49ers – Rams Monday Night Football Live Blog

This is the live blog for the 49ers week 4 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. I will provide updates and analysis from the press box throughout the game.

3:30 Championships aren’t won in week four, but they can be lost. A win tonight puts San Francisco atop the NFC West. A loss drops them into last place, two and a half games behind Los Angeles.

3:50 The 49ers have promoted WR Willie Snead IV to the active roster and placed LB Azeez Al-Shaair on IR. They have also activated RB Tevin Coleman and WR Malik Turner for tonight’s game.

3:57 Arik Armstead and Ross Dwelley have been dealing with injuries, but both will be active tonight. 

49ers Inactives: Javon Kinlaw, Danny Gray, Tarvarius Moore, Trent Williams, Ty Davis-Price, Tyler Kroft, Nick Zackelj

4:53 Deommodore Lenoir will be starting at Nickel tonight. He will have his hands full with Cooper Kupp.

5:13 49ers win the toss and defer. They will start on defense.

5:19 Stafford is getting the ball out quick, negating the 49ers pass rush advantage.

5:22 Tyler Higbee is a problem for the 49ers. He’s the chain mover.

5:24 Samson Ebukam explodes off the right side to sack Matthew Stafford and end the Rams drive. Matt Gay hits the 39-yard field goal to give the Rams a 3-0 lead.

The Rams took over eight minutes off the clock on that possession.

5:31 Can see the sweep coming with that motion from a mile away. Wilson loses two.

5:33 Good job by Garoppolo on that third down conversion. Wanted to go to Deebo Samuel but he was covered so Garoppolo resets and hits Jennings for a gain of 12. 

5:36 And there’s the changeup. Motion with toss, but instead of a sweep it’s designed to go up inside. Jeff Wilson hits it for a 32-yard touchdown. 49ers 7 Rams 3

5:42 There’s that dominant 49er defense. Pressure from Fred Warner forces Stafford to check down too soon for an incompletion on second down. On third and eight, Nick Bosa blows through the Rams line a takes Stafford down for the sack. 

49ers will take over at their 26.

5:46 Nice job by Garoppolo to hit Samuel in the second window off play action on first down for a gain of 15. 

5:47 First quarter comes to a close, 49ers 7 Rams 3

5:50 Daniel Brunskill has replaced Spencer Burford at right guard.

5:52 Jauan Jennings drops the Jimmy Garoppolo pass on third down and Kyle Shanahan chooses to punt it away. Ball goes into the endzone. Rams will take over at their own 20. 

The 49ers have run 14 offensive plays. Their personnel groupings: 11 (5), 21 (5), 12 (4, Wilson touchdown).

5:57 Great coverage by the 49ers as they force a pair of Stafford incompletions on another three and out. This group is so good.

6:02 Jimmy Garoppolo with a pair of misses. Had Charlie Woerner deep down the left sideline and the pass was off the mark. On third and ten he had Jauan Jennings for a first down, but the pass was too high.

6:09 Rams move the ball 56 yards on seven plays to the 49ers nine. Then Emmanuel Moseley drops Cooper Kupp for a loss of two on a screen pass, then Stafford throws a pair of incompletions. Los Angeles has to settle for their second field goal. 49ers 7 Rams 6

6:17 Deebo Samuel does something wild against the Rams every time he faces them. 

Garoppolo throws to Samuel who takes it away from a Ram defender and weaves his way through the defense for a 57-yard touchdown to give the 49ers a 14-6 lead. 

6:19 Kyle Shanahan has found something he likes. He’s used 12 personnel on the last seven first down plays. 

6:26 Charles Omenihu with a sack, and Deommodore Lenoir follows that up another sack.

A fan runs on the field and Bobby Wagner lays him out with a great hit along the sideline!

6:30 49ers go into halftime with a 14-6 lead. 

6:49 Jimmy Garoppolo with a nice 20-yard completion over the middle to George Kittle, but he missed a big play opportunity a few plays later on third down. Kyle Juszczyk broke free down the left seam and Garoppolo didn’t see it, checking down to Deebo Samuel for a gain of only one instead. The miss leads to a punt.

6:55 Rams open the second half with a drive that is very similar to how they started the game. Stafford working underneath to Higbee and Kupp.

7:02 Rams drive 75 yards on 14 plays but are forced to settle for a field goal.  49ers 14 Rams 9

Tashaun Gipson had the ball in his hands on third down but could not hold on for the interception. 

7:04 It was just announced that Colton McKivitz has a knee injury and will miss the remainder of the game. If Jaylon Moore has to play left tackle, it’s bad news for the 49ers.

7:11 Kyle Juszczyk wasn’t covered and Garoppolo hit him for a gain of 38. Juszczyk also picks up nine on a counter run. The quarter comes to a close with the 49ers on the Rams two facing third and goal.

7:15 On third down, Garoppolo finds George Kittle along the back of the endzone, but the tight end is unable to get both feet in bounds. Would have been a terrific catch. 

Robbie Gould connects from 25-yards out to put the 49ers back in front by 8.

49ers 17 Rams 9

7:21 Big possession here for the 49ers defense. Kevin Givens drops Henderson for a loss of two on first down. 

7:22 Matthew Stafford throws high to Cooper Kupp along the right sideline to force another three and out.

Ray-Ray McCloud returns the punt 22 yards, and the 49ers offense is set up and the 45.

7:31 The 49ers offense moves the ball down to the Rams 25 before the drive stalls. Robbie Gould comes on and misses a 42-yard field goal to keep this a one score game.

Arik Armstead has been ruled out for the rest of the game with a foot injury. He missed last week and the first two days of practice this week due to this. 

7:37 It was only a matter of time before Matthew Stafford was going to give the 49ers defense a chance. 

Talanoa Hufanga doesn’t miss it, taking the interception 52 yards for a touchdown to put the 49ers up 24-9. 

7:50 Two-minute warning. 49ers lead 24-9. They will move into first place in the NFC West. Headed down to the locker room. Will be back later with the game wrap. 

Stay tuned.