49ers – Rams live blog

Posted By on January 9, 2022

This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers (9-7) week 18 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams (12-4) from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

The 49ers can secure a spot in the NFC playoffs with a win, or a loss by New Orleans.

12:00 Trent Williams, K’Waun Williams, Azeez Al-Shaair, Marcell Harris, Maurice Hurst, and Jarrod Wilson are INACTIVE today for the 49ers.

No Trent Williams or K’Waun Williams is a tough blow for the 49ers. 

Not having Trent Williams is a big blow to the 49ers offense. Los Angeles has a terrific pass rush and running at their ends worked well for the 49ers in week 10. 

Without K’Waun Williams the question for San Francisco’s defense is who will play the slot and cover Cooper Kupp? Kupp has been the best wide receiver in the NFL this season and the 49ers will be juggling their secondary. That doesn’t sound good.

12:10 QB Bryce Perkins, OLB Chris Garrett, OLB Terrell Lewis, OL Alaric Jackson, OL Tremayne Anchrum Jr., TE Brycen Hopkins

1:05 Colton McKivitz will make the start at left tackle over Jaylon Moore. That’s an interesting decision.

1:24 49ers win the toss and defer to the second half. They will start on defense.

1:26 Terrific coverage on the opening kickoff for the 49ers. Rams start inside their own 15.

1:27 Dontae Johnson is lined up in the slot, replacing K’Waun Williams who is inactive today.

1:37 San Francisco defense starts off like they played in the second half in Tennessee, allowing two long third down conversions as the Rams get inside 20-yard line. On third and six from the 49ers 15, Arik Armstead, Arden Key and Samson Ebukam come up with a strong pass rush and engulf Matthew Stafford for a loss of 10 to force a field goal attempt. 

Rams 3 49ers 0

1:45 49ers pick up a first down, but then are forced to punt. Every time #44 goes in motion the defense knows where the run is going, and the Rams did a good job of shutting San Francisco’s run game on that first series.

1:51 First quarter comes to a close with Matthew Stafford hitting Cooper Kupp to convert third and four. 49ers were in zone, and Kupp just sat down in the hole making it an easy pitch and catch.

2:01 Rams go right down the field for the second possession in a row, this time ending the drive with a touchdown pass from Stafford to Tyler Higbee on 4th and 1 from the 49ers 2. 

Without K’Waun Williams the 49ers defense is stuck playing zone, and Stafford is just dicing them up. This has the look of a long day ahead.

San Francisco has allowed Los Angeles to convert five of seven 3rd downs in addition to the 4th down conversion for a touchdown.

2:07 49ers offense goes backward. Garoppolo is hit and fumbles on first down. On second down Garoppolo is sacked for a loss of three and then Elijah Mitchell is dropped for a loss of two.

Los Angeles then returns the punt to the 49ers 19. 

The 49ers special teams have been bad all season and this just might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back if the Rams can punch this in for a touchdown.

2:10 And they do. Matthew Stafford hits Higbee from 15 yards out for another Rams touchdown. 

If the 49ers can’t score a touchdown to close to within 10 before halftime this game is over.

2:18 49ers offense gets out to midfield, and then Jimmy Garoppolo throws another first down interception. Trying to throw deep off play action and the ball just flutters into the hands of Taylor Rapp. 

2:22 It really doesn’t matter who is playing quarterback for the 49ers today. Their defense can’t get off the field. Stafford to Beckham Jr. to convert another 3rd down. Rams are now 6-8 on 3rd down in the first half.

2:28 Nick Bosa comes up with a sack on 3rd and 1 to end the Rams possession. 49ers will take over at their own 15 with 38 seconds left in the first half.

Can Jimmy Garoppolo get anything done here?

2:40 Garoppolo is able to hit Aiyuk with two big throws down the middle to get the 49ers into position to try a field goal as the half comes to a close. It’s good. 49ers go in at halftime down 17-3.

2:44 The Saints are leading Atlanta 17-6 with slightly over a minute to play in the first half.

2:54 San Francisco cuts the lead to seven on the opening drive of the second half. Garoppolo hits JaMycal Hasty for 13 to convert third and three. On the next play he finds Brandon Aiyuk all alone on the left side for a gain of 31.

From the Rams 16, Deebo Samuel runs over right guard and stretches the ball across the goal line. 

Now the 49ers defense needs to come up with a stop.

3:00 And they do. DeMeco Ryans dials up a nice blitz on third down and Dre Greenlaw bursts through the Rams offensive line to pressure Matthew Stafford into an incompletion. 

Maybe this game isn’t over yet. Big possession coming up for the 49ers offense.

3:11 What a job by the 49ers offense. San Francisco runs the ball on the first 10 plays of the possession before Deebo Samuel throws a 24-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings to tie the game at 17.

Kyle Shanahan with a nice adjustment in the second half. In the first half the 49ers ran in the direction of motion nearly every time. So far in the second half they have been using that to their advantage with cuts back to the opposite side. 

3:16 All of the momentum of this game is with the 49ers. Matthew Stafford tries to go deep, and Emmanuel Moseley is there for the interception. They are marking him down at the spot of the catch. 

Time for the offense to keep it going. 

3:20 Brandon Aiyuk with a big drop on second down and the 49ers will open the 4th quarter with a punt.

3:23 Robbie Gould with a 47-yard punt to back up Los Angeles to their own 18. 

3:30 The 49ers defense has been all over Matthew Stafford in the second half. What a turnaround. DeMeco Ryans bringing more pressures, and the front is dominating.

49ers with the ball on their own 23.

3:43 49ers offense drives the ball down to the Rams 22 and Jimmy Garoppolo throws an interception to Jalen Ramsey. Garoppolo was trying to get the ball to George Kittle, however the throw was behind the tight end and Ramsey tipped the ball up in the air and was able to stay with it and make the catch in the endzone. 

Why not just stick with the run there?

3:52 Los Angeles goes 92 yards on 9 plays, Matthew Stafford finding Cooper Kupp in the back corner of the endzone to give the Rams the lead. 

49ers had all of the momentum on their side before the Garoppolo interception. 

3:59 49ers offense can’t get anything going and Garoppolo is sacked on third down. Bad time for Colton McKivitz to finally have his name called. 

4:01 49ers defense forces a punt. One more opportunity for the offense coming up. 

4:02 Jimmy Garoppolo will need to go 88 yards with no timeouts to force overtime.

4:07 Unbelievable. Garoppolo hits Aiyuk, Jennings, and Deebo Samuel to get the ball to the Rams 14. On second and five he finds Jennings all alone over the middle of the field to tie this game up at 24. WOW!

4:11 Arik Armstead with sack of Matthew Stafford, and this game is going to overtime.

Where else would you want to be right now?

4:29 49ers drive it down deep into the redzone but are unable to get it a touchdown. Robbie Gould hits a 24-yard field goal to give San Francisco a 27-24 lead.

The game is now on the shoulders of the defense.

4:36 Rams get a first down when Emmanuel Moseley is called for pass interference. Los Angeles with a short run for a first down, and it’s the two-minute warning.

4:38 Ambry Thomas, a rookie who couldn’t get on the field, makes the interception on a deep throw by Matthew Stafford and the 49ers are heading to the playoffs. Bring on the Cowboys!

This article has 98 Comments

  1. No big Trent today! Oh boy, this could be a long day. Without Trent I feel it should even more be a Trey Lance day. Statuesque Jimmy may get killed today.

    At least Ward is available.

    1. Also concerning with K’Waun Williams out. Kupp is perhaps the best in the NFL out of the slot.

  3. I’m concerned about Donald and Von Miller killing Jimmy. Trey better be ready on deck. His mobility might save the day and the season.

  6. Time to retire the Deebo runs, they are almost always for negative yardage now. Everyone knows it is him when he is in the backfield.

  8. The run defense is outstanding!

    The pass defense is atrocious!

    The Niners have completely confirmed that defensive back has to be the #1 priority this off-season.

    The offense needs to join the game right now or this game may be over at halftime!

  9. Does jimmy know he is allowed to throw the ball away.

    Great punt coverage . We are doomed.

  12. f this – Jimmy can’t overcome this – put in Trey and lets turn this to backyard brawl

  13. Well this wasn’t predictable at all. Jimmy’s thumb injury perhaps contributes to a fumble, then he holds the ball to take a sack. Then a mediocre punt when a big boomer is needed, followed by terrible punt coverage.

    No running game, passing game is not clicking, defense can’t stop the pass. Down 17-0 very early!

    So many predicted this

  20. I will admit, I thought the Deebo runs were dead. Now let’s see if they can maintain the momentum on defense and offense.

  21. Now we can run the ball. The full offense is now available. I feel sorry for the Rams. Not.

  25. Rams have to be demoralized. They can’t stop the run. Time for Stafford to throw a pick.

  26. This team is so Jekyll and Hyde! They go from good to bad and vice versa all the time.

    Just keep doing what they are doing right now.

  37. We really don’t need Wishnowsky, Gould’s 2 punts were better than Wish. usually does from that place on the field.

    On the other hand, seems the stupid Jimmy pic was the game. A terrible throw into triple coverage, doesn’t get any more Jimmy than that. Completely gave life back to the Rams.

  59. haaaaaa #20……whao you shocked me – we have a CB – HAAAAAAAA – We WON !!!!!!

    KSHAN IS KING!!!!!!!!

  63. Outside that late pick in the red zone and a forgettable 1st half, that 2nd half is the best I’ve seen Jimmy played in a long time. Clutch!

  65. God I hate the Cowgirls! We cannot lose to those guys or else it will be an even longer off season for me…

  66. This game was huge in terms of the playoffs weather.

    The Rams go through GB if they beat AZ.

    We go through Cows (dome), Bucs Florida (if they beat Philly) –

    DEJAVU – We beat GB again to reach the SB

    1. We have the team to take that GB weather. And came within a few seconds of beating the Pack earlier. I like our chances.

      But first things first. Only two teams come out of the west next weekend.

  67. Brodie2Washington says: January 9, 2022 at 2:30 pm
    Sean McVay is 36-0 when leading at halftime and our punter is hurt.
    #hopeful

    On to Dallas!

    1. Sean McVay is 36-0 when leading at halftime and our punter is hurt.

      36-0 when leading at halftime *and* when our punter is hurt? I guess that happens more often than I would have thunk it!

  68. Water under the bridge now but I swear Kupp only got 1 foot down on that corner touchdown (?!!) (4th quarter 2:30 left) Anybody see both feet in?

  70. Emotional roller coaster. Ambry Thomas has taken strides every week. Was it just last week I noted that he is always in position to make a play but just needs to leap and make a play. Today he did . More to come …

  71. Could we wind up playing in Arizona for the NFC championship? It’s possible if we beat Dallas and Tampa Bay while Arizona beats the Rams and Packers. Then again, maybe I’d rather play the Packers. It’s house money now.

  72. I just want to say to all the Jimmy haters who really thought this game could have been won with the rookie. STFU now. He is the better option this season. The kid will shine next season. Go Niners! That’s all!

    1. too much hate in this one – just can’t be happy

      Are you finally with Trump in Fl or you still worshipping from afar

  73. Let’s have props for juice with those perfect holds. Clutch. I wonder how much he practices those? At all? Any mess up on any of those attempts, we lose.

    1. Many clutch plays today… Juice, Gould, Thomas, Jennings and the Offensive line… great day!

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