The Los Angeles Rams defeated the 49ers 12-6 and improved to 8-7, while San Francisco falls to 6-8 with the loss. The "Thursday Night Football" divisional matchup was significantly impacted by weather, as rain poured down during the contest.
San Francisco's playoff hopes took a big hit with the loss.
The 49ers, already thin on offense due to injuries, needed the stars they had to step up, but that didn't happen. Not long after wide receiver Deebo Samuel tweeted that he isn't struggling, he just isn't getting the ball, he, for lack of a better term, struggled. Samuel dropped easy passes at key points, finishing with just three receptions on six targets, totaling 16 yards.
The theme of the game was punts, field goals and missed opportunities. We saw 13 punts through 60 minutes of play, including 11 in the first quarter, which was tied for the most of any game this season. Things began with the teams exchanging a pair of three-and-outs and we saw more of that through the night. Neither team reached the red zone until the fourth quarter.
The first half ended at 3-3, after both teams kicked long field goals to get on the board. The Niners were first on the board, thanks to a 53-yard field goal from Jake Moody. It took until nearly the end of the second quarter, but the Rams responded with a field goal of their own, a 48 yarder from Joshua Karty.
Moody kicked a 47 yarder to take a brief lead, before Karty's 23 yarder tied it at 6-6 with just over 13 minutes to go in the game.
The Rams took their first lead of the game with, you guessed it: a field goal. The drive began with one of the most thrilling plays of the game, when Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua for 51 yards. Rather than go for it on fourth-and-2, the Rams opted for a 27 yard field goal to make it 9-6.
Things got worse for the Niners when Brock Purdy's deep throw to the end zone was picked off by Darious Williams. L.A. turned the turnover into three more points, extending their lead to 12-6, where the scoreboard would stay.
The Niners, who just last season were in the Super Bowl, have slid significantly and will likely miss the playoffs this season.
Let's take a look at what went down in San Francisco on Thursday night.
Maybe the Rams didn't put up 457 total yards and 44 points like on Sunday, but without a doubt Stafford's unit was the better offense on Thursday night. Sure, L.A. went 0-2 in the red zone, but on a night where points came at a premium, that didn't matter as much. This was the first game of the year that featured zero touchdowns!
The Rams offense finally got into a rhythm late in the third quarter, when Stafford engineered a 17-play, 65-yard drive that ended with three points. Following a three-and-out from San Francisco, Stafford hit Nacua on a 51-yard bomb to set up another field goal for the Rams to acquire their first lead of the game.
The Rams recorded just 89 total yards in the first half, and finished with 302 yards of total offense.
Usually when you hold your opponent to zero touchdowns, it's good enough for a win. But not in this NFC West showdown. Yes, the 49ers offense was bad, as the 191 yards of total offense was the second-lowest number ever recorded in the Kyle Shanahan era, but the reason the 49ers lost on Thursday was because of their second-half performance.
Not only did the defense allow three straight field goal drives in a low-scoring game, but the offense managed just three points of their own with a turnover. San Francisco recorded just 83 yards of total offense in the final two quarters! There were several times during this game where the 49ers needed to make a play, and they just could not.
The 49ers are the first team to lose four divisional games while holding a fourth-quarter lead since the 2008 Detroit Lions, who went 0-16. On Thursday, Purdy posted the third-lowest passer rating in his young career as a starter (45.4), and his second-lowest completion percentage (45.2%).
After the Rams acquired a 9-6 lead, it was time for some deep shots with the rain out of the area. Unfortunately, Purdy went a little too deep on this shot to Jauan Jennings down the right sideline, and it was picked off by Williams.
Following this play, the Rams ran out most of the clock and added three more points for the win.
You had to be creative when it came to making catches in the wet weather, and that's what Nacua did in the first quarter. He made a catch while using Charvarius Ward's helmet to secure the football. A new kind of "helmet catch."
Samuel posted on social media Monday that he wasn't struggling this season, he just wasn't getting the ball! Shanahan tried to get him the ball on the first play from scrimmage off a slant, but the pass fell incomplete.
Later in the first quarter, Samuel got in the way of running back Isaac Guerendo, which caused him to stumble.
To make matters worse, Samuel then had a crucial drop on third-and-10 in the third quarter that would have put the 49ers in the red zone for the first time all night.
The noise surrounding Samuel will be amplified following this performance.
The Rams will head to MetLife Stadium next Sunday to face the New York Jets, who currently sit at 3-10. The 49ers are also taking on an AFC East opponent next week, flying to Miami to face the Dolphins. The Dolphins are currently second in the division at 6-7, behind the 10-3 Buffalo Bills.
First downs: LAR 14 SF 11
Third downs: LAR 4-15 SF 3-12
Total yards: LAR 302 SF 191
Red zone: LAR 0-3 SF 0-0
TOP: LAR 35:04 SF 24:51
Matthew Stafford 16/27 160 yards
Brock Purdy 14/31 142 yards 1 INT
Kyren Williams 29 carries 108 yards
Isaac Guerendo 16 carries 57 yards
Puka Nacua 7 catches 97 yards
Cooper Kupp 0 catches 0 yards
George Kittle 4 catches 61 yards
Jauan Jennings 2 catches 31 yards
Rozeboom sacks Purdy on the final play of the game. Rams win 12-6 in a sloppy affair.
Deebo Samuel draws a horse collar penalty on the kick return. 49ers get the ball at the 50-yard line with 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
That may be game. The Rams went 69 yards on 13 plays with a mission to end the contest, and Karty was good from 29 yards out.
The Rams have now ended their last three drives with field goals, which was the difference in this one.
Brock Purdy will have 18 seconds with zero timeouts to make something happen.
LAR 12 SF 6
Rams offense playing super motivated on this drive -- trying to put the game away. L.A. has quickly picked up 42 yards on six plays, and the Rams are into enemy territory with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
I said we were starting to see some deep shots here in the fourth quarter, but Purdy went TOO deep while trying to find Jauan Jennings down the field. It's picked off by Darious Williams 31 yards down the field! Touchback. This could be a turning point in the game.
We are starting to see some downfield shots now that the rain has subsided. That's good for Brock Purdy and the 49ers.
Sean McVay hates failing in the red zone, but he probably hates it less on a night like this where points are at a premium. The Rams go 58 yards on five plays (thanks to a 51-yard catch from Puka), and Karty is called on to kick a 27-yard field goal on fourth-and-2 at the 49ers' 8-yard line.
LAR 9 SF 6
9:28 remaining in the fourth quarter
Now we have some action! Matthew Stafford dropped back on first down and found Nacua wide open 51 yards down the field! Rams right back in the red zone.
San Francisco couldn't respond after Karty tied the game with his short FG. A George Kittle OPI penalty pushed the 49ers back 10 yards on first down, and the 20 yards were too much to overcome for the SF offense. Guerendo had a nice pickup of 16 yards on third-and-20, but Shanahan wasn't going to keep his offense on the field at his own 26-yard line.
L.A. finally moved the ball on offense, going 65 yards on 16 plays, but the drive stalls at the 49ers' 12-yard line. Credit to the 49ers red zone defense, which has NOT been good this year. Karty is good from 23 yards out, and we are tied.
LAR 6 SF 6
13:38 remaining in the fourth quarter
For the first time tonight, a team has reached the red zone. The Rams are in the midst of their best drive of the game, having picked up over 50 yards on this possession.
The Rams didn't get to the 49ers' 37-yard line just to kick a field goal. Sean McVay keeps his offense on the field on fourth-and-1, and Stafford pushes up the middle for two yards.
Stafford's Over/Under for rushing yards was 0.5. He has 13 rushing yards now.
Deebo Samuel with an absolutely HORRIFIC drop on third-and-10. It would have been a first down. Instead Jake Moody comes on to hit a 47-yard field goal. 49ers retake the lead after going 34 yards on nine plays.
SF 6 LAR 3
8:23 remaining in the third quarter
49ers have already picked up three first downs on their first possession of the third quarter. They are in field goal range.
The Rams offense didn't improve after the halftime break, as Stafford's unit went three-and-out to begin the third quarter. Kyren Williams picked up five yards on two straight carries, but Stafford just threw the ball away on third-and-5. Rolling right, he decided not to take a chance for one of his receivers. Was a little puzzling, but nothing was open downfield.
6 points, 11 punts, 9 first downs, 0 TD, 0 turnovers
First downs: LAR 4 SF 5
Third downs: LAR 2-8 SF 2-9
Total yards: LAR 89 SF 108
TOP: LAR 15:35 SF 14:25
Punts: LAR 5 SF 6
Matthew Stafford 4/12 23 yards
Brock Purdy 9/19 96 yards
Kyren Williams 14 rushes 44 yards
Isaac Guerendo 8 rushes 17 yards
Deebo Samuel 2 rushes 3 yards
Puka Nacua 3 catches 19 yards
Kyren Williams 1 catch 4 yards
George Kittle 2 catches 43 yards
Jauan Jennings 2 catches 31 yards
Deebo Samuel 3 catches 16 yards
Kobie Turner 6 total tackles, 2 sacks
Dre Greenlaw (first game this year) 9 total tackles
49ers go three-and-out, picking up six yards on three plays. There's 29 seconds remaining in the second quarter, so I'm not sure Stafford and Co. can get anything going at their own 22-yard line.
The 49ers have three timeouts, and are going fast trying to get down the field into scoring position.
Rams get the ball to start the second half.
The Rams are finally on the board thanks to the right leg of Joshua Karty. He's good from 48 yards out -- successfully capping a 20-yard, seven-play drive for the Rams. Both teams are now 2-8 on third downs.
LAR 3 SF 3
1:05 remaining in the second quarter
Kobie Turner's second sack of the game ends the 49ers drive. He's been a monster in this one: 5 tackles and 2 sacks.
Rams have great field position at the 50-yard line with just over four minutes remaining in the first half.
A 10-yard completion to Kittle moves the chains for the 49ers on third-and-8. Kittle has two catches for 43 yards.
Something to note: Matthew Stafford has been high on multiple throws so far. The rain may be playing a role in that.
49ers star linebacker Fred Warner has returned to the game after exiting earlier in the opening quarter
From CBS Sports Research:
The Rams had zero first downs in their first four drives for the first time since 2013
The 49ers converted the first third down of the game thanks to an 18-yard Jauan Jennings catch on a third-and-9, but the 20-yard, six-play drive came to an end at midfield for San Francisco.
SF 3 LAR 0
12:58 remaining in the second quarter
