Week 18 - Other than a minor tune-up heading into the NFL playoffs, Sunday's game between the (12-4) San Francisco 49ers and (9-7) Los Angeles Rams served little significance with both teams having already clinched playoff spots. But for L.A. who was vying for better playoff seeding with a win and a few rookie records for one of their star receivers, the Rams had a little more to play for in Sunday's regular-season finale. In a rivalry that dates back to 1950, coach Kyle Shanahan and the Niners have had the number of their southern California counterparts, having won nine straight regular-season meetings over the Rams. While that streak was bound to end sooner or later, it probably ended a little sooner than it would have had both teams gone with their starters. Instead, the Rams would prevail in the battle of the backups, logging their first regular-season win over San Francisco in 5 1/2 years.
With both teams electing to sit their starting quarterbacks among a lengthy list of other notable players, the game would be a match-up between two backup QB's who were thought to be franchise-altering players, now looking to show their worth after being drafted near the top of their respective draft boards in San Francisco's Sam Darnold and L.A.'s Carson Wentz. Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick for the New York Jets in 2018 who had 55 career starts under his belt, would make his first in a 49ers uniform on Sunday. Meanwhile, Wentz who was passed on with the No. 1 overall pick by the Rams in the 2016 NFL Draft before sliding to the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 2 pick, would also make his first start of the season in his first game action since Week 17 of the 2022 regular-season. Entering Sunday with a career record of 3-0 against SF, Wentz would snap the Niners' streak of 12 consecutive wins against NFC West opponents, while also improving his own streak against them.
Darnold and the Niners offense would get off to a strong start on the game's opening-drive as the former USC Trojan went 5-for-5 on passes for 49-yards, before running back Elijah Mitchell rushed up the middle for a 1-yard score to give San Francisco an early 7-0 advantage. For the 49ers, the opening-drive touchdown would be their 10th of the season, the most in the NFL. Los Angeles rookie receiver Puka Nacua who has dazzled in his first year as a pro and has been a pleasant surprise during his first campaign in the Rams offense, would have a chance to break not one but two rookie receiving records for the most receptions and the most receiving yards in a rookie season. Needing one play less than the Niners' 14-play, 75-yard opening-drive, the Rams offense answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive of their own, capped off by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to Nacua. Orchestrating the longest drive of the first half, Darnold and the 49er offense would answer by retaking the lead on a 20-play, 82-yard drive that lasted just shy of 10-minutes, as the running back tandem of Mitchell and Jordan Mason got the Niners to the doorstep before Darnold was able to charge ahead for his 14th career rushing touchdown.
Following up what was the longest drive of the first half, Wentz and the Rams would have the shortest drive as the L.A. QB would be intercepted on the first play of their ensuing possession when receiver Tutu Atwell had a pass skip off of his hands and into the air, allowing for a diving grab by a 49er making his season-debut as Tayler Hawkins made the play just days after being elevated from the team's practice squad. However, the turnover would not prove to be costly by the Rams as the 49ers attempted to add to their lead with a Jake Moody field goal before the rookie kicker missed from 38-yards out by doinking the ball off the right upright for his first missed kick of the season inside 40-yards. The 49ers would manage to add to their lead just before halftime as Darnold connected with receiver Chris Conley on the longest play of the game with a 48-yard pass, setting up a 5-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Ronnie Bell just a few plays later. With another miss from Jake Moody, this time on an extra-point for the first time this season, the 49ers took a 20-7 lead at the break.
Sean McVay's Rams opened the second half with an impressive 20-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 10-minutes and 15-seconds and ended in the end zone with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to receiver Tyler Johnson for his first score of the season. Like Moody, Rams kicker Brett Maher would also miss on the extra-point attempt, keeping it an 8-point game. After a promising first half on offense, Darnold and the 49ers were shutout in the second half while compiling a measly 26 yards of total offense and were held to just two first downs. San Francisco's 20-13 lead lasted until the 5-minute mark when L.A. benefited from a 48-yard pass-interference penalty. After a few short runs, Wentz took it in himself by plowing forward from 12-yards out for his 11th career rushing touchdown. With momentum suddenly on their side, the Rams would go for the two-point conversion and cashing in on a successful pass from Wentz to Tutu Atwell to take their first lead of the day.
San Francisco would have one last chance to pull off a comeback following both teams exchanging punts. Taking over possession with no timeouts remaining and just under a minute to go, Darnold connected on an 18-yard pass to Chris Conley for a first down that put them near midfield. Only needing to get into field goal range to give kicker Jake Moody a shot at redemption with a walk-off field goal, Darnold stepped up in the pocket and looked to have a sprinting Jordan Mason all alone for a big gain, but the Niners QB was caught from behind, jarring the ball loose as the Rams came up with the fumble recovery to seal the 21-20 victory for L.A. In the loss, Darnold threw for 189 yards and 1 touchdown and rushed for another score on 7 carries for 19 yards, but was haunted by the game-ending fumble. Wentz also did damage with his legs, leading all rushers with 56 yards and a touchdown on a game-high 17 carries, while throwing for 163 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception in the win.
Playoff Preview: While the No. 1 seeded 49ers sit back and enjoy their extended rest with the first-round Bye, San Francisco whom owns homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, will await the outcomes of the NFC's Wild Card Round before playing host to the lowest-seeded winner. This weekend's match-ups include: Green Bay @ Dallas, Los Angeles @ Detroit, and Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay. When 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy retakes the field in the NFC's Divisional Round, he'll try to improve the record of starting QB's that have sat out of the final regular season game since 2005 as rested QB's own a record of 10-16 for a winning percentage of .385 in their first playoff game. In comparison, QB's that played in the regular season finale own a record of 112-84 in their first playoff game during that span, a winning percentage of .571. Looking to throw that nonsense out the same window that he has used to throw out all the criticisms he's received this season for being a "game manager", a "system QB" and for being a long shot to even be considered in the NFL's MVP race, Brock Purdy was named to the Pro Bowl earlier in the week, becoming the first 49ers QB selected since Jeff Garcia in 2002. Purdy also surpassed Garcia's franchise-record for the most passing yards in a season by a Niners QB just a week earlier.
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