Four field goals prove enough for Rams to top 49ers
Joshua Karty kicked a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining and Darious Williams came down with a crucial interception to lift the Los Angeles Rams to a 12-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
Heavy rain before halftime prevented both teams from finding an offensive rhythm, but Los Angeles (8-6) did just enough to earn its seventh win in nine games.
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With the game tied at 6, it looked as if the Rams were headed for the end zone after Puka Nacua got behind San Francisco’s secondary and hauled in a 51-yard pass from Matthew Stafford early in the fourth quarter.
The 49ers’ defense soon got a stop on third-and-2, though, forcing Los Angeles to bring out Karty for his 27-yarder.
San Francisco (6-8) quickly worked down to the Los Angeles 33 on its ensuing drive. Brock Purdy proceeded to throw a deep ball near the near-side pylon that Williams picked off, and Karty later made good on a 29-yard field goal with 18 seconds to go.
Although a horse-collar tackle on the following kickoff set the Niners up at the 50-yard line, they couldn’t generate a miracle in the final seconds.
Stafford completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards, with Nacua (seven catches, 97 yards) serving as his favorite target. Kyren Williams was a workhorse on the ground, going for 108 yards on 29 carries.
Star receiver Cooper Kupp didn’t have a single reception for the Rams.
Purdy finished 14 of 31 for 142 yards and the interception. Isaac Guerendo had 16 carries for 57 yards as San Francisco got outgained 302-191 in total yards.
Jake Moody and Karty exchanged second-half field goals within a span of just under 10 minutes to forge the 6-6 tie.The Rams climbed within a half-game of the first-place Seattle Seahawks (8-5) in the NFC West. The defending conference champion 49ers are last in the division, a half-game behind the Arizona Cardinals (6-7).
