Seventh Time a Charm for Rams who Knock off 49ers in Bid to Super Bowl

NFC Championship - Facing off on Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line would be two NFC West foes and longtime rivals in the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. Also going toe to toe would be two longtime friends and former colleagues in Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, a pair of head coaches who have both helped turn around their franchises and each with a Super Bowl appearance under their belt. Unfortunately, as much as one would like to see the other succeed, only one would move on to the big game, while the other would be sent home to witness the Super Bowl from afar. With one team's dreams of making it to Super Bowl Sunday coming true, the other would see their hopes slip away. And for the 49er Faithful, the hopes and dreams of their team hoisting that elusive sixth Super Bowl title remained just that -- elusive. 

Heading into the matchup, many believed the winner of the game would be determined by which quarterback would commit the fewest amount of mistakes. And for nearly four full quarters, that QB appeared to be San Francisco's Jimmy Garoppolo. That was until the 49ers' final drive of the game when disaster struck. But long before an all around collapse by San Francisco and Jimmy G's costly mistake, coach Shanahan appeared to have the upper hand yet again against his old buddy McVay. Having swept the Rams in the regular season for the third consecutive season and seeking their seventh straight victory over L.A., the 49ers were able to keep the Rams' high-powered offense off the scoreboard in the first quarter as the two teams headed into the second quarter scoreless. After both teams exchanged three and out punts to open the game, the Rams marched their way to the red zone before an interception from quarterback Matt Stafford inside the 5-yardline. Getting a hand on a pass intended for L.A.'s Cooper Kupp was San Francisco's K'Waun Williams who's battled ball fell right into the lap of teammate Jimmie Ward who hauled in his third interception of the season, all against Stafford. 

Though they would miss the opportunity on their first trip to the red zone, Stafford would capitalize on their second chance, finding Kupp all alone in the end zone for the easy touchdown to cap off a 97-yard drive, their longest of the season. Answering with a touchdown of their own, the 49ers setup shop within striking distance after a big play along the sideline from Garoppolo to Brandon Aiyuk. Several plays later, the Niners' biggest play-maker this season would show up once again when Deebo Samuel caught a screen-pass and took it 44-yards to the house for the score. When the Rams failed to convert on a go-ahead 54-yard field goal from kicker Matt Gay on their ensuing possession, the 49ers' Robbie Gould showed his counterpart just how its done as the Niners got him within range to bang thru a 38-yarder to give San Francisco a 10-7 lead at the half. Gould would extend his perfect mark in the postseason with another field goal to make him 21-for-21, the most makes without a miss in the Super Bowl era. After the 49ers punted away their first possession of the second half, the Rams turned the ball over on downs when a QB sneak attempt from a yard out went awry. Taking advantage of the stop, the 49ers would add to their lead when Garoppolo hit tight-end George Kittle in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown, the first of Kittle's career in the postseason. 

Entering the fourth quarter trailing by 10, the Rams would answer with a touchdown of their own when Stafford connected with Cooper Kupp in the end zone for a second time. Bringing his team within a field goal, Kupp who won the triple-crown this year among NFL wide-outs, became the first receiver in league history to have three games of 100+ receiving yards against a single opponent in a single season as the 49ers' secondary continued to struggle and failed to find an answer for the 2022 All-Pro. And just when the Rams began to finally show a late surge of offense, San Francisco suddenly couldn't find any of their own as the offense punted on each of their first two possessions of the fourth quarter, and both times, the Rams would add a field goal. But before the field goal that ultimately tied the game at 17-all, the biggest play of the game for San Francisco would be the one that never happened when safety Jaquiski Tartt failed to come up with a gimme interception that would've came up clutch and put San Francisco in prime position to add to their lead late with under 10 minutes remaining. Reminding us all why he's a defensive-back and not a receiver, Tartt fell to the ground in disbelief when he bobbled what should've been an easy pick.

Instead of adding to their lead, the 49ers quickly found themselves trailing by a field goal with just under two minutes remaining after a second field goal from Matt Gay. In desperate need of a score to either tie the game or take the lead, things began to sputter and the offensive-line started shuffling at the worse possible time. Facing a 3rd and 13, pressure would be applied to Garoppolo from Aaron Donald who had been quiet up to that point, forcing the Niners signal-caller to get off an errant shovel pass that tipped off the hands of his target in JaMycal Hasty and into the hands of a Rams defender to seal the game, 20-17, Rams. Sadly for the 49ers, a 10-point fourth quarter lead and a stadium invasion as red-clad Niner fans took over L.A.'s SoFi Stadium yet again, proved to not be enough when it was all said and done. 

In what's likely to be the final game of QB Jimmy Garoppolo's career in San Francisco, the Niners signal-caller finished with 232 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. As for his counterpart, Matthew Stafford threw for 337 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Neither team would do a whole lot on the ground, making way for big games through the air from San Francisco's Deebo Samuel and the Rams' tandem of Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. Finishing with 4 receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown, Deebo also added another 26 yards on 7 carries to give him 2,061 scrimmage yards on the year, the most by a WR in a single season in 49ers history (including playoffs), surpassing Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's mark of 2,006 scrimmage yards in 1995. As for L.A.'s dynamic duo, Kupp finished with 11 receptions for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns, becoming only the third Ram ever to haul in 2+ touchdowns in a playoff game. Meanwhile, Beckham had his most productive outing since Week 6 of 2019, catching nine balls for 113 yards to snap a drought of 33 straight games without 100+ receiving yards. 

Another noteworthy performance was that of San Francisco's Nick Bosa. Only three years into his young career and two trips to the playoffs, Bosa tallied another 1.5 sacks on Sunday, passing Hall of Famer Charles Haley (7.5) for the most postseason sacks by a 49ers player since sacks became an official stat in 1982. After missing virtually all of last season after blowing out his knee, Bosa has 0.5+ sacks in each of his six career playoff games, the second longest streak since sacks became official. With a record of 15-6 when leading by 10+ points at any point in the game since 2020 (including playoffs), San Francisco's six losses are the most losses by any team in the NFL in that span. As for the Rams who are 2-23 when trailing by 10+ points in the second half under coach McVay, at least his team knows how to pick them as both wins have come in the NFC Championship game. Adding salt to the wound for Niner fans everywhere, the Rams overcame a fourth quarter deficit of 10+ points to win a game for the first time since Week 1 of the 2013 season (vs Arizona), this after 49 straight losses in such situations. 

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49ers Punch Ticket to Playoffs with Wild Comeback vs Rams

Week 18 - When the NFL committee brought to the table the idea of expanding their regular season schedule from 17 weeks to 18, as well as adding a third Wild Card team to the playoff picture, the owners of course saw the extra dollar signs it would mean for their wallets, but it also meant the likelihood of more theatrics in that 18th and final game. One thing that was certain on Sunday, is that there was no shortage of those theatrics and drama when the day finally came to an end. If there was ever a game that defined the resilience of Kyle Shanahan's San Francisco 49ers team (9-7), it was certainly this one. The phrase, "a tale of two halves" gets thrown around a lot in football, but never would that saying be more true than to describe the game that took place in the regular season-finale on Sunday at L.A.'s SoFi Stadium. In front of a packed house that was overrun by Niner fans, a pair of NFC West rivals would face off with plenty on the line. While the Los Angeles Rams (12-4) were seeking a division crown with a win or a loss from the Arizona Cardinals who had their hands full with the Seattle Seahawks, the visiting 49ers were fighting for their playoff lives. 

Entering Sunday's game as the 6th seed in the NFC's playoff picture, the 49ers needed a win against the Rams, or a loss from the New Orleans Saints who were waiting in the shadows facing the Atlanta Falcons. But after the Saints jumped out to an early lead, the Niners knew if they wanted things done, they'd have to do it themselves. And with wins over the Rams in five straight games dating back to 2019, there was no reason to believe these 49ers weren't capable of getting the job done. However, through the game's first two quarters, it didn't seem likely that head coach Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team was going to be playing any football this season beyond Sunday. Things looked gloomy for the Niners even before kickoff as they learned an hour before Sunday's game that they'd be heading into battle shorthanded, ruling out two of their most important players in left-tackle Trent Williams and cornerback K'Waun Williams. Adding insult to injury, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo who missed Week 17 with a torn ligament in his thumb, was limited in practice all week, yet still had enough confidence from his head coach to be given the nod to start Sunday's must-win game. 

Much like the 49ers who came out guns blazing in their Week 10 match-up at Levi's Stadium on Monday Night Football, the Rams came out firing on all cylinders to start Sunday's game by jumping out to a 17-0 advantage. With two punts and an interception to show for following San Francisco's first three offensive possessions, the 49ers were in need of any spark they could get before the half. Finally forcing a punt with less than a minute remaining in the first half, the 49er defense was able to get off the field and at least give the offense a chance to get something going when they needed it most. Highlighted by a 26-yard gain from Jimmy G to receiver Brandon Aiyuk, the Niner offense was able to march 61-yards in five plays before setting up kicker Robbie Gould for a field goal to get San Francisco on the board. But even the field goal attempts wouldn't come easy for the 49ers as punter and placeholder Mitch Wishnowsky had to check out of the game early in the second quarter after sustaining a head injury when attempting to make a tackle during one of San Francisco's punts. Luckily, for the Niners, their Pro Bowl fullback and emergency QB Kyle Juszczyk would step up and fill the void.

With an unblemished track record of 45-wins and 0-losses including playoffs when leading at the half under head coach Sean McVay, which happens to be the longest streak of its kind to begin a head coaching career in the Super Bowl era, there was plenty reason to believe the Rams were headed for another victory as they entered the locker room leading, 17-3. But if anybody was going to spoil that streak, it would be McVay's friend and former colleague Kyle Shanahan who has had McVay's number for as long as they've been NFC Western Division rivals. And with San Francisco receiving the ball to open the second half, the field goal they were able to put on the scoreboard just before halftime was all they needed to spark a shift in momentum. Opening the second half with the same confidence they closed out the first with, Garoppolo again connected on a big play to Brandon Aiyuk for a 31-yard gain. Several plays later, the 49ers would call on their Swiss Army Knife in Deebo Samuel who took a handoff 16-yards to the house for their first touchdown of the afternoon. Cutting into L.A.'s lead, the 49ers suddenly found themselves right back in the game after forcing the Rams to punt on their ensuing possession. 

After rushing for a touchdown on their previous drive, Deebo Samuel would again be front and center for the 49er offense, this time taking a handoff to the right and launching a pass into the end zone to a wide-open Jauan Jennings. With the game now tied, the 49ers would intercept Stafford on the Rams' ensuing possession, but would be forced to punt the ball with Robbie Gould thrusted into the punter position for the first time since 2007. After forcing a punt of their own, the San Francisco offense would knock on the door of taking their first lead of the ballgame as they marched inside the Rams' 20 yard line, but an errant pass into traffic from Garoppolo to tight-end George Kittle would result in the second pick of the day from the 49ers QB, as L.A.'s Jalen Ramsey made a juggling catch in the end zone. Knowing just what to do with it, L.A. quarterback Matthew Stafford fed his star receiver Cooper Kupp with a number of plays, including a 30-yard pass on third and six and a 4-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone to put the Rams back on top. With both teams exchanging punts, the 49ers would get the ball back with 1:27 remaining in the 4th quarter. Running the two-minute offense to perfection, Garoppolo would hit Aiyuk and Samuel for big gains with receptions of 21 and 43 yards, respectively. And with 31-seconds remaining, Garoppolo would find a wide-open Jennings cutting in the middle of the field for the game-tying touchdown from 14-yards out to send the game into overtime. 

Winning the coin-toss and electing to receive the ball, the 49er offense embarked on a 14-play, 79-yard drive, but was forced to settle for another field goal after making it inside L.A.'s 10-yard line before sputtering with three straight plays of 1-yard or fewer. Taking their first lead of the game in overtime, all eyes would be on the San Francisco defense who were in need of a turnover to punch their ticket to the playoffs after the Saints marched to a 30-20 victory over Atlanta. Not only would the Niners get their turnover, but they'd get it from one of the most unlikeliest of heroes as rookie corner Ambry Thomas who has struggled in his young career and has been on the giving end of many touchdown receptions, including the second touchdown reception of the day from Rams tight-end Tyler Higbee. But when they needed it most, Thomas came down with the game-sealing play when he intercepted a deep pass intended for Odell Beckham Jr., the first of his career, to punch San Francisco's ticket to the postseason. Winning by a final score of 27-24, San Francisco's Jimmy Garoppolo, thumb-splint and all, won his sixth straight game against the Rams, the third-longest streak of QB wins versus the Rams since the 1970 merger, throwing for 316 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions in the win. 

49ers running back Elijah Mitchell led all backs with 85 yards on 21 carries, as Deebo Samuel followed with 45 yards and a touchdown on eight rush attempts. Hauling in four receptions for another 95 yards receiving, Deebo also threw for 24 yards and a touchdown in his only pass attempt. Sunday would mark the best game of the season receiving-wise from wide-outs Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings who each caught six balls for 107 and 94 yards, respectively, with Jennings hauling in a pair of touchdown receptions. L.A.'s Cooper Kupp continued his record-setting season by catching passes for 118 yards receiving and a touchdown from QB Matthew Stafford who threw for 238 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, on his way to surpassing Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner (4,830 in 2001) for the most passing yards in a season by a Ram, albeit with an extra game added to the NFL's regular season schedule. Stafford also tied Warner's (1999) record for the most passing TD's in a season in Rams history with 31. Despite the loss, the Rams still managed to win the division as Arizona failed to win at home against the Seahawks. The Rams who have now dropped six straight against the Niners since 2019, are 31-12 vs all other opponents during that span. 

Wild Card Preview: Entering the Playoffs as the sixth seed, the 49ers will hit the road to face the No. 3 seeded Dallas Cowboys (12-5), winners of the NFC East. Spearheaded by quarterback and NFL Comeback Player of the Year candidate Dak Prescott, the Cowboys are just as dangerous on defense as they are on offense. Leading the league in both takeaways (34) and interceptions (26), Dallas is a team the Niners will need a clean game against if they plan to pull off the upset, and can ill-afford another multi-turnover game from Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco will also need to limit any extra-chances they give Dallas' offense which also ranked first in the NFL in total yards and scoring. Having put up 50+ points in two of their last three games, the Cowboys are not a team Kyle Shanahan will want his offense going blow for blow against as Dallas has as much fire power as anybody in all of football. Hoping to have Pro Bowl left-tackle Trent Williams back from his elbow injury in time from the game, the 49ers open as 3-point underdogs and will try to pull off the upset at Dallas' AT&T Stadium with a start time of 4:30pm ET. In his 11th NFL season, Williams who has faced the Cowboys many times dating back to his days in the division with the Washington Redskins, Williams has never been on a playoff-winning team. Coach Shanahan hopes to put an end to that streak this weekend for one of his best players. 

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49ers Run away from Rams in Dominant Monday Night Win

Week 10 - With the San Francisco 49ers (3-5) playing host in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football and seeking their first home win of the season, a meeting with the rival Los Angeles Rams (7-2) would be a welcome sight for Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan who has prevailed in four straight meetings against his friend and former colleague Sean McVay. Looking to shake off an embarrassing loss at home to a short-handed Cardinals team, what better way to bounce back than to take it to another division foe in what would be the 144th all-time meeting between the Rams and 49ers. The match-up would also feature two of the brightest young stars at the receiver position as Los Angeles' Cooper Kupp and San Francisco's Deebo Samuel entered the meeting as the league's No.'s 1 and 2 leading receivers, marking the 18th time in NFL history that the league's top two receivers in receiving yards faced off in a season in Week 10 or later since 1970. 

All the buzz leading into the marquee matchup between the two long standing rivals would revolve around a pair of reinforcements acquired by the Rams just days prior to gameday. After trading for outside-linebacker and former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller from the Denver Broncos, the Rams made a splash by signing 3-time Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to add to their star-studded roster. But come kickoff, neither player would put their stamp on the game as both guys were virtually nonfactors in a game dominated by the home team. Though Odell would get his feet wet on the Rams' first play from scrimmage, hauling in a 5-yard reception from quarterback Matthew Stafford, he would go relatively quiet the rest of the night (2 receptions, 18 yards). Stafford would attempt a home run pass to his newest weapon just four plays into the game, but overthrew his target on a deep ball that was air-mailed and intercepted by San Francisco's Jimmie Ward. Pinned deep near their own end zone at the 7-yardline, the 49er offense would embark on an 18-play, 93-yard drive that lasted 11-minutes and 3-seconds before ultimately resulting in a touchdown pass from QB Jimmie Garoppolo to tight-end George Kittle. Utilizing a heavy diet of run plays, San Francisco had their way with the Rams, tiring them down before capitalizing with an early trip to the end zone.  

Possession number two wouldn't be much better for Stafford and the Rams as the former No. 1 overall pick was intercepted for a second time in as many drives, again by Jimmie Ward who took this one to the house for a 27-yard pick-six touchdown. With the ball bouncing off of Rams tight-end Tyler Higbee and into the Niners' lap, Jimmie Ward who hadn't recorded an interception since Week 14 of 2016, suddenly found himself with two interceptions in the game's opening quarter. As for the San Francisco defense who entered Monday's game with only two interceptions on the year, the team had doubled their output in a matter of minutes. The third time would be a charm, however, for Stafford and company, as the Rams responded with a touchdown-scoring drive of their own. Redeeming himself for the bobble that resulted in the pick-six, it was Higbee who came down with the 10-yard strike to put L.A. on the board to start the second quarter. But picking up right where they left off would be Jimmy G and the Niner offense, turning in another lengthy drive that ended in success. 

Running it right down the Rams throat once again, Deebo Samuel capped off the 15-play, 91-yard drive that ended in Deebo rushing it into the end zone from 8-yards out. With the Rams marching just before the end of the first half, L.A. would setup for 34-yard field goal, but coach McVay would try to get cute by dialing up a fake that was sniffed out perfectly by San Francisco's D.J. Jones who made the stop. Taking a 21-7 lead into the half, the 49ers would get the ball back to open the second half, but were held to their first punt of the evening. Forcing a Rams three and out on the ensuing possession, the 49ers would add to their lead with a Robbie Gould field goal from 50-yards out. With little to no fireworks from either team in the third quarter, San Francisco kicked things off with a bang to open the fourth. Electing to go for it on 4th and 6, coach Shanahan's gutsy decision paid off as Garoppolo found Deebo Samuel down the middle for a 40-yard touchdown that put the game away for good. The Rams offense would threaten on each of their next two possessions by making it into the red zone both times, but were only able to walk away with three points as a turnover on downs and a field goal was all they had to show for. 

Continuing to have success in the run game, the 49ers were able to milk the clock and cruise to a 31-10 victory. Helping hand the Rams their first road loss of the season, 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell would lead the way with 91 yards on 27 carries, and Jeff Wilson Jr. returned to the field after missing the first eight weeks of the season due knee surgery, adding 28 yards on 10 carries. But the biggest weapon of the night for the Niners would be Deebo Samuel who logged 133 all purpose yards (97 yards receiving, 36 yards rushing) and 2 touchdowns. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for an efficient 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 of 19 pass attempts, being sacked only once and avoiding the costly turnovers that doomed him a week earlier. Meanwhile, Cooper Kupp shined once more for the Rams, hauling in 11 receptions for 122 yards as Matt Stafford's (243 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions) favorite target of the night. With 393 days in between Monday Night's game and their last regular season home win, also against the Rams, the Niners appeared to turn back the clock and enjoy some success similar to that of their run-dominant performance in the 2019 NFC Championship against the Packers which just so happened to be the last win at Levi's Stadium with a live crowd. Though they may trail them in the standings, for the 49ers it's their fifth straight victory over the Rams, making it safe to say that coach Shanahan has McVay's number, at least for now. 

Week 11 Preview: Hoping to build off their first home win of the season, snapping an 8-game home losing streak, the San Francisco 49ers (4-5) will hit the road to visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7). Led by the No. 1 overall pick in April's Draft -- Trevor Lawrence and first-year head coach Urban Meyer, the Jags up to this point have looked a lot like what you'd expect from a team with a rookie QB and rookie head coach, but do have one of the biggest upsets of the season under the belt after a 9-6 win over one of the AFC's heavyweights in the Buffalo Bills back in Week 9. Coming off season-highs in third down conversions and in time of possession, coach Shanahan would love to see more of the same on Sunday. Never a dull moment on the 49ers injury front, it was learned on Tuesday that rookie running back Elijah Mitchell fractured his finger and will undergo a procedure with a chance of him returning to the practice field as early as Wednesday according to coach Shanahan. His status for Sunday's game, however, remains uncertain. 

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Niners End Skid with Big Win over rival Rams

Week 6 - A week after being embarrassed at home by the rebuilding Miami Dolphins and suffering a pair of bad losses to inferior teams, the San Francisco 49ers (2-3) entered their Sunday Night meeting with the rival Los Angeles Rams (3-1) as 3-point underdogs, despite being the home team. The game would also feature a pair of friends and former colleagues turned rival head coaches between Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, two of the brightest young play-callers in the league and two guys from the Bill Walsh coaching tree. Seeking their first home win of 2020 at Levi's Stadium after a disappointing 0-3 start, Shanahan's 49ers would turn back the clock both in the win column and in their wardrobe as they donned their throwback all-white uniforms which paid homage to the magical 1994 Super Bowl-winning season. And after a very sluggish start on both sides of the ball in their previous game, San Francisco got things going right out the gates thanks to one Deebo Samuel whom the Rams defense saw a steady diet of on the Niners' opening-possession. 

After gaining 35-yards on a heads-up play by one of their most dynamic weapons on offense just two plays into the game, coach Shanahan dialed up the perfect play to award him for his efforts as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo pitched the ball to Deebo who found the end zone from 6-yards out. Needing only six plays to march 76-yards down the field, the 49er offense had already looked leaps and bounds better than they did just a week earlier following their first possession. One player in particular who also looked a lot better would be Garoppolo who's been nursing a high-ankle sprain, but showed little to no ill-effects under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. Following a trio of punts, the Niners offense would open the second quarter much like they did first, as Jimmy G found his Pro-Bowl tight-end George Kittle streaking to the end zone for a 44-yard score on fourth down. The Niners' second touchdown would awaken the Rams offense, at least momentarily as Jared Goff found his favorite target Robert Woods in the end zone for a touchdown on third and goal. After a blocked point-after by San Francisco's Dion Jordan, the 49ers found themselves leading 14-6 and wanting more with Los Angeles set to receive the ball to open the second half. 

The 49ers would get their wish and answer the Rams' touchdown-scoring drive with one of their own. Thanks to a healthy dose of running back Raheem Mostert, coupled with a pair of big receptions by receiver Kendrick Bourne, the Niners once again found themselves in the red zone. With their backs against the wall, the Rams gave up a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk on third and goal as San Francisco jumped out to a 21-6 lead which they would carry into the locker room at the half after forcing an L.A. three and out on the other end. Bouncing back from his forgetful performance just a week earlier, Jimmy Garoppolo became the first 49er QB with 200+ passing yards and 3+ touchdowns in a first half since Jeff Garcia in Week 14 of the 2003 season. However, Garoppolo and company would not be nearly as effective in the second half as they were kept out of the end zone the rest of the way. As for the Rams who were forced to play catch-up virtually all game long, L.A. did get a field goal to open the second half, but hit a major speedbump during their next trip to the red zone. Having been taken advantage of just one week earlier as the 49ers defense was without four of their top five cornerbacks in the secondary, Sunday night served as the coming out party for San Francisco's Jason Verrett. 

Plagued by a myriad of injuries throughout his career after a very promising campaign during his second-year in 2015 which berthed a Pro Bowl appearance with the Chargers, the former first-round pick looked a lot like his Pro Bowl-self against the Rams. Deciding to go for it on 4th and goal from the 2-yardline, Verrett intercepted a pass from Goff to end the threat and force the game's only turnover. For Verrett, the pick would be a long time coming as it was his first interception since 2016 and just the sixth of his career. While the turnover did hit the reset button on the Rams' attempt at pulling off a second-half comeback, they would eventually inch closer with a long touchdown pass from Goff to Josh Reynolds in the 4th quarter, but not before a Robbie Gould field goal to give the Niners a 15-point advantage. With the ballgame coming down to the final possession, the Rams suddenly found themselves in a battle against the clock as San Francisco possessed the ball at the two-minute warning. Without a timeout remaining and needing a stop on defense, Deebo Samuel spoiled the party and provided the final blow with a strong 11-yard gain to convert the game-sealing first down which allowed his team to milk the clock for the win. 

Improving to 3-3 on the year, Garoppolo is now 4-0 in his career against the Rams and has yet to lose two games in a row in his career. Rebounding from the ugly loss just a week ago which saw him benched in the second half due to his poor performance, Jimmy G has now gone 29 straight games to begin a career without consecutive losses, the fourth longest streak in NFL history behind Otto Graham (47), Dan Marino (33) and Andrew Luck (33). Garoppolo registered his best performance of the season by throwing for 268 yards, 3 touchdowns and no turnovers, compared to Goff's 198 yards, 2 touchdown and 1 interception performance. George Kittle led all targets with seven receptions and 109 receiving yards to go along with his touchdown. After sustaining an injury in the second half which ended Raheem Mostert's night at 65 rushing yards on 17 carries, the 49ers received some tough yardage from undrafted rookie running back JaMycal Hasty who tallied 37 fourth quarter yards on nine carries. The Rams' Darrell Henderson logged a solid 14 rush attempts for a game-high 88-yards on the ground. 

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Niners' win, however, was how they were able to fend off the best defensive player in the league in Aaron Donald. If there was ever any one man in the NFL today that is capable of single-handedly dismantling a team's game plan on offense and required the undivided attention of an offensive-line, it would undoubtedly be the Rams' 2-time Defensive Player of the Year and 6-time Pro Bowler. With Donald coming off a four-sack outing in Week 5, the 49ers offensive-line which had struggled mightily as of late, was able to step up to the plate and keep the usual game-wrecker at bey in the 100th game of his career. Oddly enough, neither team recorded a single sack in the game. 

Week 7 Preview - For the first time this season, the 49ers will hit the road to take on a team not in the New York-New Jersey area as San Francisco makes a stop in New England to take on the Patriots (2-3). The meeting will showcase Jimmy G taking on his former team for the first time since they traded him to the Bay Area a little less than 3 years ago. With future Hall of Famer Tom Brady playing elsewhere, the 49ers will duel with Cam Newton under center. Even more bizarre than seeing someone other than Brady playing quarterback for New England, the Patriots find themselves with a losing record through their first five games of a season for the first time since 2001 and are coming off an ugly loss at home to the Denver Broncos in which they didn't allow a single touchdown on defense. While Newton might not be what he once was in the passing game and also lacks weapons on offense, he's still as dangerous as any with his legs, something that is always a cause for concern for the 49er defense when facing mobile QB's. The Niners will also need to do a much better job of pressuring the quarterback than they did in Week 6. As great a coach as there's ever been, one 49er received some very high praise when the Patriots' focus was shifted from the Broncos to the Niners during Monday's press-conference. Pats head coach Bill Belichick had some good things to say about San Francisco tight-end George Kittle whom the future Hall of Fame coach called, "as good as anyone I've ever coached." That's some very elite company considering Belichick has coached some of the best the game has ever seen in Brady, Randy Moss and even one of the most dangerous tight-ends in Rob Gronkowski. 

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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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Super Bowl 53 Preview & Prediction

With the AFC and NFC Conference Championships in the books, the table is officially set for Super Bowl 53 which will feature the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. Both teams punched their ticket to the big game by knocking off the number one seeds in their respective conferences. In what will be the ninth Super Bowl appearance of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's career, his foe this time around will be a familiar one. Making it to the big dance for the first time since Super Bowl 36 when Brady jump-started his Hall of Fame career with a win over a St. Louis Rams team led by Canton alum Kurt Warner, this Rams team looks to avenge the loss suffered by their "Greatest Show on Turf" brethren and bring the city of Los Angeles its first Super Bowl title since 1983 when the Raiders were still calling SoCal home. With the help of a last-second field goal by kicker Adam Vinatieri, a young Brady helped the Patriots deny the Rams' plans of winning their second title in three years and ignite what would eventually be the start of a dynasty for New England.

Though this might be the same Tom Brady who's made a habit out of winning ballgames only with a lot more mileage on him, these aren't those same Rams he claimed title No. 1 against for a variety of reasons. Obviously they've endured a name change since relocating from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016, but this Rams team also showcases a much scarier defense than that of any Rams team of the past, appropriately nicknamed the "Mob Squad". And unless you're a Tom Brady fanboy, New England native or salty Saints fan, chances are you're rooting for the Rams in this one, much like myself. But let's start with a little background on how both teams got here.

For the Rams who finished the season tied with the Saints for the best record in football at 13-3 and entered the playoffs as a No. 2 seed, the mentality coming into the year was virtually Super Bowl or bust after a busy offseason which included the acquisitions of speedy receiver Brandin Cooks, defensive stalwart Ndamukong Suh and the duo of Pro Bowl cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. Not to mention the mid-season acquisition of Dante Fowler and the big paydays given to running back Todd Gurley and defensive tackle Aaron Donald who agreed to contract extensions that would make them the highest-paid players at their respective positions. Getting off to an 8-0 start before falling to the Saints in New Orleans in Week 9, the Rams would be given a chance to avenge their first loss of the season with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line after taking care of the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional round. In a rematch of the Week 9 shootout which saw the Saints walk away with the 45-35 win, the Rams would once again have to come from behind, only this time they would prevail and move on. After watching New Orleans jump out to an early 13-0 lead in the opening quarter, the Rams held Drew Brees and the Saints to only 10-points the rest of the way and received clutch field goals from kicker Greg Zuerlein from 48 and 57 yards to send the game into overtime and ultimately catapult the Rams to the Super Bowl with a 26-23 victory. And while the game lived up to the hype of an NFC Championship, it would be a forgetful day for the officiating crew calling the game as there were a handful of missed calls in this one, but none bigger than the pass interference call that wasn't.

With 1:41 remaining in regulation, Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman committed what appeared to be an obvious penalty on Tommylee Lewis when he prematurely ran into the Saints receiver without even turning for the ball. What could've resulted in a flag for either helmet to helmet or pass interference -- take your pick, instead was treated as a basic incompletion which sent Saints head coach Sean Payton into a tirade and left the Superdome faithful in a chorus of boo's. The penalty would've likely allowed the Saints to milk the clock before settling for a last-second field goal to punch their ticket to Atlanta. Speaking in front of the media post-game, Payton went on to say that the league office had contacted him after the game and admitted that the officiating crew made a mistake and missed the call. Some are calling it the worst no-call they've ever seen, while others have pointed to another missed call on a face-masking penalty that the Saints got away with while the Rams were in the red zone one possession earlier before having to settle for a field goal. Regardless, it's the Rams who will be advancing to try and get their hands on the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy. Meanwhile, the heartbreaking loss is the second in as many years for the Saints in which they've been sent packing in the playoffs after suffering freak occurrences if you will. You may remember how last year ended for them when the Vikings scored on a walk-off touchdown appropriately named the "Minneapolis Miracle" from Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs as time expired.

Now stop me when you've heard this story before, the New England Patriots have won the AFC title and are going to the Super Bowl. The Pats could miss the next ten Super Bowl's and we'd still be tired of seeing them there. However, they do make for some exciting, drama-filled games just about every year they've advanced to the big dance, so I'll give them that. But this was supposed to be the year that the Patriots fell off. This was supposed to be the year that father time caught up to the ageless wonder that is Tom Brady. And just when we began to think that their reign was coming to an end as Bill Belichick's Patriots began the season 1-2 following back to back losses to the lowly Jaguars and Lions, the phoenix rose from the ashes and finished the season 11-5, good enough for the AFC's No. 2 seed and a first round BYE. If we've ever had confidence in any team come playoff time over the last 20 or so years, it's been the Patriots. Regardless of how they get there, once they're in, it's smooth sailing unless you're the opposition. With a stout defense and a knack for playing better football on the road than at home, the Los Angeles Chargers at 12-4 on the year were supposed to be the team to go into Foxborough and upset the Patriots in the Divisional round. Instead, Brady and company dispatched Philip Rivers and the Chargers with ease, taking a 35-7 lead into the half before toying with them the rest of the way and allowing a pair of garbage time touchdowns in a 41-28 shellacking.

Then came the Chiefs who had vengeance on their mind and home-field advantage in their pocket. After suffering a 43-40 loss to New England in Week 6, their first and only loss until the Monday Night showdown with the Rams in Week 11, Andy Reid's Chiefs led by MVP favorite Patrick Mahomes, were thought to have enough firepower to overcome the 2-time defending AFC Champions. And though they would push New England to the brink and force the game into overtime, it was Brady and Belichick who would have their hand raised when the clock hit double-zero. With the Patriots opening the game with a 15-play drive that ate up over 8 minutes, things looked grim from the start for the Chiefs. More putrid officiating would come into play, again favoring the Patriots who benefited from a bogus roughing the passer penalty late in the fourth quarter on third down which eventually led to a touchdown-scoring drive. They would later dodge a bullet with a reversed call on what appeared to be a muffed punt by Julian Edelman and received a gift on a questionable catch by Chris Hogan that appeared to touch the ground but was ruled a catch upon further review. The Chiefs would rally in a fourth quarter that saw a combined 38-points scored between the two teams, but only to see their dreams come crashing down in OT as the Patriots won the coin-toss and marched down the field without giving Kansas City a chance which now has many people in and around football crying for a rule change that would give each team the ball at least once... As much as I was pulling for K.C. in that one, no thanks.

So instead of the Chiefs-Rams Monday Night rematch we were all salivating at and crossing our fingers for, we get Patriots-Rams. Sean McVay, arguably the best young coach in the league today will now go toe to toe with undoubtedly the greatest coach of all-time in Bill Belichick in a battle of new school versus old school. Quarterbacks Jared Goff who's young enough to be the son of his counterpart versus Tom Brady who has more Super Bowl appearances than any single team, two California natives from the Bay Area will square off. Running backs Todd Gurley versus Sony Michel, two former 1st round picks from the University of Georgia. If the match-ups don't catch your attention, perhaps the stats will. A win on Super Bowl Sunday would give the Patriots the most postseason wins in NFL history as they're currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers with 36. The Rams offense which ranks second in the league in both yards per game (421.1) and points per game (32.9), means the Patriots will have their hands full on defense once again and will need a repeat performance of what they were able to accomplish against Mahomes and the Chiefs.

One thing that's certain if the Rams want to reign victorious on Super Sunday is that they'll need a lot more help from star running back Todd Gurley. Despite the limited production against New Orleans, the Rams offense was able to get by with little to no assistance from Gurley (4 rushes, 10 yards, 1 touchdown), something I don't think they'll be able to do if they plan on taking down Brady and co. But ultimately, I think it'll be L.A.'s defense that makes the difference in this one, most notably the pass rush led by Donald and Suh. Then again the Pats offensive-line did a stellar job on Sunday by not allowing a single sack to the Chiefs who tied for the league lead in team sacks this season. With the opening line tabbing the Rams as 1-point favorites, it didn't take long for the big money to come flying in on New England who found themselves 1.5-point favorites just hours later. With all that said, I'm going Rams with the 26-20 win. Let's just hope the officiating or lack thereof doesn't play as big a role in this game as it did the previous two...


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49ers Romp Rams to Finish 2017 Strong

Week 17 - Playing their last bit of football until the 2018 season, the (5-10) San Francisco 49ers would pay a visit to Los Angeles to take on the (11-4) Rams in the 2017 regular season finale. In what would be the 137th all-time meeting between the two, the New Years eve match-up would provide only a small taste of what should be a revival of the long standing rivalry for many years to come. With a young core of players and coaches alike, the 49ers and Rams have brewing what could be one of the better rivalries in all of football for 2018 and beyond. For Los Angeles who's already equipped to fit that bill, all they'll need is for San Francisco to hold their end of the bargain. Having solidified themselves as the top team in the NFC West thanks to the tutelage of first year head coach Sean McVay, the newly crowned Los Angeles Rams have the pieces in place to be a force out west for quite some time. As for the rebuilding 49ers, rookie head coach Kyle Shanahan has to also like his chances moving forward now that he finally has a quarterback in place that fits his complex system.

A week after clinching their first NFC West division title since 2003 and earning their first playoff appearance since 2004, the Rams would have little to prove on Sunday as McVay elected to sit a majority of his starters in preparation for next week's Wild Card meeting with the Atlanta Falcons. But no matter who the Rams threw out there, Jimmy Garoppolo and the suddenly streaking 49ers were on a mission to continue their winning ways by closing the regular season strong. Entering Sunday's game with an NFL-best four game winning-streak, Garoppolo and company would march down the field on each of their first two possessions. A week after scoring their first 1st quarter touchdown of the season which snapped a streak of 13 consecutive games without one, the 49ers repeated the feat as receiver Marquise Goodwin hauled in a pass from Garoppolo and ran into the end zone untouched to give his team an early 10-0 lead. Equally as impressive would be the San Francisco defense who forced back to back three and outs on each of the Rams' first two possessions as backup QB Sean Mannion had a rough outing in his first career start. And while his counterpart would start off hot, Jimmy G. would have his fair share of woes as well.

Facing their largest first quarter deficit this season since a Week 14 shootout with the Philadelphia Eagles, a pair of Sam Ficken field goals would be all the Los Angeles offense would have to show for in the first half, capitalizing on two Jimmy Garoppolo interceptions. Rookie cornerback Kevin Peterson would make the most of his first career start, getting the best of Garoppolo both times by picking the 49ers QB off for the first two interceptions of his career. San Francisco on the other hand, would take a 20-6 lead into the half following the second field goal of the day by Robbie Gould and the first of two touchdowns by running back Carlos Hyde. The Niners would watch their lead climb to 34-6 following Hyde's second rushing touchdown as well as a 12-yard passing touchdown from Garoppolo to a wide-open Aldrick Robinson on the first play of the fourth quarter. Though it would take the Rams until the fourth quarter to pay a visit to the end zone, Lance Dunbar would cap a 15-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown to make it a final score of 34-13.

Rushing for 88 yards in the win, Carlos Hyde who had not recorded a lost fumble all season long, would be stripped of the ball and charged with his first lost fumble of the season with just over four minutes remaining in regulation, putting a dent in his unblemished 2017 resume. The two turnovers forced by the Niner defense on Sunday would come in the form of fumbles as Cassius Marsh and Ahkello Witherspoon forced fumbles on Sean Mannion and Gerald Everett, respectively. A scary moment in the game would come midway through the second quarter when 49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin took a blow to the head after being struck by Blake Countess, forcing him to leave the game as he was carted off the field and treated for a concussion. Goodwin who's been Garoppolo's most trusted receiver since his arrival, would fall just 38 yards shy of the century mark on the year, finishing with a career-high 962 receiving yards, surpassing the total he had compiled over his previous four seasons combined. Goodwin also finished the season with an average of 17.2 yards per reception, the fourth most in the NFL.

With the win on Sunday, the 49ers closed out the season with an overall record of 6-10 and riding the best standing winning-streak in the league, this following the dreadful 0-9 start that had many pundits questioning whether or not the Niners would ever touch the win column in 2017. The Niners also remained undefeated in games in which Garoppolo started as he became just the 6th QB in NFL history to win his first 7 career starts. With Goodwin departing in the first half due to injury, Garoppolo's go-to target would be rookie tight-end George Kittle who hauled in four passes for a career-high 100 yards. Garoppolo would finish with 292 yards, two touchdowns and 2 interceptions on the afternoon compared to Mannion's 169 yards. Robbie Gould who entered Sunday having made 20 consecutive field goals, added another pair to his streak, finishing his solid first year as a 49er with 39 made field goals in 41 tries. Focusing on 2018, the Niners will look to continue their winning ways as the duo of Shanahan and Garoppolo hope to see similar results since Garoppolo's arrival, the only difference is they plan to do so while playing meaningful football.

As for the Rams who finished the season with an overall record of 11-5, coach Sean McVay who's name will be in the hat for NFL Coach of the Year honors, witnessed a +7 win improvement from his team in his first year at the helm and will only look to improve on that mark moving forward. Already known for having a stout defense, McVay also did wonders for the Rams offense in 2017 which rebounded from being the worst offense in the league to being the No. 1 offense in all of football. Second-year quarterback Jared Goff who was taken first overall out of Cal a season ago, adapted quite well to McVay's system and resembled the franchise quarterback Rams brass were expecting when they selected him first overall. And then there's running back Todd Gurley III who led the league in rushing touchdowns (13) and could very well become the first non-quarterback to win the MVP Award since Adrian Peterson in 2012. With both Goff and Gurley getting some much needed rest in time for their Wild Card match-up versus the defending NFC Champion Falcons on Saturday, the Rams will look to move one step closer to their ultimate goal of bringing a Lombardi Trophy back to southern California.

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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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