What 49ers can learn from Rams' Super Bowl victory over Bengals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl on Sunday because they had the three best players on the field.
It’s as simple as that.
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Yes, those around football often call it “the ultimate team sport.” But this game is driven by star players, and the action at SoFi Stadium demonstrated that once again.
Matthew Stafford was the better quarterback on the field.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp was the best offensive player.
And defensive lineman Aaron Donald was the most dominant player, period.
The Rams’ 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the 56th playing of the Super Bowl provides an example to all NFL teams, including the 49ers, of what it takes to be the ones smudging the sterling silver of the Lombardi Trophy amid the falling confetti.
The 49ers have an opportunity this offseason to lock up their best offensive and defensive players to long-term contracts.
It will not be cheap, but corners can be cut in other areas in order to ensure Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa are around for at least another five seasons apiece.
“We fully understand these guys are pillars of what we're trying to do here,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said two days after the club’s season-ending loss to the Rams in the NFC Championship Game.
“Obviously, planning has been done to account for those guys. And, yes, there's some interesting dynamics with Deebo playing multiple positions. But the bottom line, he's an excellent football player. And so, I'm sure that we'll find a way to get that done. It's been budgeted for.”
The other lesson to be learned from the Rams is something the 49ers have already done: Spare no expense for the quarterback the head coach wants on his team.
Former Rams quarterback Jared Goff is similar to Jimmy Garoppolo, who said good-bye to 49ers fans two weeks ago.
Rams coach Sean McVay got his guy, Stafford, in a trade that came out of nowhere a year ago. Stafford arrived from Detroit for Goff, two first-round draft picks (2022 and ’23) and a third-rounder in 2021.
The 49ers are in the process of finding a trade partner for Garoppolo — a deal that is expected to be completed before March 16, the start of the new league year when Garoppolo’s no-trade clause expires.
Like the Rams did for Stafford, the 49ers paid a big price to move up to No. 3 overall to select North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 49ers sent first-round picks in 2022 and ’23, as well as a third-round pick this year, to the Miami Dolphins to move into position to select the quarterback they evaluated as the next in line after Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson.
The Rams hit on Stafford, 34, who had 12 seasons of NFL experience before landing in L.A.
Remember, a year ago the Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected when they swung for the fence with the acquisition of Tom Brady.
There is no way the Rams or Buccaneers would have won these Super Bowls without going out and getting those quarterbacks.
Whereas Stafford and Brady were finished products when they arrived with their new teams, it will take more time and patience with Lance. Lance, 21, has started just 19 games in the four seasons since graduating from Marshall High in 2018.
The window for the 49ers to remain as contenders will be open as long as Lance can play at a top level.
Lance spent his rookie season learning the playbook, NFL defenses and observing Garoppolo’s professional approach.
When the 49ers made the decision to keep Garoppolo as the 2021 starter, the template that was cited was how the Kansas City Chiefs groomed Patrick Mahomes while Alex Smith remained for one season.
Lance took 178 offensive snaps as a rookie. Teammates and coaches raved about his weekly improvements on the practice field as the scout-team quarterback.
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In Mahomes’ first year, he played 62 snaps. But coach Andy Reid saw enough from him behind the scenes to trade away Smith that offseason to make room for Mahomes.
Two seasons later, Mahomes was a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
There are certainly no guarantees of a Super Bowl title in the near future for the 49ers.
But the only way to make strides toward that goal is for Lance to give the team more at quarterback and the team’s star players to do the rest.
