The San Francisco 49ers clearly made a point of targeting him more, and on a key third-down play in the second half Thursday night, Brock Purdy hit him in stride with a pass that probably should have been a touchdown. In any previous season of his career, Samuel would have taken this all the way to the end zone. We’ve seen it many times before.
And Samuel dropped Purdy’s perfect pass. Plain and simple. You can’t complain about not getting the ball and then bouncing it off your hands when it gets to a key spot.
If there’s anything to sum up the 2024 49ers, it’s this game. A star player from the past, who had a surprisingly bad season, got the chance to be the hero. And the ball passed through his hands.
The 49ers are back to two games under .500 after a loss to the Los Angeles Rams, who find themselves right in the NFC West with an ugly but important score. 12-6 victory. Purdy struggled and a crucial interception in the fourth quarter with the 49ers in range for a long field goal all but ended San Francisco’s chances. It probably also ended their slim playoff chances.
The Rams were a little tougher Thursday night. They executed better. Like the rest of the 49ers’ lost season, when they should have been competing for a Super Bowl title, they were a disappointment.
It was difficult to score
Here are the results of all first quarter possessions by both teams: punt, punt, field goal, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt. The only decent drive and points came only from the 49ers, who led 3-0 after the first quarter. It was the first time a Sean McVay team started a game with four consecutive drives without a first down, according to the Amazon Prime Video broadcast.
In other words, it was the kind of Thursday night game that viewers complain about when they talk about teams playing below their standards on short rests.
Puka Nacua (17) and the Los Angeles Rams did just enough on offense to beat the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The defenses were playing well, then the rain arrived. In the second quarter, the rain started, making things even more difficult for the struggling offenses. The Rams got a drive late in the second quarter, moving it mostly on the floor, and got a field goal to tie it before halftime. There were fewer than 200 yards passing in the first half and more punts (11) than first downs (nine).
Week 15 marks the start of the fantasy football playoffs for most leagues. Anyone who had 49ers or Rams offensive players in the lineup must have been horrified by the first half.
Both teams struggle to find the end zone
In the fourth quarter, Amazon posted a surprising statistic: In 152 meetings between the 49ers and the Rams, Thursday night was the first time that no touchdown had been scored for three quarters.
The 49ers should have had a touchdown in the third quarter, but Samuel took a bad fall over the middle on a third down. The Rams finally came up with an explosive play against Puka Nacua, but once again failed to score a touchdown. They scored a basket to take a 9-6 lead.
The 49ers’ season was on the line. At 6-7, they probably needed to win. They hadn’t thrown a single touchdown all night. But if they wanted to stay alive in the playoff race, they had to find a way. The ball was moving. Then Purdy got impatient, and on second-and-11, he misthrew a deep ball to Jauan Jennings, and it was recovered by Rams corner Darious Williams with 5:14 left.
The 49ers were then buried. The Rams ran a time-consuming drive and inside the two-minute warning, the Rams completed a huge third-down pass to tight end Colby Parkinson when he got a free punt at the line. When the 49ers needed that stop to maintain realistic hope, they couldn’t get it. The Rams scored a field goal with 18 seconds remaining.
The 49ers have lost four of their last five games. This is a team that should still be in a Super Bowl window, and could return next season. Injuries have certainly set San Francisco back. But going 6-8 in mid-December isn’t what the 49ers expected. If there was hope for a late-season turnaround, it melted away in the rain Thursday night.
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The Rams just beat the Bills and 49ers in 5 days, and they did it in 2 games so different they barely resembled the same sport. Remarkable achievement.
The game ends well. Brock Purdy faces immediate pressure on a Hail Mary and attempts to rush, but is taken down for a sack to seal it for the Rams.
The Rams have now won 7 of their last 9 games and are a half-game behind the Seattle Seahawks for first place in the NFC West. The Niners, at 6-8, are basically toast.
Deebo Samuel gives the Niners decent field position
It’s been a miserable night for Deebo Samuel, but he comes out strong at kickoff with a return to the 35, which is extended by a horse collar. The Niners will take over at the 50.
FIELD GOAL: Rams extend lead, but give Niners seconds
The Niners get the stop they need. Their reward: a six-point deficit with 18 seconds remaining and no timeouts.
The 49ers had so many chances to take over in this game, but they wasted them all…
-Poor play call after just one explosive play pass to Kittle -Several INTs dropped -Deebo Samuel dropped 3rd/would be TD -Purdy underthrow to Pearsall preceding INT
The Rams convert as Matthew Stafford finds Colby Parkinson. Desperation time for the Niners, who have a timeout with 1:55 to play.
We have reached the 2 minute warning
There are two minutes left and the next match will be important. The Rams have 3rd and 4 at the San Francisco 32 and could finish that with another first down or two.
INTERCEPTION: Brock Purdy eliminated in the end zone
Frame. The Niners had reached the Rams’ 33 when Brock Purdy decided to go deep into the end zone. Instead of Jauan Jennings, he found Rams cornerback Darious Williams. Los Angeles gets the ball back with 5:14 remaining, thanks to a basket.
FIELD GOAL: Rams take first lead
Still no touchdown. The Rams fail to advance much further and Joshua Karty adds a 17-yard field goal. This is the first lead of the evening for Los Angeles.
Matthew Stafford hits Puka Nacua for longest gain of the night
On one play, the Rams move from their own 33-yard line to the red zone, as Matthew Stafford hits Puka Nacua on a deep ball. The Rams threaten to take their first lead of the evening.
The Niners go 3-and-out again
Today, the Niners have drives of one yard, six yards, seven yards, six yards and six yards. It hasn’t been a fun ride at Levi’s Stadium.
FIELD GOAL: Rams fail in red zone, but tie game
We still don’t have a touchdown tonight. The Rams got closer, reaching the San Francisco 4-yard line, but a holding penalty pushed them back to the 12 and they failed to score from there. Joshua Karty makes a 23-yard field goal to tie the game.
Rams drive and convert on 4th and 1 in Niners territory
With Blake Corum at RB for much of the drive, the Rams are closing in on the red zone. Matthew Stafford just converted a 4th and 1 on a QB sneak.
Deebo Samuel with another drop
After complaining about not recovering the ball enough, Deebo Samuel released a third pass which hit him directly in the hands on an oblique pattern.
That would have given the 49ers a first down. But instead, they have to settle for another basket. Jake Moody’s 47-yard field goal puts San Francisco back on top, 6-3.
Receivers wish they could run like those corgis tonight
Where were the corgis?
Amazon has deprived viewers of some halftime entertainment, folks.
3-and-out for the Rams to start the 2nd half
The Rams failed to get any offense going on their first possession of the second half. Kyren Williams gained five yards on two carries, but Matthew Stafford threw incomplete on 3rd and 5.
San Francisco takes over at its 25-yard line after a 46-yard punt by Ethan Evans.
Halftime: Rams 3, 49ers 3
After a difficult first half…
Rams total offense: 89 yards
Matthew Stafford 4/12, 23 meters Kyren Williams 14 carries, 44 yards Puka Nacua 3 catches, 19 yards
