49ers-Rams: Matchups to watch

SAN FRANCISCO -- It's almost impossible to come up with "matchups to watch" in any game featuring the St. Louis Rams.After all, it's always problematic to find Rams who will actually be healthy enough to play.The team has been decimated by injuries this season. Nine players who have started games this season are among the 13 players whose seasons have already ended with trips to injured reserve.The list of those lost for the season includes receiver Danny Amendola, both starting offensive tackles, Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith, and six -- that's right, six -- cornerbacks.Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher were the Rams' starting cornerbacks to open the season. They played a combined five games before both were lost for the season. Veteran Al Harris started five games before he was lost for the season.The Rams continue to have injury concerns, as their most important offensive player, quarterback Sam Bradford, and their best defensive player, Chris Long, are questionable with ankle injuries.
Tale of the tape
49ers RT Anthony Davis (76): 6-5, 323, Rutgers, second season
Rams DE Chris Long (91): 6-3, 270, Virginia, fourth seasonIn his second NFL season, Davis has shown vast improvement and consistency over his rookie season. But there is no denying Davis struggled Thanksgiving night against the Baltimore Ravens.Things do not get a whole lot easier on Sunday, as he'll be matched against Long, who is quickly becoming recognized as one of the top challenges for right tackles. At least Davis will be playing alongside right guard Adam Snyder again, as he's back from a hamstring strain that forced him out of the game against the Ravens.
Long, however, might not be at full strength. He missed practice time this week with an ankle sprain. He is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, but the 49ers expect Long to be on the field. Long has not missed a game in his NFL career.Long is sixth in the NFL with 10 sacks on the season, and he has recorded at least one sack in five consecutive games. Half of his sacks have come in the fourth quarter of games."He's just a good football player," Davis said. "I've seen him play just as well against the run. He's a good pass-rusher, good motor. He's good."Last season, Long got the better of Davis in two matchups with a sack in each game and four quarterback pressures. Both Long and Davis are better than a year ago, Davis said."It's a different matchup this year," Davis said. "We're both different players."This is a huge matchup for the 49ers, whose pass protection will be looking to rebound from a forgettable performance in a 16-6 loss to the Ravens. The 49ers allowed nine sacks -- a 13-year worst performance for the team.Other matchups worth watching
49ers RB Frank Gore (21) vs. Rams LB James Laurinaitis (55): The Rams have the worst rush defense in the league. Arizona's Beanie Wells gained 228 yards on 27 rushing attempts last week in the Cardinals' 23-20 win at St. Louis. Laurinaitis is the Rams' leading tackler, and he must shed blocks and make the stop of Gore to prevent him from breaking into the secondary. Gore has five 100-yard games this season, and he needs 22 yards to break the 49ers' franchise record for rushing yards since the club entered the NFL in 1950.49ers NT Isaac Sopoaga (90) vs. Rams C Tony Wragge (64): The 49ers' run defense has been outstanding -- and that's an understatement. And a lot of it starts with Sopoaga clogging up the middle. The 49ers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 33 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. They are the first team since the 1928 Providence Steamrollers to not allow a rushing touchdown in the first 11 games of a season. In fact, the last player to score a rushing touchdown against them was the Rams' Steven Jackson. He scored on a 1-yard run on Dec. 26. The 49ers have gone 51 quarters without allowing a rushing TD. Wragge will start his fourth game at center after taking over for struggling Jason Brown. If the Rams want to run the ball, Wragge will have to do a good job against Sopoaga. Wragge, one of the 49ers player representatives during the lockout, signed with the Rams as a free agent.