Rams’ woes vs. San Francisco 49ers continue in 31-14 loss
🏈 49ers 31, Rams 14 — FINAL
The Rams’ regular-season losing streak to the San Francisco 49ers continues.
Unable to stop Christian McCaffrey, Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco offense, the Rams gave up 24 unanswered points in a loss that significantly compromises their hopes of defending their NFC West title.
Clinging to a 14-10 halftime lead, the Rams allowed three second-half touchdowns. After a promising start, Matthew Stafford struggled down the stretch. He finished 22-for-33 passing for 187 yards and a touchdown.
McCaffrey finished with 94 yards in 18 carries. He threw for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass. Garoppolo completed 21 of 25 attempts for 235 yards and two touchdowns.
It marked the 49ers’ eighth consecutive regular-season win over the Rams.
Stafford put the Rams ahead in the closing seconds of the first quarter when he dove into the end zone on a one-yard scramble just inside the pylon. The score capped a 17-play, 88-yard drive that looked promising considering some of the ongoing issues the defending Super Bowl champions have been experiencing on offense throughout the season.
San Francisco responded with its first scoring drive, culminating in a wide-open Brandon Aiyuk catching a perfect pass from McCaffrey for a 34-yard touchdown. The Rams retook the lead in the second quarter when Stafford found Cooper Kupp in the back of the end zone on a 16-yard pass.
A 29-yard field goal by Robbie Gould with less than two minutes to go in the first half cut into the Rams’ lead.
McCaffrey caught a nine-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter and scored on a one-yard carry minutes later to give the 49ers a commanding lead. A seven-yard touchdown catch by tight end George Kittle with 6:41 left put the game away for the 49ers.
Kupp, who finished with eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, limped off late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, but told reporters he thinks he “dodged a bullet” in regard to the severity of the injury. Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters he was “kicking himself” over keeping Kupp in late and not running the ball.
Jimmy Garoppolo touchdown pass gives 49ers 24 unanswered points
🏈 49ers 31, Rams 14 — 6:41 left in the fourth quarter
The Rams’ inability to stop Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers is obliterating any hope of ending their regular-season struggles against San Francisco.
Jimmy Garoppolo connected on a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end George Kittle in the back of the end zone to give the 49ers 24 unanswered points against the Rams and a seemingly unsurmountable lead.
The five-play, 73-yard drive quickly sliced through the Rams’ defense, with a 56-yard catch by tight end Ross Dwelley bolstering the trek to the end zone.
Another Christian McCaffrey touchdown increases 49ers’ lead
🏈 49ers 24, Rams 14 — 12:07 left in the fourth quarter
Christian McCaffrey broke off a 24-yard run, and then followed it with a one-yard touchdown run to put the 49ers ahead by 10 points.
The 49ers got an assist during the drive when the Rams were penalized 15 yards for a personal foul committed by linebacker Ernest Jones.
McCaffrey has rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown, has eight receptions, including one for a touchdown, and he also has passed for a touchdown.
Christian McCaffrey touchdown catch pushes 49ers back ahead
🏈 49ers 17, Rams 14 — 1:51 left in third quarter
Jimmy Garoppolo was under pressure, but he waited it out and made a perfectly thrown nine-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey to put the 49ers in the lead.
The touchdown capped an 11-play, 88-yard drive.
McCaffrey has rushed for 52 yards in 10 carries, has six receptions for 44 yards and has passed for a touchdown.
Garoppolo has completed 16 of 20 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.
Rams hold onto slim lead over 49ers at halftime
🏈 Rams 14, 49ers 10 — halftime
The 49ers drove to the eight-yard line, but the Rams stopped Christian McCaffrey for no gain, Leonard Floyd sacked Jimmy Garoppolo and a third down pass fell incomplete, forcing the 49ers to settle for Robbie Gould’s 29-yard field goal.
Floyd, who entered the game with no sacks, got two during the drive.
McCaffrey has 24 yards rushing, 21 receiving and has passed for a 34-yard touchdown.
Matthew Stafford connects with Cooper Kupp for touchdown
🏈 Rams 14, 49ers 7 — 6:35 left in second quarter
Matthew Stafford completed all eight of his passes during a nine-play, 75-yard drive, capping the march with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp.
Stafford also completed passes to running backs Ronnie Rivers and Darrell Henderson and receiver Ben Skowronek during the drive.
Stafford has completed 17 of 21 passes for 150 yards. He also has rushed for a touchdown.
Kupp has seven catches for 73 yards.
Christian McCaffrey throws touchdown pass, ties up game
🏈 49ers 7, Rams 7 —12:10 left in the second quarter
Christian McCaffrey is a talented runner and receiver. He’s also a pretty good passer.
McCaffrey completed a halfback option pass to receiver Brandon Aiyuk to tie the score.
The 49ers last week outbid the Rams for McCaffrey in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.
McCaffrey helped set up the touchdown 34-yard pass a few plays earlier, when he caught a short third-down pass from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and slipped would-be tacklers Taylor Rapp and Jalen Ramsey to pick up a first down.
Matthew Stafford scores touchdown to give Rams early lead
🏈 Rams 7, 49ers 0 — :09 left in the first quarter
Matthew Stafford scrambled for a one-yard touchdown to complete a long drive that gave the Rams the lead.
Stafford engineered a 17-play, 88-yard drive, completing a key third-down pass to receiver Allen Robinson for 23 yards.
Receiver Cooper Kupp had a 20-yard catch to start the drive that consumed 9 minutes and 21 seconds.
Stafford has completed nine of 13 passes for 76 yards.
Big mystery for Rams: How will 49ers utilize Christian McCaffrey?
Running back Christian McCaffrey is sure to reel in all sorts of receptions for the San Francisco 49ers.
The stats will read: catch by No. 23.
But beware of the Catch-22.
“To see how Kyle uses this incredible chess piece will be interesting,” retired quarterback Kurt Warner said, referring to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, whose team will play the Rams on Sunday. “Because they’re really built a certain way, and they’ve had success that way, but now you get this piece in McCaffrey who is so different. You don’t want to get so far away from what you’ve been that now you become something different.”
It’s a little like golf: You don’t change your swing in the middle of a round.
Inactives for Rams vs. 49ers on Sunday
Here are the inactives for the Rams and 49ers on Sunday:
Rams vs. 49ers: L.A. looks to break regular-season losing streak to San Francisco
The tackle was more WWE than NFL.
Two weeks ago, Rams linebacker Ernest Jones wrapped his arms around then-Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, lifted him and then threw him to the turf suplex-style.
Rams players said the tempo-setting play helped propel them to a victory that evened their record at 3-3 going into last week’s open date.
The Rams — and McCaffrey — return to SoFi Stadium on Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers and their legion of fans arrive for a key NFC West game.
The 49ers last week outbid the Rams in a trade for McCaffrey.
Sean McVay prepares for 49ers and ‘phenomenal’ Christian McCaffrey
A week ago, the Rams envisioned running back Christian McCaffrey possibly making his Rams L.A. debut against the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium, and Cam Akers perhaps playing for another NFL team.
McCaffrey will be on the field Sunday, but he will be in a 49ers uniform.
Even if the defending Super Bowl-champion Rams are unable to find a trade partner for Akers, the estranged running back probably won’t be in the building.
But receiver Van Jefferson, center Brian Allen and cornerback Troy Hill will return from injuries and play as the 3-3 Rams begin a stretch of 11 consecutive games.
Rams finally get good injury news, with key players slated to return for 49ers game
Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford spoke Wednesday with genuine optimism, not the manufactured variety so prevalent during the first six weeks of the Rams’ season.
The coach and quarterback had reason to be positive: After navigating through seemingly endless injuries, the Rams will be closer to full strength Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
Receiver Van Jefferson, center Brian Allen and cornerback Troy Hill practiced Wednesday, and all are expected to play in the pivotal NFC West game at SoFi Stadium.
Rams vs. 49ers matchups, start time, how to watch and prediction
Breaking down how the Rams (3-3) and the San Francisco 49ers (3-4) match up heading into their game at 1:25 p.m. PDT on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The game will be shown on Fox (Ch. 11) and streamed on the Fox Sports app and NFL+.
When Rams have the ball
Quarterback Matthew Stafford should benefit from the return of center Brian Allen and the addition of receiver Van Jefferson. It won’t matter if Stafford remains prone to turnovers that cost the Rams in defeats to the 49ers. Stafford is completing 71% of his passes, six for touchdowns, with eight interceptions.
Jefferson, sidelined the first six games while recovering from knee surgery, should ostensibly create space for a passing attack that also features receivers Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson and tight end Tyler Higbee.
The rushing attack, or lack of same, remains an issue. The Rams still are trying to trade Cam Akers, and he will not play for the second game in a row.
Rams vs. 49ers: betting odds, lines and picks against the spread
This is the biggest week of the season to date for the Rams. They simply have to show clear improvement coming out of the bye week, especially against a formidable opponent like the San Francisco 49ers. Amazingly, the Rams would be a playoff participant if the season ended now, but the body of work has been disappointing at best.
With the Chargers on a bye this week, the Rams are the only focus in the City of Angels and a lot of eyes will be on this team going into a big game for the present and the future.
San Francisco 49ers (-1.5, 43) at Rams
Anybody who watched the first meeting between these two teams on Monday Night Football in Week 4 understands why San Francisco is a road favorite. The Rams mustered just 257 yards in that game and three field goals. It wasn’t as big of a blowout as the 24-9 final would suggest, as the 49ers had a pick-six in the fourth quarter to ice it, but that game sums up the season thus far.