesting, especially early on is Rahim Morris dial some things up.

8:23To try to create pressure coming off the edge, linebacker pressures, get into the backfield and force no number one slow down the run because if they can run the ball effectively that that takes everything off the table where they if the Rams can rush for 150 yards, then Stafford can sort of pick and choose where he wants to deliver the ball. So can they slow down the run and then get to the quarterback not not necessarily sacks because you mentioned it, Stafford doesn't get sacked off and part of the low sack number is he just recognizes pressure and will throw the ball away so they need to do some of that create second and long not not allow it if the Rams are in a bunch of second and three second and force. It gives Sean McVeigh the opportunity to dial up some creative play calls in the passing game that'll put pressure on the secondary so number one, how much does Rahim Morris trust the secondary to match up one on one on the outside and if he feels like they can then that allows him to bring a six man pressure and trust that secondary to hold up because they have to find a way to get Matt Stafford to throw the ball before he's ready.

9:34And so how they choose to do it, I think will be i'm really curious, I don't know, I don't think anybody knows how much Rahim Morris trust that secondary to hold up against a really, really good Rams passing game with you mentioned it, not just the receivers Matt Stafford, but backside of the backfield can they tackle in space and limit yards after the catch it'll be a test and a huge test in week one. You know, Renardo greens on the left side demos on the right side they typically don't flip flop the question I have is really about demo can you avoid penalties he had 10 penalties. Last year that was a lot of penalties and also how are the Niners going to match up on the three tight ends do you do you go with a nickel I think they played mostly nickel against three tight ends last year. Do you try to play your base go with bigger bodies against the bigger tight ends and then if you do go with in your base defense. Do you do you take Marquis Segal and or if you go to a nickel do you go to like a big nickel and take up to stout off the field and maybe replace him with a Marquis Segal.

10:39I think how they defend the the three the three tight end looks that they're invariably going to get in this game I think it's going to be interesting. Well, that was a and I'm really surprised that make they went to three tight ends to be completely honest when you have to take Devonte Adams or Puchen to cool off the field to to achieve that most of the time. That's you know those are pretty good players. Other they're really good players, but great play callers can create match up problems and that's what the three tight ends that does and it forces a defense to choose exactly to your point how is that defense going to approach it from a personnel standpoint. I really like up the stout not just in the passing game, but can I think is a great open field tackler. So can he be a guy that can come off the edge tackle in space can he hold up against a bigger stronger tight end in the passing game I think he can I keep up the stout on the field I just think he's a playmaker. But I think that's what Sean Bay tries to do he tries to dictate all right we're going to do this how are you going to approach it.

11:45And if you're going to play a little bit softer personnel we can run the ball and if you're going to play heavier personnel like an extra linebacker we can take advantage of that in the passing game and that's where that's what creative play callers do they force a defense to be wrong. I do think the 49ers defense is is set up a little bit better than maybe a year ago not just with Rahim Morris being more creative like last year with. So he he was a bend but don't break it will give up some plays underneath will tackle the guys in front of us and maybe give up four or five yards of play and then hope to make the stop on third down where I think Rahim Morris is going to be more attacking and so attacking that front and then. It's that's the chess game between coordinators all right. Sean Bay is going to do this what are the 49ers do to counteract that and that's where the first quarter is so interesting because they will throw some different looks at the 49er defense make they will get a feeling for how the 49ers are going to defend it both personnel and scheme wise and then he'll dial up some plays in the second and third quarter to try to attack that personnel but if the 49ers defense can get off to a good start create some negative plays get into the backfield some tackles for loss that will put the Rams offense.

13:05And their attack on their heels if the 49ers the Rams get off to eight play drives 10 play drives early in the game. I think that gives McVeigh more ammo to counter punch and it'll make it tougher for the 49ers defense in the second half. Stafford by the way 20 touchdowns no picks I believe again and play action that last year and also a one 19.7 QBR in the fourth quarter with 13 touchdowns and one pick. Stafford obviously huge factor give me give me before we switch to flip the card as they say give me a quick thought give me a bold prediction on defense or somebody that you're looking to step up I got a couple guys that I'm thinking of but I'd love to know what's going through your mind on that what. Who I want to see that stuff on this 9 or D I think osa who we haven't seen much of in the preseason big off season pick up and a guy that has gotten really well reviewed practice plays. In this fall camp I want to see him create some havoc between the tackles can he get into the backfield can he create and maybe take up a attack the center and guard were that allows both of you one on one and hopefully both of you can be more effective.

14:21Fred Warner is he back to what we come to expect from Fred Warner in the last few years before that injury gruesome injury last year how much is he back and able to play and then I think we're not a green. We all know down the door on the one side is solid green is the guy they're probably going to pick on can green step up he had some maybe setbacks late in the season last year. Can he be a guy that this defense and where he more stress to go one on one on the outside so those I think the three things that i'll be looking for early in the game you know the two guys that I think have a big game. In you know and I really have been impressed by these guys Jack Jones in the secondary man this guy has gotten his hands on so many footballs and he will break on the ball. He will he will take some chances he'll roll the dice but man this guy makes so many gets his hands on the football I mean how many DB's get their hand on the football every practice him and this guy does that.

15:23So I think Jack Jones somehow you know jumps around you know runs it for the receiver undercuts it creates a turnover I like Jack Jones to make a big impact and then up front you know what i'm going to go with you know order off the menu. i'm going agbo okaron quo the form you know agbo has been around the block he's on the nine or practice squad nobody's talking about him. And he can rush the passer man and you know he's very familiar with the wide nine he's just reeks of of a big game player and I just think they were going to come out of this game talking about his two sacks and jack Jones is pick. And the 49ers had some some unforeseen defensive stars and I think those two are the. And I think Jack Jones benefits from a pass rush so exactly they tied again he you're right he will drive on underneath routes he'll give up some plays but if.

16:25Again if Matt Stafford has four seconds to sit back there and make plays that puts a little more pressure on the secondary and a guy that likes to gamble so. If if they can figure out a way and you're right like the. Part of it is are they going to be are the Rams going to be in third and seventh and if so you can trust those past rushers to pin their ears back and just go. Right Matt Stafford is going to be seven yards deep behind the quarterback behind the center go go get go to that spot and get to them if they're running the ball on third and two it takes some of that ability to get in the backfield off the table so part of it is how well do they defend on first down. But I love those calls I think if if they can figure out a way the pressure that'll that'll lead to some quick decisions and hopefully some bad decisions for staffer. Let's flip the card talk offense defense Niners offense Rams defense Donald's not making the trip so we don't have to worry about him thank goodness yeah.

17:26Puny Ford is a monster in the middle it's a three four defense it's an amazing front Kobe Turner has been a key guy for them when he was in there last year they got a pressure rate of 43%. When he wasn't in there they had a pressure rate of 27% so he's a key guy agent zero against McKibits probably the Hall of Fame duo between Garrett and Trent. Nate Landman is a you know tackling machine in the middle and the Rams added some some secondary guys they you know they've got cam curl and cam kitchens to really good safeties but they added two corners. In Trent McDuffie and Jalen Watson my question here is those guys played a lot of man to man in in spags is D the Rams last year played 80% zone I don't know that they're going to get the same bang for their buck that they think they're getting from McDuffie and Watson as they play predominantly predominantly zone give me a thought on Niners offense against Rams defense. Well part of his miles Garrett in practice yesterday either so for the 14 practices so hopefully he's not 100% and without Donald and miles Garrett that's certainly not the same defense in front still a very solid defense in the secondary that you mentioned is good and attacking and can make plays.

18:42I think what we've seen from this off season with Brock party Brock party is in his prime is in year five fourth year starting he is I think in the prime of his career where he's able to take advantage with a new receiving core group that can go down the field group that he hasn't had really that can attack at secondary where if they can protect especially up the middle which is where they were vulnerable I think late last season. Can they figure out a way to protect Brock party give him three three and a half seconds to push them all down the field guys like Mike Evans a weapon that Brock party just Brandon I you was kind of that but I you could run by people Mike Evans is a guy that he's not running by people he'll just go up and make the play so I really like Brock parties chances this year putting up huge numbers and we know what Christmas referee can do is it going to be a little bit less Christmas Christmas referee in the run game and a look maybe we'll see a little bit more came on black and maybe McCaffrey gets six or seven catches out of the backfield which is a little bit different look for this 49er offense again we haven't the preseason doesn't show much I'm fascinated to see how this 49ers offense attacks a Rams defense with weapons that I think last year the offensive approach was let's just take the six yards or four

20:10yards when it's given where this year we're going to see some down the field throws and Brock party does it better than any quarterback in the NFL those 10 to 15 yard completions he puts the ball on the money over the linebackers in front of the safeties he does that better than anybody in NFL statistically so can he create an offense with with Kyle Chanhan that is a different look than what we've seen in years past I'm expecting a more high high volume high scoring offense and we've seen in the last couple years for this four interesting Rams defensive strength as they take the ball away they had 26 takeaways last year and they can get pressure with four without blitzing and that was before they had miles Garrett now they've added miles Garrett who's the rating defensive player of the year and you know Byron young agent zero at 12 sacks opposite him so they can really dial up the outside rush what do you think of just trying to screen this team to death I mean you have between CMC Kaelan back in Jordan James three of the most dynamic receiving running backs underneath landman is a great run defender but I think you can pick on landman in space

21:25space in the past game and I think you can neutralize their rush largely if you just screen them to death but what's the key to doing that Todd you played quarterback what's the key to being able to to effectively screen a team that hasn't a great pass rush. Number one run the ball effectively again when you get in the passing situations it makes it tough for everybody and they can it's an attacking defensive front but also a smart defensive front they don't give up even though they create turnovers they I think where they were vulnerable was down the field passing which we saw with the Seahawks when they scored I think 37 points in that NFC championship game they they push them all down the field and so if you can show the ability get those linebackers and safeties that takes some steps back and run the ball effectively that creates opportunities in that screen game which also again takes the pressure off what might be a vulnerable inside we I think one of the big questions is how to how do the 49ers rebuild that offensive line interior they didn't do a great job of it this off season so they have enough cards but still a question more

22:38running an effective screen game taking a little bit of the bite out of that attacking defensive front which you can do with screens all of a sudden that defensive tackle is worried about the back out of the back field and I'm not just going to rush blindly to the passer because I have to be concerned about that all of those pieces work together and I if they run three or four screens I think that's appropriate that should be enough you don't want to be a team that runs 10 screens because that that takes away the game that takes away from the down the field passing game I want to see this team attack I want to see the 49ers push it down the field in a way that we just haven't haven't seen Kyle Shanhand do in the last couple of years mainly because they didn't have the weapons on the outside yeah no I mean that's it I mean I asked Brock earlier this year I said there's there's so much more speed in this camp at wide receiver do you are you enjoying that and he you know he was very candid he said you know we talked a lot last year about you know driving the ball down the field but ultimately you have to have the receivers

23:41to make that happen and Brock's never critical of anybody but that's about as critical as he would get you know to basically just kind of freely admit that they didn't have a lot of vertical receivers last year and now here comes struggling 436 and Mike Evans can make place down the field has his whole career and to Marcus Robinson you know averages a lot of yards per perception and you know Watkins and Cowinger down field you know speed merchant type guys they've got weapons that they can go down the field and I think you're right I think Brock's going to now can he can he take those shots and take care of the ball I think that's going to be a big key got to be able to take care of the ball you can't have situations where Jordan Watkins I didn't even know the ball was coming no no that that's a preseason screw up you can't do that in the regular season Jordan Watkins and and that happened a couple of times so they're going to have to they're going to have to you know really it's a how you know receiver with a quarterback with some new receivers hopefully there won't be any hiccups early but you know take some time sometimes I think struggling is a guy who showed so well in that first preseason game caught everything thrown him able to separate able to get some yards after the catch

24:52and by the way Debo who we haven't talked about right he can be a guy that you just get the ball of Debo's hand three or four times a game he'll make something good happen he'll break that first tackle I think is toughness one thing we haven't discussed either they're they're going to be more physical blocking team on the outside get Debo up on a safety let McCaffrey work against the corner in space I mean those are little things from an offensive standpoint that again last year they were limited from a personnel this year is there third or fourth best receiver the marks Robinson maybe and he's a good player and so all of a sudden you've got a guy that can go down in the middle of field and make catches in traffic and that's your fourth best receiver we've seen what straddling can do limited but I think Kyle Shanahan is going to try to get the ball to straddling early in the game get him going and all of a sudden that opens up one-on-one coverage with Evans if they have to be worried about how's Kiddell going to do right before Kiddles a guy that we've talked about this this offseason Larry where the tight end position is not necessarily a weak spot but there were some question marks can Tanya's handle that low

26:03all of a sudden that's Kiddell man you're talking about I think Kiddell needs three or four touches, straddling needs three or four touches, Evans needs three or four that that offense spread around with those guys you get those guys for catches each they're not just going to make plays and get tackled immediately they're going to catch the ball break a tackle run they're going to be way more effective in the run game I again I think this is a new look for the ball again I think this is a new look for you in our offense that I think for the first time in a while we're going to see Kyle Shanahan take advantage I agree I agree I think you hit it really on it's going to open up the run game you want to most know the most amazing stat from last year it's amazing and it's also said how many 20 plus yard runs did CMC have all season one three three all season it was until the bears game he got a first one who's December but three all season I'm going to predict that he gets three in this game yeah and that he that we see the return of the Niners explosiveness from CMC because CMC looks amazing all this talk about he well you know he's got tightness and he's not this and he's not that I don't know what you're watching I don't know what whoever said that is watching what I'm watching is a guy that looks like he is ready

27:26for a massive monster season he looks so good right now it's unbelievable and I just think that he's going to have explosive runs he's going to have a great number of receptions I think he leads them to victory I love it no I'm on the same boat I wouldn't have drafted him with the first round pick my fantasy football league if I didn't go first round picks CMC see I got him wow that's big that is big last thought on the way out there Niners may coordinate Kuba a Todd may share left guard will be Carver Willis and Conner Colby I had a chance to talk to Carver Willis the other day for about a half hour in front of his locker and he's a really impressive young guy and he's like you know he's joking hey man is my maybe my first NFL start I'm going to pick it's Aaron Donald well now it's not going to be maybe him starting and it's definitely not going to be Aaron Donald but I'm going to pick it's Aaron Donald but what do you think of a combo platter Colby and Willis I think it could work I mean it's neither is obviously you'd want an ideal number one starter if you had it but I think both these guys are good young prospects I think they're good young prospects I'm a huge believer in having an offensive line that has some continuity in guys working together I think that makes everybody better including the left guard have working with Trent Williams Center

28:46like everybody working together, I think, gives a little more comfort level. I do think it's, let's see these guys compete and step up, and that'll certainly be something to watch early in the game. How does that left guard spot hold up? Because they want to run the ball off tackle. They want to run the ball between the tackles and pull those guards and be, you know, a power run game, which guy takes advantage of that opportunity and steps up to win it. Sooner they come to a conclusion on who that left guard is going to be for the rest of the season, I think the better for everybody. 27-20 is what I'm calling. I'm going to go 27-20-49ers to get it done in Melbourne. Give me 34-28-9ers. Ooh, a little higher scoring, a little higher scoring. Hey, man, always great to talk ball with you. We'll do it a lot this year. We always appreciate your expertise. You'll bring a lot to the table. So thanks for jumping on KMBR and giving us kind of a thumbnail sketch of the season opener. We always appreciate you. My pleasure, Larry, anytime. Todd Hughes sack, more straight ahead, it's Niners Nightly on these sports later.

29:50New haircut? Looks good. Thanks, man. Supercuts. Supercuts? Supercuts. Walked in, had an amazing stylist, affordable, and an out, even got a hot towel from my beard. Huh. Didn't even know they did beards. Oh, yeah. Did a nice job cleaning things up. Makes sense that Supercuts has 4.8 stars on Google. 4.8 stars? Wow. Supercuts. Supercuts. Supercuts. Supercuts. Confidence without compromise. Book ahead at supercuts.com.