Santa Clara, Calif. — Four days after the highest-scoring game of the NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams pulled off the lowest-scoring game of the year, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 12-6 on Thursday night. It was a crucial win in the NFC West race, and it came without a single touchdown.
Joshua Karty made four field goals to lead the Rams to victory, surviving a tough defensive battle after last week’s thrilling 44-42 shootout against Buffalo. “What’s really cool is this team has found a bunch of different ways to be able to win football games,” said Rams head coach Sean McVay. “You come off a 44-42 game the other day and then you win 12-6. Our group did what they needed to do to get it done.”
The Rams (8-6) extended their strong run, winning seven of their last nine games after starting the season 1-4. They moved within half a game of the division-leading Seattle Seahawks. This victory marked the first time since 2016 that the Rams won a game without scoring a touchdown.
The 49ers (5-8) held a 6-3 lead going into the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on, dealing a serious blow to their playoff hopes. This loss was particularly painful for the Niners, as it marked the fourth time this season they’ve lost to a division rival after leading by at least three points in the fourth quarter. They became the first team since the 2000 New England Patriots under Bill Belichick to suffer such a fate.
Communications
“It was the story of the year,” said 49ers linebacker Fred Warner. “Just not doing enough to win games. Not playing complementary. Just coming out a little too short.”
Karty tied the game with a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, completing a 17-play drive. He then put the Rams ahead with a 27-yard field goal following a 51-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua. Karty, who had missed four field goals in his last five games, made all four kicks in this game.
“He’s steady,” McVay said of Karty. “He’s consistent. He’s kind of unflappable.”
The 49ers had a chance to respond but came up short when Brock Purdy’s deep pass into the end zone was intercepted by Darious Williams. That turnover allowed the Rams to run down the clock, and Karty sealed the victory with his fourth field goal of the night, a 40-yarder with 18 seconds left. Stafford finished 16-for-27 for 160 yards, with 137 yards coming after halftime when the heavy rain subsided.
“In the second half, the weather was good enough to do it all,” Stafford said. “We had the feeling that’s how the game would go. We scored 44 four nights ago and come out here and score 12, but they both count for one.”
Purdy completed 14 of 31 passes for 142 yards, as the 49ers failed to score a touchdown for the first time since 2019.
The game began in a torrential downpour, which stifled both offenses. The Rams failed to gain a first down on their first four drives for the first time since 2013, while the 49ers had three straight three-and-outs and managed just one field goal. The teams combined for 11 punts, nine first downs, and 197 yards of total offense in the first half.
Though the rain eased after halftime, both teams continued to struggle offensively.
Up Next:
- Rams: Visit the New York Jets on December 22.
- 49ers: Visit the Miami Dolphins on December 22.
