The last time the Rams tried to neutralize him, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner made 12 tackles and foiled a fourth-down rushing attempt that secured a 49ers’ victory at SoFi Stadium.
In the 49ers’ next game, Warner suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
So the Rams should have an advantage Sunday when they play the Warner-less 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
But Warner’s presence will still be felt, said Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who was on the 49ers staff from 2017 to 2020.
“What Fred does from behind the scenes is as important as what he does in front of you guys on Sundays,” LaFleur said of the four-time All-Pro. “He provides such a leadership and such a mentality of how he goes about not just coming out the tunnel on Sunday and playing, but the energy he provides on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, the energy he provides in the meeting room.
“That stuff carries over. … You can see a lot of the same traits that Fred had as a young guy that he’s instilling into this linebacking core unit. Yeah, he’s not out there. Yeah, you want to play a team when they have their best players because that’s what this league is about, but his presence is definitely still felt there.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said Warner was “as good a linebacker as there is in this league.”
“His ability to cover up some of the stuff that they ask him to do in some of their middle field open coverages is second to none in the NFL,” Stafford said. “I think with both his ability to move, his understanding of what offenses are trying to do to attack him, all of that is at an elite level.”