49ers Faceplant vs Rams in Rainy Santa Clara

Week 15 - With just a handful of games remaining on the NFL's regular season schedule, the San Francisco 49ers entered their Thursday Night meeting with the rival (7-6) Los Angeles Rams with a record of 6-7 and very little margin of error to play with. Hoping to continue their improbable playoff run and cruise with a win at home, mother nature would have other plans as both teams struggled to get much of anything going on offense partly in part by the rainy conditions that effected both team's strategy through the air. With what many believed would be a back-and-forth shootout between two offenses led by two of the best young minds in all of football at the head coaching position between friends and former colleagues Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, instead turned into the first game in the NFL this season without a single touchdown scored. 

In a season that has been plagued by injuries, the 49ers finally received a bit of positivity on the injury front as linebacker Dre Greenlaw made his season debut, returning to action just 10 months removed from suffering a torn Achilles in a freak accident while on the sideline during February's Super Bowl. While the injury sent a ripple effect throughout the clubhouse and left his teammates in shock when it initially occurred, his return on Thursday night inspired the team and gave the defense a much-needed jolt on the field, at least through the first two quarters. Getting the start at linebacker opposite of Fred Warner, Greenlaw dazzled and led both teams with 10 tackles in the first half alone. With Greenlaw's help, the 49er defense held the Rams offense to four straight drives without a first down, the longest streak to start a game under head coach Sean McVay. While the 49ers did strike first with a 53-yard Jake Moody field goal on their second drive of the game, they weren't much better on offense as both teams combined for 11 punts in the first half, tied for the most in a half this season. After holding the Chicago Bears to just 3 yards of total offense in the first half a week ago, San Francisco was at it again and held the Rams to just 26 yards in the first half in rainy Santa Clara. 

With a score of 3-3 at the half, the 6-points scored were the fewest in a first half of a 49ers-Rams game since 2009. With 152 games played in the longstanding 49ers-Rams rivalry, it would also be the first game in series history without a touchdown thru the first three quarters, let alone the entire game as the kickers took centerstage and did all the scoring on Thursday night. After forcing a three and out on defense and taking a 6-3 lead following a field goal on San Francisco's first drive of the second half, things began to slip away for the 49ers both literally and figuratively. One play earlier before electing to kick the go-ahead field goal, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy threw a pass to a streaking Deebo Samuel who had blockers ahead of him and the end zone in his sights, but the recently disgruntled receiver dropped the pass and ran to the sideline holding his head in disbelief, much to the chagrin of the 49er fans in attendance as boo's rained down. The dropped pass that was likely destined for the end zone was especially frustrating for the 49ers as Deebo expressed to the media in the days leading up to Thursday's game that there was nothing wrong with him in what's been a down year for the former All-Pro receiver, he just hasn't been given the ball enough. Coach Shanahan and Brock Purdy both tried feeding Samuel on Thursday, even forcibly at times, dialing up plays both on the ground and through the air to no avail. 

Trailing 6-3 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Rams kicked field goals on their final three drives of the game to take a 12-6 lead. Just four nights after winning the highest-scoring game of the season in a 44-42 barnburner against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, L.A. suddenly found themselves in one of the lowest-scoring games of the year. With a chance to turn the tables and avenge a comeback loss to the Rams in L.A. back in Week 3, Purdy struggled to connect on a pair of home run passes to receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings, respectively. After underthrowing a pass near the end zone to Pearsall, the Niners QB overthrew a deep ball to Jennings that was picked off inside the end zone. One possession later, the San Francisco offense would have one last-ditch effort remaining, but with no timeouts remaining and the game clock running against them, Purdy took a sack that sealed the Rams' win and most likely the Niners' season. With just 191 total yards of offense to show for, the 49ers put up the second fewest yards in a game under coach Shanahan. 

Perhaps an even bigger story than the proverbial final nail in the coffin that is the Niners' season, is that of linebacker De'Vondre Campbell who made headlines after refusing to go into the game for San Francisco during the third quarter. Demoted to a backup position on gameday due to the return of Dre Greenlaw, Campbell would hear his name called during the second half after Greenlaw and fellow linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles both went to the sideline after getting banged up, but Campbell refused to enter the game. Clearly feeling some type of way given his demotion, Campbell was sent to the locker room in what would end up being the final visuals of him in a 49ers uniform. Campbell's teammates and coaches sounded off on him when asked about the situation in their postgame interviews, and he has since been suspended for the team's final three regular season games this season. A former All-Pro while a member of the Green Bay Packers in 2021, Campbell began his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, with stops in Arizona and Green Bay before ultimately landing in San Francisco during the offseason. After initially agreeing to a 1-year deal with free-agent linebacker Eric Kendricks, the plug was eventually pulled on the deal when Kendricks bailed out and ultimately signed with the Dallas Cowboys, thus resulting in the 49ers reaching an agreement with Campbell who might've very well played his final downs as an NFL linebacker. 

For the Rams, winners of 7 of their last 9 games, Matt Stafford and company now have their first 3-game win streak vs San Francisco since 1999-2001 which saw six straight wins over their longtime rivals. This after the 49ers had won 9 straight regular season meetings over the Rams more recently from 2019-2023. Neither team's quarterback lit up the stat sheet as Stafford threw for 160 yards with 0 touchdowns, compared to Brock Purdy who tallied 142 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception. L.A.'s Puka Nacua led all receivers with 97 yards receiving and 7 receptions, followed by George Kittle of the Niners who hauled in 4 receptions for 61 yards. Most of the damage done by the Rams offense would come on the ground which came as no surprise in a rain-filled game as L.A. outrushed SF 142 to 63 yards rushing. Kyren Williams would have the busiest day of all running backs, leading the way for the Rams with 108 yards on 29 carries, compared to just 57 yards rushing on 19 carries by rookie running back Isaac Guerendo of the 49ers. 

Week 16 Preview - Hitting the road for sunny South Beach Florida, the (6-8) 49ers will visit the (6-8) Miami Dolphins. With the Niners sharing an identical record as the Dolphins, Miami's up and down season has had plenty to do with the health of their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who was forced to miss four games earlier this year due to yet another concussion. Since returning to action in Week 8, Tua had been playing some solid football to the tune of 15 touchdowns and only 1 interception, in spite of his team still losing games. That was until a clunker on the road in Houston where Tua threw only 1 touchdown to 3 interceptions in Week 15. With both teams coming off poor showings a week ago, both the 49ers and Dolphins will look to right the ship in Week 16 as Kyle Shanahan faces another one of his former colleagues in Miami head coach Mike McDaniel who spent five years on Shanahan's staff in San Francisco before landing his own head coaching gig. 

Seeking their first win in Miami since 1995, 49ers QB Brock Purdy who recorded his first career win against the Dolphins in relief of former teammate Jimmy Garoppolo in 2022, will attempt to get the job done against the team he grew up rooting for. 

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49ers slip by Rams with last-second Field Goal

Week 16 - A week after dropping a tough one at home to the lowly Atlanta Falcons, the (11-3) San Francisco 49ers who've been banged up on defense and were without five starters in the Week 15 loss, were happy to learn that they'd get both Richard Sherman and K'Waun Williams back at the cornerback position in time for their next match-up. Hosting the (8-6) Los Angeles Rams who've been a disappointment this year after making it to the Super Bowl the previous season, the 49ers knew they'd be in for a dog fight like most division games, not to mention the Rams would be playing for their playoff lives as a loss would result in elimination for Sean McVay's squad. But with the NFC's number one seed still up for grabs if the Niners could win out, the team would receive an extra dose of motivation in the form of a family tragedy.

Playing with heavy hearts, the Niners had much more to play for than just a win as it was learned in the wee hours of the night that 49ers backup quarterback C.J. Beathard lost his younger brother Clayton Beathard who was fatally stabbed in their hometown of Nashville, Tennessee early Saturday morning. With head coach Kyle Shanahan tending to the distraught QB as late as 3 a.m. on the morning of game day, Beathard asked one thing of his coach and 49er teammates and that was a win on Saturday in memory of his late brother of just 22-years old. And like their first meeting back in Week 5 which saw the Rams jump out to an early 7-0 lead before eventually falling, 20-7, L.A. got off to a similar start in this one. Marching down the field with ease, quarterback Jared Goff led his team on a touchdown-scoring opening-drive that saw the former No. 1 overall pick throw for 66-yards on 4-for-4 pass attempts. The 49ers would also waste little time to get on the scoreboard as an 81-yard return by Richie James Jr. on the ensuing kick, helped San Francisco setup shop inside the red zone. However, a fumbled snap and a pair of incompletions would force the Niners to settle for a field goal. Exchanging three and out punts on the next three possessions, the 49ers would once again let good field position go to waste when Jimmy Garoppolo was picked off by Rams mid-season acquisition Jalen Ramsey.

Turning the turnover into points, Todd Gurley II would score his first of two first half touchdowns, setup by a big play from Goff to Robert Woods who had a huge night in the receiving department. Trailing 14-3, the Niners would finally begin to put the pieces together with a busy second quarter. In what would be a relatively quiet first half for Garoppolo, the ground attack began to pick up the slack as Deebo Samuel found the end zone with a 19-yard rushing touchdown to ignite the spark. With Gurley's second touchdown on the Rams' ensuing possession, San Francisco would once again have to answer in order to keep things close. Riding the hot hand, 49ers running back Raheem Mostert would answer the call on the very next drive as he found the end zone with a 16-yard score to become just the fourth player in franchise history to record a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games and the first since Derek Loville in 1995. It would be a remarkable streak for Mostert considering he had only scored two touchdowns in his previous 44 career games and opened the season as the team's third-string running back. The score by Mostert would also mark the 20th rushing touchdown by a 49er this season, the most by a 49ers team since their Super Bowl-winning season in 1994. With things beginning to look up for San Francisco, the Niners would get a huge momentum shift in the form of a pick-six interception by linebacker Fred Warner in the final minute of the second quarter. Stepping in front of a pass from Goff, Warner made the grab to record his first career interception and returned it 46-yards to help his team claim their first lead of the evening just before the half, capping a 21-point second quarter which tied a season-high.

Receiving the ball at the half and looking to add to their lead, that idea was shutdown rather quickly as Garoppolo was intercepted for a second time on a tip-drill pass just two plays into the third quarter. However, the Rams would fail to do anything with it as an intentional grounding penalty pushed them back an extra 10-yards which proved to be costly as kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a 52-yard field attempt wide-left. In a much quieter third quarter that saw both teams combine for five punts, the Rams would score the lone touchdown of the quarter by either team when Goff found a wide-open Cooper Kupp for a 26-yard TD. Trailing 28-24 with under 9 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Jimmy Garoppolo and tight-end George Kittle would hook up on their first play of the drive for a 36-yard gain. And five plays later, the two would connect once again on a third and goal from the 7-yard line when Jimmy G extended the play with his legs, rolling out of the pocket and throwing a strike to Kittle to recapture the lead. The Rams would tie the game with a 52-yard field goal with 2:36 remaining, setting up another dramatic ending which 49er fans have grown accustomed to over the second half of the season.

After a pair of quarterback sacks by the Los Angeles defense, Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49er offense rallied on a pair of 3rd & 16 conversions, none greater than the 46-yard bomb to Emmanuel Sanders who raced by two defenders to convert with the big gain. With the clock winding down, Tevin Coleman was able to add a 9-yard run to help setup Robbie Gould for the game-winning walk-off field goal from 33 yards out as San Francisco pulled off the 34-31 victory. Completing their first season sweep of the Rams since 2016, the 49er defense did a good job of clamping down and allowing only 10 second half points compared to the 21 points scored in the first half which set a season-high for Goff and company. Throwing for 248 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, it was a less than stellar game for Garoppolo in the box score, but he made the big plays late in the game when he needed to and helped his team capture the win which was the 20th of his career, helping him tie Hall of Famers Roger Staubach and Kurt Warner for the third most wins through a QB's first 25 careers starts in the Super Bowl era. Playing against the team he grew up rooting for, Jared Goff had an impressive night through the air, compiling 323 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. L.A.'s Robert Woods led all receivers with 8 receptions for 117 yards and George Kittle led the way for the 49ers with 5 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, San Francisco's Raheem Mostert (53 yards, 1 touchdown on 11 carries) and L.A.'s Todd Gurley II (48 yards, 2 touchdowns on 15 carries) led their respective teams in rushing. And for the first time in three years under coach McVay, the Rams will miss out on making the playoffs.

Week 17 Preview - Following Week 16, the table is officially set for a heavyweight title fight between the (12-3) 49ers and the (11-4) Seattle Seahawks. The game which has now been flexed into the Sunday Night Football slot, will feature two bitter rivals facing off on primetime television to determine the winner of the NFC Western Division and a potential number one seed. After already eliminating one of their division foes from playoff contention, coach Shanahan's 49ers team will try to deny another rival from clinching a first round BYE while punching their own ticket by closing out the 2019 regular season with a win in Seattle where the 49ers have not reigned victorious since 2011. And with Pete Carroll's team failing to win at home in Week 16 against the last-place Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers have to like their chances a little bit more given that the Seahawks have not quite been the same team at home this season like they have in years past. Having not received any rest since the early Week 4 BYE, the 49ers would love to not only clinch home field advantage and skip having to play an extra playoff game, but would also welcome a first round BYE to rest up and heal some of the banged up bodies on both sides of the ball. Not to mention how sweet it would be to clinch both the division and a number one overall seed up north in enemy territory. With ex-Seahawk and current 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman injured before the meeting between the two teams in Seattle last season, it remains as anyone's guess as to whether or not he receives a warm welcome from the CenturyLink Field faithful. Adding another layer to the big game, the Seahawks who are without three running backs due to injury, announced on Monday that they've agreed to a deal with former Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch who will see his first NFL action since 2018 after serving the last two seasons with the Oakland Raiders... as if there wasn't enough anticipation heading into the game.


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Niners Dispatch rival Rams in L.A.

Week 6 - Entering their Week 6 meeting against the division rival (3-2) Los Angeles Rams at the L.A. Coliseum, the (4-0) San Francisco 49ers were given little chance on Sunday by pundits around the league who blamed San Francisco's hot start on an easy schedule through their first four weeks of play, and that Kyle Shanahan's team would finally be exposed against opposing head coach Sean McVay and the defending NFC Champion Rams. And while things looked rough at the start of the game for the Niners, there would be a turning of the tables as it was San Francisco who did the exposing in a visiting stadium that felt a lot more like a home atmosphere as the Coliseum was drenched in red and gold-clad fans that kept the, "let's go Niners" chant reverberating through the stadium virtually all afternoon long. With both teams facing off with winning records for the first time since December 9, 2001, each club would have their eyes set on a streak as the Niners looked to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1990, while the Rams were trying to avoid their first three-game losing skid of the McVay era which began in 2017.

Opening the game on offense, the Niners were forced to punt after a three and out ended with a sack from Pro Bowl defensive-tackle Aaron Donald who has single-handedly been a thorn in the side of the 49ers over the years. And with a makeshift offensive-line tasked to keep quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on his feet in the absence of two offensive-tackles in Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey, the Rams defense would be held to only two sacks on the afternoon, both by Donald. L.A.'s offense would be equally as impressive on their first possession as McVay dialed up a touchdown-scoring drive that needed only seven plays, all of which via the rush. With the early score marking the first rushing touchdown allowed by San Francisco's defense this season, it was almost as if McVay and the Rams were trying to prove a point and beat them at their own game considering it's been the Niners' ground attack that has ran up and down the field against the opposition, having averaged a league-leading 200 yards rushing per game this season. In fact, their 800 rushing yards in the first four games this season is the most by San Francisco through the first four weeks since 1959.

Looking to answer, Jimmy G and the Niners would do just that as running back Tevin Coleman stiff-armed a defender before finding the end zone for a touchdown. For the Niners, it would seem as though the early struggles on both sides of the football would serve as a wake up call as Kyle Shanahan's team made the adjustments and returned to form the rest of the way. And while both teams would shut out the other for the remainder of the first half following the early touchdowns, the Niners' scoring drought was more of their own doing as they began shooting themselves in the foot, whereas the Rams were just unable to find an answer for San Francisco's smothering defense. After marching down the field and reaching the red zone for the second consecutive drive, thanks to a big play made by tight-end George Kittle who broke several tackles before finally being brought down, the Niners decided to pass the ball from the 1-yard line which resulted in a head-scratching interception by Garoppolo, followed by a missed field goal two drives later. An impressive goal-line stand by the 49er defense that held the Rams offense out of the end zone on back to back plays from the 1-yard line, helped keep the game tied at 7 entering the half.

Beginning the second half on defense, the 49ers would capitalize on an early miscue by the Rams as rookie running back Darrell Henderson fumbled a pitch from Jared Goff on the very first play of the third quarter. It would be the beginning of a nightmarish third quarter for L.A.'s offense as they were held to -19 yards for the quarter and netted a combined 0 total yards over their next six drives after being stood up at the goal-line to end the first half. Taking over in the red zone, San Francisco would claim their first lead as Garoppolo plowed into the end zone via the QB sneak which he would follow with an emphatic spike of the ball. With a chance to pull even further ahead on their next possession, Garoppolo would overthrow a wide-open Tevin Coleman in the end zone as they were forced to settle for a field goal. Increasing their lead to 20-7 with Robbie Gould's second field goal of the afternoon one drive later, the 49er defense would withstand anything McVay's offense would throw at them, forcing three turnover on downs in the fourth quarter. After coming out swinging on offense with a touchdown on their opening drive, the Rams would be held scoreless on their final ten possessions and for the remainder of the game as Jared Goff was stymied and held without a touchdown for the first time this season in what would be the worst start of his career. Finishing with only 78 yards passing from Goff, the fewest for any Rams QB who played a full game since T.J. Rubley in Week 15 of the 1993 season, the 7-points scored were also the fewest scored by a McVay coached team.

Garoppolo again didn't stack the stat sheet, passing for 243 yards on 24 of 33 attempts, nor did he have to as the defense carried the load. Garoppolo's favorite target -- George Kittle, finished with a game-high 103 yards receiving on 8 receptions. And on the day the great Jerry Rice celebrated his 57th birthday, Kittle became the first 49er to haul in 50+ receiving yards in 10 straight games since the aforementioned Rice. After becoming the first team since the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs to start a season 4-0 after winning four or fewer games the year prior, the 49ers have already surpassed their win total from a season ago by improving to 5-0 following Sunday's win. Now 11-2 in his career at the helm of the 49ers, Jimmy G who owns the best winning percentage of any QB in that span with a minimum of 10 starts, will look to add to that record with a favorable match-up next.

Week 7 Preview - Continuing on the road, the 49ers will pay a visit to the nation's capital to face the (1-5) Washington Redskins. Coming off their first win of the season, a 17-16 road win against the lowly Miami Dolphins, the 'Skins will be underdogs in their own home. That's right, the (5-0) San Francisco 49ers will be double-digit favorites on the road for the first time since 2013 as some sports books even opened up with the Niners being 10-point favorites against a team that is a week removed from firing head coach Jay Gruden after starting the season 0-5. Led by interim head coach Bill Callahan, quarterback Chase Keenum and rookie receiver Terry McLaurin who has impressed in the early stage of the season, will look to pull off the upset and string together their first winning streak of 2019. As for the Niners, I'd expect to see the offense regain its mojo and continue their success on the ground after putting up only 99 yards in the win against the Rams compared to the 200 rushing yards per game they had averaged.


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Questionable late Penalty Derails 49ers Comeback

Week 3 - With the (0-2) 49ers returning home on short rest to host the division rival (1-1) Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football in their only game scheduled in prime time this season, San Francisco would hope to continue their recent dominance of the only team they were able to beat a season ago when they claimed both wins against the Rams in their first season back in southern California. Boasting a record of 7-wins, 1-loss and 1-tie in their last 9 home meetings against the Rams, the 49ers would put that streak to the test under rookie head coach Kyle Shanahan. And after failing to score a single touchdown in each of their first two games this year, the 49ers offense would finally show signs of life while wearing their blacked-out Color Rush uniforms. Expected by many to be another lackluster showcase on Thursday night, this NFC West battle between northern and southern California would instead evolve into one of the more exciting and action packed Thursday Night Football games we've seen in years as the two rebuilding teams in search of their identities went blow for blow in a high-scoring affair.

After scoring a combined 12-points through their first two games of the season, the 49ers offense erupted for 39-points on Thursday night. But before their five touchdown barrage, San Francisco QB Brian Hoyer would get off to as bad a start as you could ask for as he saw his first pass attempt on the first play of the ballgame intercepted and nearly taken to the house by Nickell Robey-Coleman before a shoestring-tackle by Niners tight-end Garrett Celek helped save a touchdown. Unfortunately, the Rams would need only one play and a total of 12 seconds to capitalize as running back Todd Gurley took it in from three yards out to begin what would ultimately be a busy day for both he and the L.A. offense. The early pick-off would catch everyone on the San Francisco side by surprise, including Hoyer who entered the game with the third lowest interception rate among active QB's (70 passes), trailing only Tom Brady (126 passes) and Aaron Rodgers (75 passes). Oddly enough, the interception on the first play from scrimmage would serve as a wake up call for Hoyer as he would help the 49ers march down the field to tie the game on their ensuing possession. Aided by an offsides call during a punt that gave the offense another chance, Hoyer took advantage by taking matters into his own hands and scoring with his feet to give San Francisco their first touchdown of the season some 23 possessions later on a 9-yard scramble.

Second-year quarterback Jared Goff who was drafted first overall a year ago just a stones throw away from Levi's Stadium at nearby Cal, would look rather comfortable under center as a visitor while facing the team he grew up rooting for. With many of his friends and family in attendance watching from the stands, the game would serve as a homecoming for Goff who threw three touchdowns in a game for just the second time in his career and the first without recording an interception. The former Golden Bear and his receivers would feast on a banged up Niners secondary that was without Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid, to the tune of 292 passing yards, with both Robert Woods (108) and Sammy Watkins (106) each eclipsing the century mark in receiving yards. After receiving a gift on their first score, Goff and company would prove that they too could create scoring chances as they answered Hoyer's touchdown with one of their own on the ensuing possession as Gurley struck pay dirt for the second time in the opening quarter, this time of the receiving variety.

Both teams would turn turnovers into points in the second quarter as the two exchanged field goals with both 49ers third-string running back Raheem Mostert (fumble) and Rams return man Tavon Austin (muffed punt) serving as the guilty parties. Gurley's third and final touchdown on the evening, a 2-yard rush, would allow the Rams to take a 24-13 lead into the locker room at halftime. Receiving the ball to open the second half, the Rams nearly made it a three-score game before a goal-line stand by the San Francisco defense held them to another Greg Zuerlein field goal. Trailing 27-13, the 49ers would spark a streak of four consecutive touchdown-scoring drives between both teams as running back Carlos Hyde shook off an early hip injury by rushing for his first of two 1-yard touchdowns on 4th down. Rams receiver Sammy Watkins would match Hyde's pair of touchdowns with two scores of his own including a 1-yard score on L.A.'s ensuing drive. One drive later, Hoyer would connect with Marquise Goodwin for a 50-yard completion just before the end of the third quarter, setting up Hoyer's first passing touchdown as a Niner -- a 1-yard strike to Garrett Celek, and a very wacky 4th quarter.

Following a crucial missed extra-point by 49ers kicker Robbie Gould, L.A. would answer with the second touchdown connection between Goff and Watkins -- a 13-yard strike as Watkins fought off defenders and muscled his way over the goal-line. It would also be the fifth touchdown pass of the season for Goff, tying the mark he threw all of last year while needing four fewer starts. From there, both teams would exchange punts before another big gainer from Hoyer. Receiver Pierre Garcon who entered Thursday's game with 573 career receptions, the most by any active player without a single Pro Bowl selection, would haul in seven more catches including this one for 59-yards to set up another score. It would prove to be a game of firsts as Garcon finished with a game-high 142-yards receiving for his first big game in a 49er uniform. Three plays later, rookie wide-out Trent Taylor would haul in his first career touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Hoyer, making it an 8-point game with just over 5 minutes remaining in regulation. In need of another break, the 49ers would get one on the ensuing kickoff as Victor Bolden forced a fumble on return man Pharoh Cooper. Capitalizing on yet another Ram fumble, Hyde would once again rumble into the end zone on a do or die 4th and 1 call from the 1-yard line.

Electing to go for the game-tying 2-point conversion, Hoyer would have nobody to throw to as his receivers were blanketed and the pass was intercepted. But an excellent recovery on a surprise onside-kick would allow San Francisco one final chance to pull off the comeback victory. Facing third and 10 with the ball at their own 40 yard line, Hoyer would connect with Taylor for an 11-yard pickup for the first down. But a controversial offensive pass-interference call against Taylor would negate the first down and pin the 49ers back another 10-yards. With the fans already out of their seats in hopes of witnessing a comeback victory of epic proportions, the Levi's Stadium faithful was none too pleased as the replay of the heinous call resembled nothing remotely close to what would normally warrant an offensive pass-interference call. And on an all or nothing 4th and 20 two plays later, Pro Bowl defensive-end Aaron Donald would come up with a game-sealing sack as the 49ers turned the ball over on downs. With under two minutes remaining, Goff and co. would milk the clock as San Francisco's last-ditch effort fell just short, 41-39. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first game in NFL history to end with a final score of 41-39.

The loss would be painful one for San Francisco as it marked their second defeat in four days by a combined five points. However, the team finally showed that they're more than capable of lighting up the scoreboard. Or was the 80-point outburst between the two teams simply a product of two tired defenses playing on short rest? 49ers All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman admitted after the game that he didn't feel like he normally would have had the game been on Sunday and it definitely showed on the field as he missed a handful of tackles he usually makes in his sleep. Whether or not that sentiment was felt from the entire 49er defense, they would look the part as their inability to get to the quarterback resulted in their second game this season without recording a single sack. This while watching their guy go down a total of four times. As for the offense, Hoyer completed 23 of 37 passes for 332 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while also getting some help from Hyde who rushed the ball 25 times for 84 yards and two TD's.

Los Angeles' first-year head coach Sean McVay who happens to be the youngest head coach in modern NFL history at 31 years of age, has the Rams trending in the right direction, especially on offense which has been their Achilles heal the past few seasons as they've now scored 107 points thru their first three games, the franchise's most thru 3 games since 2000 (119 scored). He also appears to have been able to breathe life back into the running game as Todd Gurley set a career-high with 33 touches (28 carries, 5 receptions) while logging his first 100-yard rushing performance since 2015. Only 3 games in and the 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year has already matched his touchdown total from a season ago with six. Hopefully this will serve as a preview for what will be an exciting rivalry for many years to come between two inner-division, rebuilding teams with rookie head coaches who're quite familiar with one another having served on the same Washington Redskins staff from 2010-2013. These two teams will meet again in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve for Week 17.

Week 4 Preview: The (0-3) 49ers will continue their play against the NFC West in Week 4 when they take a trip to the desert and face the (1-2) Arizona Cardinals for the first of three consecutive road games for San Francisco. With Carson Palmer and the Cards off to a sluggish start without their All-Pro running back from a season ago as David Johnson will miss an extensive amount of time while nursing a dislocated wrist, the 49ers will hope to take advantage of his absence. But once again they'll be hitting the field without yet another key player on defense as defensive-end Tank Carradine sustained a high ankle sprain in Thursday's loss which will sideline him for 4 to 6 weeks, thus adding to the pressure put on San Francisco's D-line. Coming off a Monday night loss at home to the Cowboys, Arizona hopes to right the ship against a banged up Niner D as Carradine joins both Eric Reid and Reuben Foster in the injury department. 


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A Rivalry Renewed as 49ers Edge Rams in Epic Comeback

Week 16 - With the (1-13) San Francisco 49ers on the road for the final time in the 2016 NFL season, Chip Kelly's 49ers would pay a visit to the L.A. Coliseum to face the (4-10) Rams, the one and only team San Francisco has had any luck against this season. But since their dominant 28-0 victory over the Rams to begin the season, a lot has changed for both teams. While the 49ers have yet to win a game since the Monday Night opener and entered Sunday's game suffering a 13-game losing streak, their worst losing skid in franchise history, the Rams have also had their fair share of ups and downs, including the firing of head coach Jeff Fisher less than two weeks ago which came just days after the team announced they signed him to a 2-year extension. Both teams would also have a different quarterback under center since their Week 1 meeting.

In the house that witnessed the first NFL completion of 49ers all-time great QB Joe Montana, San Francisco would face off against the number one overall pick Jared Goff who grew up a Niners fan and wears No. 16 in honor of Montana. But on Christmas Eve in front of a predominately pro-49ers crowd, Goff would want nothing more for Christmas than to earn his first career NFL victory against the team he grew up rooting for in a match-up between two struggling NFC Western Division foes. Unfortunately for the Cal Berkeley alum, the 49ers would have other plans as Colin Kaepernick and company would plan to play the role of the Grinch who stole Christmas. On Los Angeles' first drive, Goff would be greeted by 49ers cornerback Tremaine Brock who jumped out in front of Rams receiver Kenny Britt for his first interception of the season and returning it 39 yards to put San Francisco in striking distance. Just two plays later, Kaepernick would find his running back Carlos Hyde across the middle who then found the end zone for a 19-yard score. But the Rams would have no problem answering on their ensuing possession as a 51-yard kick return by Pharoh Cooper ignited Los Angeles' offense to score 21 unanswered-points, including their first seven on a 1-yard run in by Todd Gurley.

The 49ers offense would run into some problems of their own as their ensuing possession went into flames much like L.A.'s first possession as Kaepernick overthrew his intended target and was picked off by defensive back Cody Davis. The Rams would pull ahead just one play later as Tavon Austin took the hand-off to the house for a 30 yard touchdown. The run would be the longest rush of the season for the Rams and gave them their first set of back-to-back touchdown-scoring drives since Week 6. An uneventful stretch on either side of the ball from both teams in the second and third quarters would set up a roller coaster ride in the fourth. One play into San Francisco's first drive of the fourth quarter would end in disaster as Carlos Hyde caught a pass and was struck in his left knee by E.J. Gaines immediately after turning his head and planting his foot. With the ball squirting out and recovered by a Rams defender, the ruling on the field was an incomplete pass but would later be reversed to a fumble as L.A. challenged the play. While the 49ers would turn the ball over, the worst news would be that of Carlos Hyde's health as he was forced to leave the game with what was later revealed to be a serious MCL sprain that wouldn't require surgery but would put an end to Hyde's 2016 campaign.

Already in field goal range after recovering the fumble, Goff would complete his one and only touchdown on the afternoon, a 2-yard pass to rookie tight-end Tyler Higbee to make it a 21-7 game. Though the 21 points scored by the Rams would be their most points at the Coliseum this season, it wouldn't be enough. While we've seen the 49ers squander a handful of 14-point leads this season, we've never seen them come back from one. At least not until Saturday as Kaepernick worked some late game magic with his team trailing 21-7 with 10:32 remaining. After making it beyond mid-field and facing a fourth and 8, Kaepernick would keep the drive alive by finding his receiver Rod Streater along the sideline for a 10-yard gain. Following two consecutive incompletions, Kaepernick would decide to do it himself, dodging tackles and scrambling for a 13-yard touchdown to pull his team within seven. In need of a stop, the 49er defense would come through after forcing a Rams three and out to give Kaepernick and co. one last chance.

With just over three minutes to march down field and two timeouts remaining, the 49ers would make their way into enemy territory after a series of short passes. And with 36 seconds remaining, Kaepernick would find Streater streaking down the middle for the touchdown. But instead of going for the game-tying point after, Niners head coach Chip Kelly kept Kaepernick and the offense on the field to try and go for the win. And after solid coverage by the defense and with nobody to throw to, Kaepernick would take it in himself, soaring into the air and extending the ball past the pylon for the successful two-point conversion. Despite the 49ers taking a 22-21 lead with under a minute remaining, the game wouldn't be over just yet as a taunting penalty by San Francisco would give the Rams an extra 15-yards from the spot of the ensuing kick. With the ball at the 42 yard line, Goff would be picked off by Rashard Robinson, sealing the victory and stealing a win from Goff who was left still seeking his first career victory. San Francisco managed to pull off the epic comeback without their bell cow in Carlos Hyde who ran for 38 yards on the afternoon and fell just 12 yards short of his first career 1,000 yard season. The 22-21 victory was San Francisco's first over the Rams at the L.A. Coliseum since 1976.

For a team that has struggled mightily on defense this year, San Francisco managed to hold Goff to only 90 yards passing on 11 of 24 attempts and contained Todd Gurley to just 67 yards on the ground (23 carries), logging another solid performance against the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Meanwhile, Kaepernick tossed for 266 yards passing, 24 of which went to Hyde.

Week 17 Preview - Coming off only their second victory of the season, the (2-13) 49ers will look to closeout the 2016 season with a winning streak as they return to Levi's Stadium to face the bitter rival Seattle Seahawks who are coming off a 34-31 loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals. Having already clinched the NFC West Division at 9-5-1 and not much to play for in this one, I'm guessing Seattle will most likely rest a majority of their starters for a good portion of this game, giving the Niners somewhat of a chance to defeat Seattle for the first time since December 2013. In their first meeting earlier this year, Seattle ran away with the 37-18 blowout victory at home as running back Christine Michael scored two touchdowns on the ground and rushed for over 100 yards. But with Michael now on the Packers and the Seattle run game not quite what it used to be, it's been the passing attack that has led the offense. And with defensive studs Earl Thomas out for the season with a broken leg and Kam Chancellor nursing an ankle injury, the Seahawks defense isn't quite as stout which could be alarming heading into the playoffs. Not to mention how much better the Seahawks are at home opposed to on the road which they'll be come playoff time.


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49ers Welcome Rams back to L.A. with 28-point Spanking

The Silence of the Lambs - With the 49ers and Rams the last two teams to take the field to start the 2016-17 NFL season, all eyes were on Los Angeles and San Francisco for many reasons as football fans in L.A. finally had a team to call their own again and fans of the red and gold anxiously awaited the start of the Chip Kelly era. And with the 49ers 2 1/2 point underdogs at home despite an eight game winning-streak on Monday Night Football (all by double-digits), San Francisco took it to the odds makers once again after pulling a 20-3 upset against the Vikings to open last season on Monday night. And boy would the books be wrong once again in this one as the 49ers recorded their first ever shutout victory to open a season in franchise history.

After a punt on their initial drive, the 49ers got things going on their second possession with running back Carlos Hyde capitalizing on an 11-yard touchdown run up the middle to put San Francisco up early. As for Hyde's counterpart -- Todd Gurley, who ran amok in his rookie season last year, including a dominant Week 8 performance against the Niners in which he tallied 133 yards on the ground, the San Francisco defense was well prepared for the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year this time around as they held him to a measly 47 yards on 17 carries. With the game expected to be an offensive struggle with both team's leading running backs expected to carry the load, only half of that expectation would live up to the billing as Gurley and company were simply stopped in their tracks and failed to get anything going on offense throughout. The one first half drive which appeared to be promising for the Rams, soon went up in flames as Keenum had a pass deflect off a teammates helmet and into the arms of 49ers Pro Bowl linebacker NaVorro Bowman for an interception. It would be the first of two interceptions by the 49ers defense as pre-season standout Ray-Ray Armstrong continued to shine on Monday night with an interception of his own late in the third quarter.

Hoping to turn that turnover into points, the 49ers would do just that as San Francisco marched their way down the field with backup running back Shaun Draughn punching it in from 3-yards out to pull ahead, 14-0. Looking to make it three consecutive scoring drives for the Niners, they would appear to be heading in the right direction after crossing midfield and into enemy territory on an 11-yard catch and go to Draughn who dodged a pair of tackles, but the second-year 49er would be stripped from behind after one too many nifty moves. Luckily, it wouldn't come back to haunt the Niners as they went into the half in command of a 14-0 lead. While the Rams were still unable to generate any offense to start the second half, their defense managed to step it up, forcing four straight three and outs by the 49er offense as they failed to convert a single first down in the third quarter. To put the struggle into perspective, at one point in the game there would be more punts (15) than points scored (14). But as soon as the fourth quarter began, it's like the 49ers remembered how to play offense again, driving down the field to score their third touchdown, this time through the air as QB Blaine Gabbert found tight-end Vance McDonald for the easy score to make it 21-0.

With the game out of reach and down to its last few minutes, things would get chippy when Rams Pro-Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald got into a scuffle with Niners receiver Quinton Patton, knocking the helmet off his head before making contact with an official. After tacking on a pair of penalties, Donald would be disqualified as he slammed his helmet on the turf before walking off the field. It would only get worse as Carlos Hyde ran it in for his second touchdown of the night just plays later as the 49ers put the Rams out of their misery by making it a 28-0 route. Converting 28 first downs compared to L.A.'s 10, it would be the first shutout victory for the Niners since a 2012 victory against the Jets and their sixth consecutive season-opening win, the most they've stringed together in franchise history as they begin the year 1-0 in the Chip Kelly era.

As for the Rams and their fans living in L.A., the 21 year wait was spoiled as they were held scoreless for the first time since Week 11 of 2011. After trading up in the off-season to acquire the first overall pick in the NFL Draft to select QB Jared Goff out of Cal, the Rams elected not to start the season with Goff as the quarterback following  a disappointing pre-season in which he struggled mightily. But after seeing QB Case Keenum's poor attempt at the position, it's hard to believe the Rams aren't better off handing the reigns to Goff going forward just to get him as many reps as possible. Not to mention he can't do much worse under center than Keenum did as he was held to just 130 yards while completing 17 of 35 pass attempts. Gabbert didn't necessarily have himself a game for the ages either, completing 22 of 35 passes for 170 yards and adding another 43 yards on the ground, but he did what he needed to and allowed Carlos Hyde to do the rest, rushing for 88 yards and a pair of TD's.

Week 2 Preview: With the exception of a Shaun Draughn fumble in the second quarter, the 49ers played an extremely clean game, committing only two penalties and not allowing a single sack. Though it's just one game, it's a huge step forward after being one of the most penalized teams in the league a season ago and owning one of the NFL's worst offensive-lines. With a match-up on the road against the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers in Week 2, the Niners will once again need a stellar performance on defense and a clean game in the penalty department if they want to improve to 2-0 with another upset victory over reigning MVP Cam Newton and company. It won't be easy, however, as Carolina's linebackers Luke Keuchle & Thomas Davis will most likely be a handful for Gabbert and the 49er offense. Not to mention the Panthers will be playing with a chip on their shoulder while looking to avenge a tough loss at Denver to open the season on Thursday night which means they'll be very rested come kickoff. 


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