The Los Angeles Rams emerged victorious with a score of 12 to 6 against the San Francisco 49ers in a game that was marred by heavy rain. This win was crucial for the Rams as they kept their playoff hopes alive. The Rams' run game was dominant when the poor weather conditions hindered both teams' passing games. If you enjoy rain-soaked, field-goal battles, this game was a treat for you. In the first half, the rain fell with increasing strength, and the offenses struggled. The Rams punted five times in a row. Cooper Kupp had zero catches in a game for only the third time in his career. However, things picked up slightly in the second half. Joshua Karty's fourth field goal of the night with 20 seconds left saved the game from being the season's lowest-scoring. There was a tense moment when the Rams committed a horse collar penalty on the kickoff, but they held on and received a significant boost in their playoff chances, similar to last year's miracle run. They now have 10 days off.

The Rams' Ugly Win

The Rams had a tough start to the game. Matthew Stafford started with two of his first four passes nearly being picked, and he was 4-for-12 passing for 24 yards at halftime. But in the fourth quarter, he got hot. Puka Nacua gave the Rams some momentum with big plays. When the Rams needed to move the ball and control the clock, Kyren Williams stepped up. He ran the ball four straight times on two occasions and handled the ball on five consecutive plays. He also played well in pass protection. Williams finished with 108 yards on 28 carries, with none of them longer than 10 yards, but 10 of his carries went for five yards or more. Ethan Evans was also outstanding as the punter. Without Williams, the Rams' offense might have struggled even more.

The 49ers' Struggles

On Sunday, the 49ers played well against the Bears, especially in the first half. But four days later, with several injured players returning, they fell flat. The defense gave them a chance by keeping the Rams in check in the first half and not allowing them to score in the red zone. Dre Greenlaw and Nick Bosa's returns lifted the unit. However, Brock Purdy and the passing game struggled in the rain. He completed only 8 of his 21 passes for 80 yards, two sacks, and a pick after the first quarter. The overthrow interception in the end zone was a crucial moment, with the 49ers trailing by three points with just over five minutes left. The Rams milked the clock, and that was the end of the 49ers' playoff hopes. It was a frustrating end to an injury-marred season.

Deebo Samuel's Downturn

Some of the offensive struggles can be attributed to the wet fields, which affected both teams. But Deebo Samuel still couldn't find his rhythm. He voiced frustration about his role in the offense and there was an effort to get him the ball early, with four touches in the first 10 plays. But it didn't work out, with a third-down false start in the first half and a dropped pass in the third quarter. Samuel finished with three catches for 16 yards on seven targets and two runs for 3 yards. This is his fifth straight game with 35 scrimmage yards or fewer. Even with the weather, there is clearly something wrong with his performance. With Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk out, the 49ers need Samuel, especially at this point in the season when pride is on the line.

The Rams' Defense Shines

We can't forget about the Rams' defense, which only allowed the 49ers to cross midfield three times and scored a total of six points. Darious Williams made a crucial play in the game. He didn't fall for Jauan Jennings' double move, read Purdy's throw perfectly, and intercepted the deep ball in the end zone. The Rams then went on a game-sealing drive. After the late kickoff snafu, Christian Rozeboom sacked Brock Purdy to end the game. The Rams applied good pressure all night, preventing Purdy from getting comfortable in the pocket or making big downfield completions. Kobie Turner had two sacks and five pressures, and Byron Young made some big stops. Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon were excellent in coverage. The weather may have helped, but the Rams' defense stepped up.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Rams-49ers (via NFL Pro)

Puka Nacua caught seven of eight targets for 97 yards, going in motion on 48% of his snaps (24 times), the second-highest rate of his career. Nacua now has 443 scrimmage yards on plays in motion this season, the most in the NFL and the third most by any player since 2018.

NFL Research

The 49ers' six points were the second-fewest in the Kyle Shanahan era, trailing only the three points they scored against the Panthers in Week 1, 2017 - Shanahan's first game as head coach.