The 49ers’ opening-night win over the Rams offered more than a clean start in the standings. It also handed out a few clues about how San Francisco wants to play, and how much of Thursday night was built to last.
The biggest one might be where the offense lined up. According to SumerSports, the league as a whole leaned more heavily under center in Week 1, with a 42% UC rate compared with 29.2% in 2025. That shift came with a 32.2% dropback rate from under center, a huge jump from 14.6% in 2025, and the UC EPA/DB climbed to 0.149 from 0.103 in 2025.
For the 49ers, the trend was even more pronounced. Their offense was under center 57.8% of the time, and that usage produced 0.20 UC/EPA.
San Francisco’s overall offensive success rate finished at 56.2%, then climbed to 58.3% in late. That 58.3% also matched the 49ers’ success rate on dropbacks.
Overall offensive EPA landed at 0.17, but the under-center work looks like the part worth watching.
The other number that jumps off the page is the pressure output. San Francisco didn’t record a sack, but the rush still made life difficult for Los Angeles.
The 49ers finished with 14 pressures, seven hurries and seven QB hits, and that added up to pressure on 37.5% of the Rams’ dropbacks. Nick Bosa was back and looked excellent, but the source of the disruption was broader than that.
The additions of Osa Odighizuwa and Raheem Morris as defensive coordinator were described as paying instant dividends for a pass rush that was non-existent last season.
The sack total may have stayed at zero, but the larger picture was encouraging enough: if the 49ers keep forcing that kind of discomfort, the sacks should follow.
The protection on the other side was just as notable. San Francisco’s offensive line didn’t allow a sack and gave up pressures on only 25% of Brock Purdy’s dropbacks.
The Rams managed “quick pressure” on just 5.7% of the 49ers’ dropbacks. A game plan built around quick throws helped, but the line also had stretches where it simply controlled the matchup and made the Rams’ defensive front look stuck.
That’s the real question now. Was Thursday night a product of the Rams being worn down and Myles Garrett being injured, or did the 49ers really take a step forward in pass protection? Sunday’s matchup with the Dolphins at Levi’s Stadium will offer the next clue, and the 49ers will be chasing a 2-0 start after getting the year rolling with a convincing win.
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Instead, the first game left plenty to sort through. Height came away without a tackle or pressure on 18 pass rush attempts, a quiet opening night for a player expected to bring more immediate polish because of his age and college experience. For a 49ers defense that leans on steady production up front, the bigger question now is how quickly he can turn opportunity into impact. [Read more 🡒]