INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Rookie Joshua Karty kicked a 37-yard field goal with two seconds left and the Los Angeles Rams pulled off a spectacular final comeback to win 27-24 over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Kyren Williams ran 4 yards for his third touchdown of the day with 1:50 left for the Rams (1-2), who erased a 14-point deficit in the second half and celebrated their second consecutive victory over San Francisco (1-2) after losing 10 of their last 12 games with the NFC West archrivals.
Jauan Jennings set career highs with 11 catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns for the 49ers, who blew a lead of at least 14 points for the first time since 2018.
Los Angeles trailed 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter, but Jake Moody missed a 55-yard field goal attempt for San Francisco with 2:43 left. Matthew Stafford quickly found Tutu Atwell for a 50-yard completion to the San Francisco 5, and Williams completed the pass two plays later.
Ronnie Bell then dropped a long pass with 1:02 left that would have put San Francisco within field goal range, and Xavier Smith – who was brought in from the Rams’ practice squad for this game – his first punt return over 38 yards Moments later to the halfway line.
A 25-yard pass interference penalty on linebacker De’Vondre Campbell put the Rams within field goal range and their rookie kicker converted the kick.
San Francisco threw several lateral passes on the last snap as time expired, but the play failed on the Rams’ sideline.
Williams caught a touchdown pass and scored two touchdowns for the Rams, who remarkably avoided their first 0-3 start under Sean McVay. Stafford threw for 221 yards and Atwell caught four passes for 93 yards.
Brock Purdy threw for 292 yards, but the reigning NFC champions and Super Bowl favorites suffered their second straight road loss after losing to Minnesota last week.
In this biennial showdown, both teams were without most of their best offensive players due to injuries.
The 49ers played without running back Christian McCaffrey, receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle, while the Rams were without Super Bowl 56 MVP Cooper Kupp, record-setting receiver Puka Nacua and tight end Tyler Higbee.
Purdy focused on Jennings, who caught two touchdown passes in the first quarter and another in the third, becoming the first 49ers wide receiver to catch three touchdowns in a game since Terrell Owens in 2001.
The former seventh-round pick caught more touchdowns on Sunday than he did in the previous two seasons combined as a backup receiver for San Francisco, and his total catches and yards were higher than his previous two best games combined. Half of Jennings’ 10 regular-season touchdowns came in two games against the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Jennings’ most impressive catch was a jump catch over the Rams’ Quentin Lake prevented a possible 32-yard interception and set up a field goal that gave the Niners a 24-14 lead.
San Francisco was in control early on. Jennings caught a 13-yard touchdown on the Niners’ first drive and Purdy scored another touchdown later in the first quarter.
Stafford was unable to complete a pass until Atwell made an exceptional running catch with about eight minutes left in the first half. Williams then caught the ball short and somersaulted forward over a defender into the end zone, capping an 87-yard run.
Jennings caught a 31-yard touchdown pass midway through the third quarter, but Williams ran for a 3-yard touchdown a few minutes later. Williams scored his sixth consecutive rushing touchdown, tying the franchise record set by Marshall Faulk in 2001.
49ers: LB Dee Winters injured his ankle in the first half of his season debut but returned.
Rams: Los Angeles reported no injuries after several players missed the first two games with serious injuries.
49ers: Host New England on September 29th.
Rams: At Chicago on September 29th.
——
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
