How Purdy and the 49ers’ offense are taking advantage of SoFi fan takeover of the Rams

How Purdy and the 49ers’ offense are taking advantage of SoFi fan takeover of the Rams originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SANTA CLARA — Never underestimate the impact fans have on an NFL game, especially when it comes to the story of the 49ers Faithful taking over SoFi Stadium when San Francisco travels south to take on the Los Angeles Rams.

By creating a power play in the stands, 49ers fans are allowing quarterback Brock Purdy and the rest of San Francisco’s offense to communicate with minimal disruption — a luxury that’s typically atypical in NFL road games.

“I think it’s huge,” Purdy said of the San Francisco fan advantage over Los Angeles. “Like, last week we went to Minnesota with the environment we were in, our operation, our cadence and everything is completely different in how we present it in practice. So to be able to go out there and see our Niners fans show up and be able to use our verbal cadence and all that, it’s huge for us.”

“We’re obviously prepared to deal with any situation if we have to stay quiet, but more than anything, we’re proud to play for the Niners. The Faithful are here and supporting us, especially in Los Angeles. So we’re excited about that, and it’s nice to go out there and be able to hear each other and communicate — that’s a big part of the game.”

A majority of the 49ers are expected once again on Sunday, as Vivid Seat Fan Predictions San Francisco fans will make up 62 percent of the crowd at SoFi Stadium when the two NFC West foes meet in a Week 3 matchup.

The 49ers haven’t just been good: They’ve been dominant at SoFi Stadium, boasting an .800 winning percentage and an undefeated regular-season record since the building opened in 2020.

While the massive support on the road has its benefits, coach Kyle Shanahan also noted the added pressure that comes with performing to a standard in an environment that resembles a home game.

“When you’re in a situation like this and you have that many fans out there, it’s only cool if you play really well,” Shanahan said Wednesday. “If you play really well and you can control the game, then it’s really fun. If you don’t, it’s twice as disappointing.”

THE 49ers enter Sunday’s contest averaging 27.8 points and 382 yards per game during the regular season at SoFi Stadium.

The Rams’ roster looks dramatically different than the last time these two teams met, particularly on the defensive side of the ball with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald out after retiring this offseason.

Now, Los Angeles will rely on a group of young defenders tasked with slowing down San Francisco’s attack as it looks to rebound from a Disappointing effort in Minnesota last weekend.

That challenge becomes even more difficult if the 49ers can take advantage of the fan advantage at their disposal — a likely outcome given San Francisco’s record at SoFi Stadium.

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