The 49ers come from behind to beat the Rams in overtime 27-24
Los Angeles Rams #89 Tyler Higbee (TE) two-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford against the San Francisco 49ers #20 Ambry Thomas (CB). Photo by Jared Dubose/T.G.Sportstv1.
INGLEWOOD, CA -The Los Angeles Rams (12-5) let a golden opportunity slip away to be the No.2 in the NFC Playoffs, fell to the No.4 seed after losing to the San Francisco 49ers (10-7) 27-24 in overtime.
Matthew Stafford completed 21 of his passes for 238-yards two touchdowns but had two costly interceptions for the Rams. Jimmy Garoppolo had 21 completions for 316-yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
Cooper Kupp had seven catches for 118-yards, and one touchdown, and Tyler Higbee had six catches for 55-yards, and two touchdowns, not enough even though the Rams won the NFC West after the Seattle Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 38-30.
The Rams’ head coach Sean McVay didn't like the way the Rams lost to the 49ers at the end of the game.
"At the moment right now, this is a tough feeling," said McVay."
The Rams were pinned deep on the other side of the field drove downfield and had to settle for a 43-yard field goal by Matt Gay to take a 3-0 lead.
The Rams increased their lead to 10-0 in the second quarter after Matthew Stafford threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee.
Higbee got his second touchdown of the game after catching a 15-yard touchdown pass making the score 17-0. The 49ers trail the Rams at halftime 17-3 after Robbie Gould kicked a 42-yard field goal.
"Getting off to a slow start and then coming back as we did, it took everything," said quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. "We say that a lot of weeks, but this one really did. I felt it after the game. I know a lot of guys in that locker room did. It was worth it, though. It was one of those games you won't forget any time soon.
San Francisco 49ers #15 Jauan Jennings (WR) 24-yard touchdown pass from Deebo Samuel against the Los Angeles Rams. Photo by Jared Dubose/T.G.Sportstv1.
The 49ers scored again in the third quarter which made the score 17-10 after Deebo Samuel ran in for a 16-yard touchdown.
San Francisco tied the game 17-17 on a flea-flicker pass from Deebo Samuel to Jauan Jennings for a 24-yard touchdown catch with 1:53 left in the third quarter.
Stafford threw his first interception trying to go deep downfield and was picked off by the 49ers' E. Moseley at their 32-yard line.
Los Angeles Rams #5 Jalen Ramsey (RCB) intercepted the San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's pass. Photo by Jared Dubose/T.G.Sportstv1.
Jalen Ramsey made the play of the game in the fourth quarter after he intercepted a pass by Garoppolo on their two-yard line with 7:54 left in the game.
The Rams regained the lead 24-17 with a 4-yard touchdown catch by Cooper Kupp with 2:29 left in the game.
The 49ers would tie the game 24-24 with a 14-yard touchdown catch by Jennings that would send the game into overtime.
Gould would kick a 24-yard field goal that would be the final score 27-24 in overtime after their defense sealed the victory when Ambry Thomas intercepted Stafford's pass, sending the 49ers to the playoffs, and will face the Dallas Cowboys on the road.
If the Rams had beaten the 49ers, they would have had two home games during the playoffs, now only one home game in the playoffs.
"I guess it's nice. It means you get a home playoff game but obviously would have rather won the game for sure," Matthew Stafford. "We've got a bunch of good leaders on this team, guys that are veteran players that have played in a lot of football games, so just got to come back and play better next week."