by Joe Lami

AP file photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert tunes up in San Diego pre game photo on Thu Sep 1. Gabbert gets the starting call Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams

SANTA CLARA–The regular season is upon us and for the first time since 1994, the Los Angeles Rams will travel to the Bay Area to take on the 49ers. Is it also a coincidence that 1994 was the last season the 49ers won the Super Bowl? Yes, yes it is.

After a 2-2 preseason, Blaine Gabbert’s 49ers will finally be able to show us what they can do. They get this opportunity on the grandest stage of Monday Night Football against LA, who finished 7-9 last season in St. Louis.

LA has decided to go with Case Keenum to start as their Quarterback, after taking former California star Jared Goff with the first overall pick. However, it isn’t the passing attack of the Rams that the 49ers should be worried about, it’s reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, running back Todd Gurley that will be carrying most of the weight for the Rams.

The front seven of the 49ers will have a lot of their plate trying to slow down Gurley, who is a pre-season favorite to be the top running back in the league for the 2016 season.

On the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers have a solid running back of their own in Carlos Hyde, who suffered a concussion in the third preseason game against Green Bay, but he is expected to be ready for Monday Night. “Teams are going to play to their strengths no matter what you have. You have two outstanding backs in Gurley and Hyde, but it’s not exclusive. You still have to defend everything, but obviously, we know we’re going to get a steady dose of Todd,” said 49ers coach Chip Kelly.

The passing attack for the Niners is something to worry about. It starts with questioning if Gabbert is an NFL starter and trickles down the arguably one of the worst receiving cores in the league. Expect Vance McDonald and other tight ends to get most of the targets from Gabbert on the season as he loves his tight ends.

There is a huge difference between this year’s 49ers and last year’s, and that’s Kelly, who is trying to recharge this offense. We saw flashes of brilliance in the pre-season from the up-tempo attack. However, the downside was inconsistency. The offense was either able to march right down the field and score or go on a quick three-and-out.

There wasn’t too much in between, making you realize that if this offense can get a drive going, they are going to be hard to stop. But, if they can’t, the defense will be in for a long day.

Monday’s game for San Francisco feels like a much win when you look down the schedule and see a hellish first month of football for the Niners. As they travel to Carolina and Seattle and host Dallas and Arizona all within the next month. If they can’t take care of the Rams in the opener, it won’t be difficult for a 0-5 start and for the season to be over before it even started.