The Los Angeles Rams had just earned a huge win over the Bills entering this game. As a result, they earned a winning record this season for the first time this season. They had won two in a row, and were hoping to best the 49ers, who currently, rather shockingly, entered this game tied for last place in the division, despite being preseason Super Bowl favorites for many.
Yet the 49ers have seen a once promising season deteriorate. This was largely due to injuries, which San Francisco has been absolutely plagued by. Still, it was hard to believe that this team would see this season fade away without making some kind of a run. That was why they were my pick going into this game. At some point, I expected them to make a run.
To their credit, though, the Rams did what they had to. This was the classic "ugly" game on both sides. Both of these teams have serious firepower on offense, and can be dangerous at their best. But on a sloppy and soggy day, the Rams defense proved to be tough, and to ground the Niners offense to minimal production.
Now to be fair, both defenses played well. And neither offense played extremely well. After all, there were no touchdowns by either team in this one. But it was the Rams who, in the end, capitalized better on their opportunities, especially late in the game. They had three straight drives late in the second half that culminated in field goals. At the beginning of that run, the Rams were down, 6-3. By the end of that stretch, they were up 12-6, and with time quickly running out on the 49ers.
San Francisco did manage to get more or less to midfield. But on the game's final play, the Rams defense managed to catch 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy for a sack to end it and ice the game.
For the Rams, quarterback Mattew Stafford proved to be patient. This was far from his best day, statistically. Yet, he did not make any major mistakes, as he completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards. On the ground, Kyren Williams ground out 108 yards on 29 carries, helping to pick up some of the load for the Los Angeles "O." While Los Angeles was hardly explosive on offense, they still managed to produce a total of 302 yards - more than 100 yards than San Francisco managed to get - and held onto the ball for over 35 minutes. So while they lacked fireworks, they got the job done, and against a team that until recently, the Rams usually really struggled against.
In a losing cause for the 49ers, Purdy completed 14 of 31 for 142 yards. But he also had a key interception late in the game, when San Fran appeared to be in decent field goal position. So that proved costly, given how tight the game was. Isaac Guerendo was not as effective on the ground as Chris McCaffrey likely would have been, picking up just 57 yards on 16 carries. It should be noted that Deebo Samuels dropped a key pass by Purdy deep in Rams territory that might have given the 49ers a real shot at a touchdown, and could have changed the complexion of the game.
Ultimately, this was a rather ugly game, with weather to match. To their credit, the Rams got the job done, earning a seventh win in their last nine games. They improve to 8-6, and pull to within half a game of the Seahawks, at least for the moment. Seattle will play on Sunday, but they will not have an easy game, as the 11-2 Vikings come to town, having won their last six games. The Seahawks need to win that one to stay alone atop the NFC West. Otherwise, a loss will mean that they will be tied with the Rams atop the division. But since the Rams won the earlier meeting in Seattle, and with another meeting in Los Angeles to end the regular season, it might really be tough for the Seahawks to capture the NFC West.
As for the 49ers, this was their fourth loss in a span of five games. This loss drops them to the cellar in the NFC West. And they are now two games behind the Rams and will be at least that far behind Seattle after this weekend, whatever the results on Sunday may be. San Francisco might hope that the Cardinals lose, at least, so that the two franchises can be tied for last place in the NFC West.
My pick: Inaccurate
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