3 quick takeaways from the 49ers 21-20 loss to the Rams
The San Francisco 49ers finished the regular season with a record of 12-5 after losing 21-20 to the Los Angeles Rams in a close game that resembled an exhibition.
The 49ers outscored their opponents 21 points in the first half of play, but their reserves controlled the game in the last 30 minutes and kept the score blank.
With their best players, San Francisco had a strong defensive performance; however, a few errors allowed the Rams to sneak away with the win with 14 points in the second half.
These are the main conclusions from Sunday’s 49ers 21–20 loss to the Rams.
Well-being
The 49ers’ top priority heading into this weekend was their health, as I mentioned in the keys to the game earlier this week.
With the exception of an apparent minor injury to Clelin Ferrell, the 49ers emerged relatively unscathed.
Before Week 18, there was some uncertainty about how long the 49ers would play their starters; with the exception of Trent Williams, who played one series, most of them played for almost the whole first half.
Due to back spasms and tightness in the Achilles tendon, San Francisco benched tight end George Kittle and linebacker Dre Greenlaw as a precaution. Neither problem appears to be serious, though.
The 49ers will now have a full week off before resuming their playoff activities during the divisional round.
Samual Darnold
Fans will probably never forget Sam Darnold’s play in the closing moments of the game, as the quarterback mishandled the ball with the game in the balance at the end of the fourth quarter, much like he did when he threw an interception late in the game against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas.
Aside from that play, though, I thought Darnold played a really solid game—hitting receivers consistently, sensing pressure, and—most importantly—keeping the ball out of danger.
Despite San Francisco managing just 20 points from the 49ers in the first half because of a blown field goal and an extra point by kicker Jake Moody, Darnold looked exceptionally sharp with the starting lineup.
The 49ers were kept scoreless in the second half, so Darnold’s numbers didn’t really take off. However, the quarterback did make a few excellent throws, including two dropped deep passes to Chris Conley and Ray-Ray McCloud.
Although Darnold occasionally had trouble with his receivers holding onto passes, he played with confidence and made smart decisions when delivering the ball. The QB had an excellent performance in the game.
Running Backs
The 49ers’ backups that were visible on Sunday will not see many opportunities in the postseason, but running back will see a lot of action because Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell will occasionally be relied upon to replace Christian McCaffrey.
The lead backs for the Rams were Mason and Mitchell, who both had strong games. Mitchell ran for 52 yards on 14 carries, while Mason ran for 36 yards on six carries.
In addition to putting on a few spectacular plays, both players demonstrated that, even in the face of weaker opposition, they were capable of carrying the load.
Although McCaffrey is the foundation of San Francisco’s offensive success, his backups will be needed to step up when the star needs a break.
Since Mitchell and Mason have different skill sets and have thrived in this 49ers offense, it’s encouraging that they are both healthy for the final stretch.
