Jones, McCaffrey Help The 49ers Past The Rams On TNF

By Peter Mann

A masterclass from running back Christian McCaffrey, backed up by a sublime performance from rookie quarterback, Michael ‘Mac’ Jones, featured in the San Francisco 49ers’ 26-23 overtime win at home to Los Angeles Rams in the Thursday Night ball game.

This week’s Deep Dive goes into that NFC West match-up which sees both HCs, Kyle Shanahan (49ers) and Sean McVay (Rams) having been at their respective franchises for the past nine seasons.

They’ve now met over 150-times, the first of which came around this time back in 1950, on 1 October, a game in which the Rams won 35-14; this win put the record at, in favour of the Niners, 79-71-3.

By the time this contest had kick-started it’s second quarter the hosting Niners were fourteen points to the good, and come the half that lead was at 17-7 as Jones hit pretty much anything that moved.

An eight-play drive in the opening five minutes was finished with Jones connecting with TE Jake Tonges down the middle, a move that finished off some beautiful buildup which included both McCaffrey and one of their wide receivers in Kendrick Bourne.

The advantage was doubled early in the second quarter after an extensive buildup finished with Jones connecting with his future Hall of Famer, McCaffrey, the Niners MVP RB seeing this game putting him into esteemed company having now registered 11,522yds scrimmage, and 84TDs in his career.

That success sees him join an elite consisting of the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers/New York Jets), Emmitt Smith (Dallas Cowboys/Arizona Cardinals) and Jim Brown (Cleveland Bowns), to name a few, the latter posting 12,523yds and 103TDs; the 29yr old McCaffrey having, so far, enjoyed a nine-season career of his own, joining the Red and Gold midway through the 2022 season and has set records both NFL, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers during that time.

Back to the game at hand though and the Rams got themselves on the scoreboard in the closing minutes of the first half, quarterback Mike Stafford, himself a 17yr veteran of the game and whose backup is former 49ers QB, Jimmy Garoppolo, connected with RB Kyren Williams following an eight-play, 86yds drive.

The Niners extended their half-time advantage to ten points though when kicker Eddy Pineiro slipped in a 37yd FG attempt.

The Rams’ Joshua Karty misses with a FG attempt of his own at the start of the second half whilst Pineiro didn’t six minutes later, notching a 20yd FG of his won to put the home advantage at thirteen.

The visitors weren’t to be pushed aside though, they finishing the third quarter the strongest as Stafford connected with Puka Nacua on the right, from close range after a seven-play drive over 69yds.

They could even have moved in-front but for an incomplete pass on the fringes of the end zone with a little over ten minutes remaining, before a back-and-forth finale saw the game tied up a couple of times.

Stafford connected with Williams from eight yards shortly after the incomplete to tie the game at 20, before Pineiro kicked the 49ers ahead again, this time from fully 59yds out, before Niners defensive lineman, Alfred Collins, denied a game-winning score in the closing stages, he dislodging the football from Williams’ despairing dive for the end zone.

Karty did send the contest to OT with a 48yd FG attempt with a matter of seconds left on the game-clock, but it would be the Niners and the home SoFi Stadium support that were celebrating when Pineiro’s 41yd FG attempt clipped the left upright for the score.

With the play passing to the Rams, and they going for what would have been a game-winning score, Safety Marques Sigle produced the game-winning save which saw the Niners get the win to move their season start to 4-1, and lead the division heading into the weekend’s games.

The Rams, they slipped to a 3-2 record and sit third in the division, sandwiched between Seattle Seahawks (3-1) and Arizona Cardinals (2-2), pre-weekend.

Statistically, the 49ers would see the following registered for Mac Jones 33/49, 342yds, 2TDs(rec); Christian McCaffrey 82yds, 1TD (rec), Jake Tonges 41yds, 1TD (rec); Eddy Pineiro 4/4FGs, 59lng, 2/2PATs.

Replying for the Rams then Mike Stafford 30/47, 389yds, 3TDs (pass); Kyren Williams 66yds, 2TDs (rec), Puka Nacua 85yds, 1TD (rec); Joshua Karty 1/2FGs, 48lng, 2/3PATs/

Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers will look to go 5-1 in their next outing, away to Tampa Bay Buccaneers next weekend (12 October), whilst Sean McVay’s Rams will look to kick-start their season, again, when they travel to Baltimore Ravens on the same day.

PETER MANN

NFL ANALYST

PETER IS A LIFELONG SPORTS FAN, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR BASED IN COUNTY DURHAM. HE HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL AND THE RAIDERS SINCE THE 1980s, AND LOVES BOTH SPORTS AND FAMILY HISTORY. PETER HAS A DEGREE IN SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY, AND CAN BE FOUND ON TWITTER @petermannwriter

 
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