Puka Nacua (17) and the Los Angeles Rams did just enough on offense to beat the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday in Santa Clara, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
Deebo Samuel had a very quiet season. He complained on social media this week about not getting the ball.
The San Francisco 49ers clearly made a point of targeting him more, and with a crucial second-half deficit on Thursday night, Brock Purdy hit him with a pass that probably should have been a touchdown . In any previous season of his career, Samuel would have made it to the end zone. We’ve seen it many times.
And Samuel dropped Purdy’s perfect pass. Plain and simple. You can’t complain about not getting the ball and then having it bounce off your hands when it comes your way at a crucial point.
If there’s one way to sum up the 49ers in 2024, it’s this game. A star player from the past who had a surprisingly bad season had a chance to be the hero. And the ball went right through his hands.
The 49ers are back two games under .500 after a loss to the Los Angeles Rams, who are right in the NFC West with an ugly but important 12-6 win. Purdy struggled, and a crucial fourth-quarter interception that put the 49ers within range for a long field goal all but ended San Francisco’s chances. That probably ended their slim chances of making the playoffs.
The Rams were a little tougher on Thursday night. They did better. Like the rest of the 49ers’ lost season, in which they should have been contending for a Super Bowl title, they were a disappointment.
It was difficult to score
Here are the results of every possession for both teams in the first quarter: Punt, Punt, Field Goal, Punt, Punt, Punt, Punt, Punt. The only decent drive and points came from the 49ers, who led 3-0 after the first quarter. According to the Amazon Prime Video broadcast, it was the first time a Sean McVay team started a game with four straight drives without a first down.
In other words, it was the kind of game on Thursday night that viewers complain about when they talk about teams playing below their standards in short breaks.
The 49ers defense got off to a good start and linebacker Dre Greenlaw helped. Greenlaw, who tore his Achilles tendon while running onto the field in last season’s Super Bowl, made his season debut and his presence was felt immediately. Nick Bosa’s return from injury was also crucial for the 49ers.
The defense played well and then the rain came. It began to rain in the second quarter, making things even more difficult for the struggling offense. Toward the end of the second quarter, the Rams mounted a drive that was mostly on the ground and tied it with a field goal before halftime. There were fewer than 200 yards rushing in the first half and more punts (11) than first downs (nine).
The fantasy football playoffs begin in week 15 in most leagues. Anyone who had offensive players from the 49ers or Rams in the lineup had to be horrified by the first half.
Both teams have difficulty finding the end zone
In the fourth quarter, Amazon showed a breathtaking statistic: In 152 meetings between the 49ers and Rams, there was no touchdown through three quarters for the first time on Thursday evening.
The 49ers should have had a touchdown in the third quarter, but Samuel had a bad drop over the middle on third down. The Rams finally made an explosive play downfield against Puka Nacua, but again they failed to score a touchdown. They scored a field goal and took a 9-6 lead.
The 49ers’ season was at stake. At 6-7, they probably had to win. They hadn’t planned a single touchdown drive all night. But if they wanted to stay alive in the playoff hunt, they had to find a way. The ball moved. Then Purdy got impatient, and on second-and-11 he threw a deep ball wide to Jauan Jennings, which was deflected by Rams corner Darious Williams with 5:14 to play.
The 49ers were buried after that. The Rams put together a time-killing drive and within the two-minute warning, the Rams hit a huge third-down pass to tight end Colby Parkinson as he took a free kick off the line. When the 49ers needed that stop to maintain any realistic hope, they couldn’t get it. The Rams scored a field goal with 18 seconds left.
The 49ers have lost four of their last five games. It’s a team that should still be in a Super Bowl window and one that may be picked up again next season. Injuries have certainly set San Francisco back. But going 6-8 in mid-December isn’t what the 49ers expected. If there was any hope for a turnaround at the end of the season, it vanished in the rain on Thursday night.
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The Rams just beat the Bills and 49ers within five days of each other, in two games so different they barely looked like the same sport. Remarkable performance.
The game ends appropriately. Brock Purdy is immediately under pressure on a Hail Mary and tries to break free, but is thrown to the ground to seal a sack for the Rams.
The Rams have now won 7 of their last 9 and are a half-game behind the Seattle Seahawks for first place in the NFC West. The Niners are basically a slam dunk at 6-8.
Deebo Samuel gives the Niners good field position
It was a miserable evening for Deebo Samuel, but he comes up big at kick-off with a return to the 35, extended by a horse collar. At the 50, the Niners will take over.
FIELD GOAL: The Rams extend their lead, but give the Niners a few seconds
The Niners get the support they need. Their reward: a deficit of six points with 18 seconds left and no timeouts.
The 49ers had so many chances to gain the upper hand in this game, but they wasted them all…
– Poor play calling after just an explosive pass to Kittle -Several deleted INTs -Deebo Samuel dropped to 3rd down/potential touchdown -Purdy subdues Pearsall before the INT
The Rams convert when Matthew Stafford finds Colby Parkinson. It’s desperation time for the Niners, who have a timeout with 1:55 left.
We have reached the 2 minute warning
There are two minutes left and the next play will be a big one. The Rams have 3rd and 4 at the San Francisco 32 and could end this with another first down or two.
INTERCEPTION: Brock Purdy intercepts in the end zone
Shot. The Niners had reached the Rams’ 33 when Brock Purdy decided to drive deep into the end zone. Instead of Jauan Jennings, he found Rams cornerback Darious Williams. Los Angeles got the ball back with 5:14 minutes left and took the lead with a field goal.
FIELD GOAL: The Rams take the lead for the first time
Still no touchdowns. The Rams don’t make much progress and Joshua Karty adds a 17-yard field goal. This is the first track of the evening for Los Angeles.
Matthew Stafford hits Puka Nacua for the longest win of the night
On one play, the Rams got into the red zone from their own 33-yard line when Matthew Stafford hit Puka Nacua on a deep ball. The Rams threaten to take their first lead of the evening.
The Niners go three-and-out again
Today the Niners have drives of one yard, six yards, seven yards, six yards and six yards. It wasn’t fun at Levi’s Stadium.
FIELD GOAL: The Rams come up short in the red zone, but tie the game
We still don’t have a touchdown tonight. The Rams got close, reaching the San Francisco 4-yard line, but a holding penalty pushed them back to the 12-yard line and they failed to inbound the ball from there. Joshua Karty scores a 23-yard field goal to tie the game.
Rams drive, convert 4th-and-1 in Niners territory
With Blake Corum playing at RB for most of the drive, the Rams are getting closer to the red zone. Matthew Stafford just converted a 4th-and-1 after a QB sneak.
Deebo Samuel with another drop
After complaining about not getting enough of the ball, Deebo Samuel drops a third pass that hits him squarely in the hands at an angle.
That would have given the 49ers a first down. But instead they have to settle for another field goal. Jake Moody’s 47-yard field goal puts San Francisco back on top 6-3.
The receivers wish they could walk like these corgis tonight
Where were the corgis?
Folks, Amazon has deprived viewers of some halftime entertainment.
3-and-out for the Rams to start the second half
The Rams were unable to generate any offense on their first possession of the second half. Kyren Williams gained five yards on two carries, but Matthew Stafford threw incomplete on 3rd-and-5.
San Francisco takes over at the 25-yard line after a 46-yard punt by Ethan Evans.
Halftime: Rams 3, 49ers 3
After a wet slog in the first half…
Rams total offense: 89 yards
Matthew Stafford 4/12, 23 yards Kyren Williams 14 carries, 44 yards Puka Nacua 3 catches, 19 yards
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