RamView game blog: Rams 27, 49ers 6

The Rams can go over .500 today with a win over the 49ers. And not only are the 49ers off to a 2-5 start after getting gutted as an organization in the offseason, they're without leading rusher Carlos Hyde (foot) for this game and leading receiver Anquan Boldin (hamstring) is questionable. I mean, Boldin's 95 years old and slow anyway. The Rams may be able to cover him by dropping Aaron Donald back in coverage. The 49ers also lost another of their best defensive players, Antoine Bethea, for the season last week.  

Update: Boldin is inactive. No surprise inactives for the Rams, with get Lance Kendricks and Tre Mason back from last week's list.

Having said all that, have we been able to trust the Rams, who are favored by a whopping 8 1/2, with this kind of game in the past? If the tables were reversed, would we not be calling the Rams a dangerous wounded animal? Sure, the Rams "should" win, but as usual, I'm about as confident right now as a Jeb Bush supporter.

With so much of their power game missing, what the 49ers ought to be doing this week is letting it all hang out and play a wide-open, speed game. Go no-huddle to blunt the Ram pass rush. Stretch the field with their fast receivers (Smith, Ellington, Patton), take deep shots, open up the LOS for delay handoffs, draws and sweeps for Reggie Bush, and especially, get Colin Kaepernick on the move. To have any chance of salvaging this season, and probably Kaepernick's career, they absolutely have to reverse their 2015 form. They have to get him constantly on the move and let him run when it's there for the taking. Will the Rams be ready for such a bold change in approach? I say San Francisco's best chance to win today is with Kaepernick as their leading rusher.

Also, even if the 49ers do what they always do, what about the Rams offense this season, even with Todd Gurley exploding into rookie stud-dom, tells us this game should be a blowout? What's keeping the 49ers from putting 9 in the box every play? Not much.

The prediction: Unless the Rams get a pick-six or a scoop-and-score, the 49ers cover.

The biggest reason to worry this week: Today's referee? JEROME BOGER. The over/under on combined penalties today should be 24.5. On blown calls? Probably 9.5. Boger's as bad a referee as the NFL has ever had. The league gave three crews the week off who are all better, and it's B.S. he got stuck on this game instead of a crap game like Tennessee-Houston.

Fox announcers will be Dick Stockton and David Diehl. The first time Stockton says "St. LOUIE" today, I am driving to the Dome and personally whacking him upside the head.

FIRST QUARTER
Rams win the toss and defer. Greg Zuerlein bombs it 80 yards for a touchback. Play-action rollout and Vance McDonald is all alone in front of Trumaine Johnson on the sideline for 12. Um, we don't need ridiculous soft zones today, Gregg Williams. Another half-roll, and the Rams don't even bother covering Torrey Smith, for another 12. 49ers come out playing it smart by moving the pocket; Rams are completely obsessed with Kaepernick running. Quick screen to Bruce Ellington for 4. Read option inside handoff to Reggie Bush stuffed by William Hayes and Michael Brockers, who got superb penetration. Rams blitz on 3rd-6, and Eugene Sims burns the overrated Joe Staley to flush Kaepernick, but he escaped around the blitz and through Lamarcus Joyner for about 10. Kaepernick keeps the read option this time, but Rodney McLeod and Janoris Jenkins shut him down rapidly. Big hit by Jenkins. Rams at least look ready for read option, which I'm pretty sure the 49ers haven't been running much. Somebody named Mike Davis gets 5 off left guard with Mark Barron a step slow filling. 3rd-3. Jerome Boger and crew let Joyner get very physical with Quinton Patton on a drag route and he never gets to Kaepernick's incomplete throw. Even within 5 yards, that was probable DPI. Send in the pun... no, Phil Dawson is out to try from 54, and he nails it. Huh. 3-0 49ers

49ers have come out doing exactly what I said they should, moving the pocket and using no-huddle. If I can think of all that, it seems like Gregg Williams should have, too. Better defense on the rollouts, please.

No return for Benny Cunningham; start the Rams at the 20. Todd Gurley left for 5 behind Greg Robinson, a strong block by Garrett Reynolds and a tough block downfield by Stedman Bailey. The Rams are in no-huddle now, too. Gurley runs smack into Ian Williams, who shed Jamon Brown. 3rd-4. KENNY BRITT DROPS A BOMB THAT WAS RIGHT IN HIS HANDS. One of the refs threw a flag, then the whole crew uses 2 minutes to tell us there was no penalty. Typical Rams start on offense. Perfect 54-yard punt by Johnny Hekker to pin the returner on the sideline.

49ers at their 21. Somebody called Kendall Gaskins loses two after Aaron Donald nearly blows up the handoff. This was I formation, and Donald got to the play quicker than the up back, Bruce Miller, could get to him. Gaskins tripped over Miller diving trying to get any piece of Donald. Bubble screen to M. Davis gets about 10 back, though. He got behind Ethan Westbrooks. 3rd-1? Davis NEVER got that far up the field. Should be 3rd-2. Nick Fairley wins inside, and Donald hits Staley with a spin move to DRILL Kaepnerick after the throw, which is incomplete and a mile over Bush's head. Flag flew at the snap, but all the Rams were onside for a change... give Boger a minute... illegal formation, SF. Punt time. Beautiful bomb Tavon Austin can only fair catch on the sideline at the 18.

Gurley left for 2; Quentin Dial beat a Reynolds-Tim Barnes double team. Nick Foles hard-counts Ahmad Brooks offside. They tried a free-play bomb to Britt again but it was broken up. 2nd-3. Fake jet sweep left and arrow route right to Lance Kendricks for 4. Draw to Gurley gets nothing after Jamon Brown badly loses a hand fight with the great Glenn Dorsey. Shallow drag to Bradley Marquez (?) (!) gets about 4. 3rd-5, DROP, STEDMAN BAILEY, hearing Eric Reid's footsteps on a crossing route. MY GOD the Rams have GOT to get some receivers next year. Between the draft and free agency I'd say they need to acquire about FIVE. Hekker hits a 53-yard punt; Bush runs backwards about ten yards, sweeps and gets most of it back, then slips on the concrete way behind his bench and stays down. The Turf Monster, er, Cement Monster, has made a couple of nasty plays the past couple of weeks.

Flag on the return leads to another seminar for Boger and crew, and Boger appears halfway to cracking up while announcing THREE 49er penalties: two blocks in the back and a bench foul for an "assistant coach" coming off the sidelines, apparently to get into a post-play scrum. Shouldn't that coach be ejected? Also, the crew voted for pepperoni pizza after the game.

That wasn't a coach; it was ANQUAN BOLDIN! Eject his ass! Not done.

49ers at their 3 after two half-the-distances. TruJo gets Davis' feet on a run blitz, and Mark Barron finishes it off at the 2. Barron and McLeod blitz over LT on 2nd down and Davis barely gets out of the end zone. Brockers was there to blow it up, too. 3rd-12 at the 1 - SAFETY. It's an idiotic, slow-developing handoff, and James Laurinaitis shot the A gap, and Brockers trucked lightweight center Marcus Martin, to drop Davis in the end zone. What a numb-nut call by the 49ers.

And on the two-run homer by Matt Holliday, it's now a 3-2 ballgame. 49ers 3, Rams 2

It's pretty much been the 1st quarter we've expected, hasn't it? Pretty short free kick, returned 6 by Austin to the STL38. Gurley gets a couple left; the DE shed Robinson. The Ram o-line has left a d-lineman free for a tackle every run so far. Pass pro has been fine, though; Foles gets plenty of time for Austin to beat soft zone on a square out for 10.

And, WHAT THE HELL? Off play-action, Austin's wide open at the 25 for a crossfield throw, and then appears to just throw the ball away for a fumble. OK, Jaquiski Tartt punched it loose when he tried to put it away. Austin kicked it, then lost it again trying to pick it up. Had his eye on an oncoming 49er instead of the loose ball. Just what the Rams freaking needed, a turnover. Wasted a great throw by Foles. Oh, and PENALTY #1 on Tim Barnes for a late hit. GOD I AM SICK OF THIS OFFENSE.


Also, what the hell kind of name is "Jaquiski" and why the unholy **** would I ever pronounce it "Jaquoski"? Shouldn't mom and dad have spelled it "Jaquoski" if it's going to be pronounced that way? Oh, no, OK, my name is "Mike", but you should pronounce it "Edgar".

49ers take over at the Ram 47 after a lengthy review. The right guard flinches to make it 1st-15. Smoke route to Ellington is wild with a heavy blitz coming. Fisher challenges the play, saying the pass was backward. Looked forward to me. Just what we need, another Boger delay.

The pass was OBVIOUSLY forward, which you'd think the coach who pulled off The Music City Miracle would know. Timeout and challenge wasted! What would they have gotten from it any way? A yard? Idiotic move by Fisher.

NICE pass breakup downfield by Ayers to save a big gainer to Jerome Simpson (what, he's out of jail?). Nearly a pick. 3rd-15, Williams idiotically blitzes Barron and Joyner, but Quinn hits Kaepernick on the throw, it's short and Simpson can't make a shoestring catch. Nearly muffed it right to TruJo, in fact. Simpson is begging for DPI but doesn't get it. I'd argue that TruJo had a right to the ball. Austin gambles right on the punt, which barely rolls into the end zone, and the 49ers HELD TWICE on the play; start the Rams at their 30. Will they make it to the 35?

Play-action bomb for Austin knocked away by Reid. Reid gets away with DPI, grabbing Austin and not turning at all for the ball. This crew ain't calling anything today. Gurley left for 4, again behind Reynolds and Barnes. 3rd-6, blitzing LB beats Rod Havenstein with an inside move and Foles well overthrows Jared Cook on an out route. ANOTHER 3-AND-OUT FOR THE RAMS. And, no, they did NOT make it to the 35.

49ers at their 11 after another great Hekker punt in the 53-54 yard range. Fairley turns Alex Boone into his personal bitc... um, blocking sled and Davis runs smack into Boone for a 3-yard loss. Field vision! 49ers can't set up the screen on 2nd down with Donald getting a free run at Kaepernick. 3rd-13 at the 8, Kaepernick gets 6 on a draw. The 49ers let the clock run out so they can punt with the wind in the 2nd.

I should add somewhere that Bush had to be carted to the locker room after that slip on the concrete earlier. Knee injury, return questionable.

SECOND QUARTER
Austin lets the short and low punt bounce down to the Ram 34. Will they make the 35?  Tre Mason lucky to get 1 with the Ram left side getting shoved backward. The Rams then lose 5 PENALTY #2 for having too many in the huddle. Jesus H. Christ. Austin gets it all back on a bubble screen, but PENALTY #3 it comes back for a "block in the back" on Barnes THAT WAS NO SUCH THING. Barnes shoved Bowman ON THE ARM right as he dove trying to tackle Austin. Classic incompetent refereeing. I'll throw a flag because something looks wrong. 2nd-24 now even though Fox says it is 2nd-14. Screen to Mason for 6. Foles overthrows Bailey, who was double-teamed and at least 5 yards short of the first down anyway. The Ram offense is absolute garbage YET AGAIN. Two Rams whiff on Ellington on the return and let him out to the 32.

Sims stays with Kaepernick on a rollout and appears to tip a pass that Patton catches for no gain. Kaepernick rolls right on 2nd down and fires a FAST ball that Smith can't come up with at all. No biggie, PENALTY #4 holding on Joyner. Jesus. H. Christ. Kaepernick gets Vernon Davis isolated on Barron outside, but Barron breaks up the deep throw with his helmet. And Barron again, burying Davis for a loss, sneaking behind the lead block for a nifty play. How is it 3rd-and-10? Davis clearly lost at least a yard. OK, that was Fox's fault, not Boger's. 3rd-11, PENALTY #5 Donald reacts to Martin's head bob and gives S.F. a free 5. Here comes the blitz on 3rd-and-6; Simpson beats TruJo deep, TruJo gets away with contact downfield and Simpson lets the ball into his body and incomplete. The punt looks like a shank and is downed around the Ram 29.

Will the Rams cross the 30? OH HELL YES THEY WILL. Todd Gurley cuts inside Rod Havenstein's block and a sweet pull block by Reynolds AND HITS THE JETS for a 71-yard TD. Gurley took off so fast, the safety, probably Tartt, ended up with such a bad angle, all he could do was fall down, and Gurley outran Reid for 45 yards; no contest. And, miraculously, no flags.

I wouldn't, but the Rams go for two, and it works, on a nice play by Foles and Cook. Foles rolls right, Gurley goes out that way, Foles hangs with the play forever, and hits Cook, WHO MAKES A NICE HANDS CATCH, in a crowd for the conversion. Rams 10, 49ers 3. 

And 10 looks like a lot of points today, just sayin'. 

Here's Mark Barron AGAIN, stopping Ellington at the 16 on about a 20-yard return. Holding on the return sends the 49ers back to their 8. They must be in double-digit penalties already. Kaepernick throws the 1st-down pass right into Ayers' body for a batdown. On 2nd down, William Hayes doesn't buy the play-fake for a second (and why? the 49ers haven't run at all), blowing up the naked bootleg attempt, and Brockers beats Erik Pears for the Rams' first sack. Brockers is definitely having his best season to date. 3rd-13. Barron defends a quick flare to Vernon Davis for a couple; send in the punter. It's another poor one that bounces backwards. SF only downs it at their 44, even with an illegal man downfield for penalty #ONE MILLION this half.

Rams at the SF39. Ohh, Gurley missed a big lane to his right and went left for 3. A rare miss by Todd there. Nobody covers him on a swing pass on 2nd down, though, and he brushes off a tackler and goes up the sideline for 15. Rams go no-huddle, but Tartt limits a near-repeat of the last play for no gain. Mason goes left for maybe 1 as Cook and Reynolds can't budge anyone on their side. On 3rd-9, Foles breaks the pocket and unwisely tries to force a pass to Britt in the back of the end zone, defended well and nearly intercepted by Tramaine Brock. Greg Zuerlein hits from 38 with the Rams losing all offensive credibility with Gurley getting rested. Rams 13-3

49ers at their 20, 6:52 till halftime. Draw to Davis, who makes a wrong move inside and gets only 2. Boone gets away with ridiculous movement pre-snap but Fairley, having his best game of the season, beats his man and thumps Davis down for maybe 1. Arguably not a blitz down, but Williams brings the house and Kaepernick beats it with a classic slant to V. Davis for 11. And now a 4-man rush gives Kaepernick way too much time to throw, and Patton beats the deep zone with a 32-yard sliding catch between 3 Rams. Put them at the STL34. M. Davis spins out of a Barron tackle for 3. The TE rollout pass that has never worked in Rams history gets 8 for V.Davis after a miss by Jenkins. The next play is an idiot clown show; Barron makes a nice play to tip a ball but then McLeod, TruJo and Laurinaitis all blow the INT by all going for it and knocking each other out of the play. McLeod idiotically is behind TruJo and still tries to make the pick by going through him. What are you thinking? TruJo leaves with what appears to be a hand injury. Swing pass to M.Davis is held to 1 by a nice play by Barron, but Ayers thumps him helmet-to-helmet out of bounds. PENALTY #6 A proper call, I think, though the home crowd doesn't. Ayers' stupid move makes it 1st-and-goal at the 9. Kaepernick rolls left, and V.Davis looks wide open in the flat, but Maurice Alexander closes rapidly to shut him down at the 8. It is ludicrously spotted at the 6 though Davis was never within two yards of that. Similar play to the other side is shut down by the same guy, Alexander, at the 8 again, though I suppose it'll be spotted at the 1. Good job, Mo. 3rd-goal at the 7 at the 2:00 warning. Miller gets open for a likely TD on a circle route but DROPS the pass. Not like him to hear footsteps, but TruJo was on the way. Dawson chips on another 3 that could have been much worse. Rams 13-6 

Rams at their 20, 1:53 till the half, 2 TOs left. Brooks nearly blows up an end-around to Austin off play-action left to Gurley, but Austin outran him for 6. Brock gets a VERY ticky-tack foul for barely shoving Austin out of bounds, putting them at the 41. ANOTHER handoff, up the middle to Gurley, for 4. ARE THEY HUDDLING in 2:00 offense? ANOTHER handoff, Gurley up the middle for 5 behind Brown's pull block. Penalty #ONE BILLION - Boger is literally hoarse from calling all these penalties - on SF puts the Rams at the 45. ANOTHER HANDOFF TO GURLEY for no gain. And PENALTY #7 on Robinson for holding. The only winner so far in this game is Jerome Boger. 1st-20 at the STL45 as the worst 2:00 drive in NFL history stumbles on. 8 to Cook, exploiting very soft zone. 0:44 left, Acker runs Austin's deep route better than he does and breaks the pass up. PENALTY #8 ON THE RAMS for illegal formation. Jesus. H. CHRIST! 2nd-17 at the STL48. Cook gets a completely clean release, Foles hits him at the 25, and Cook miraculously makes the routine catch, splits two tackles, miraculously does not fumble and gets all the way down to the 3. 49-yard play! Rams call timeout with 0:28 to go. Benny Cunningham helped make that play with one of several nice blitz pickups today. 49ers have to take an injury timeout for Kenneth Acker, one of the DBs who collided with each other and missed Cook. Rams go double-TE right and screen to Gurley, but Brooks, as good an edge setter as there is in the league, shuts him down for a 3-yard loss. Diehl tries to call Gurley for a facemask on his stiffarm, which would have been a terrible wrong call; Boger does call Brooks for horse-collaring Gurley. 1st-goal outside the 2. Jet sweep right for Austin, who races around Brooks and DIVES for the pylon for a TD!!! The worst 2:00 drive in NFL history ends with a Rams TD. Rams 20, 49ers 6

T.J. McDonald absolutely CLOBBERS Ellington at the 22 on the return as the 49ers end the half in defeat formation.


HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS
The 49er offense made me sweat a little early, but the Rams don't need to change much on defense. They have shut down the running game and can jump on just about any attempts to get Kaepernick on the move as a result. I honestly do not see the 49ers making any kind of comeback given what's left around Kaepernick right now.   

The Ram passing game continues to be absolute shit, but with a nice lead, no need to get crazy taking chances. The play-action game should be there, though, and should keep the Rams from 1-2-3-kicking like the cheerleaders in the 2nd half.

This thing should be over, given no stupid turnovers or bad plays by the Rams on special teams. And they start the 2nd half with the ball.

THIRD QUARTER
Man, I hope Jerome Boger got intravenous fluids and maybe gargled with salt water at halftime. He's had quite the game so far. He has not been his usual terrible, but sure as hell has kept busy.

The kickoff takes a high bounce at the 5 and Benny can only get it to the 17. Gurley cuts back for 8 on a wrap right behind Robinson/Reynolds/Barnes, then gets the 1st down with 3 off right tackle. That puts him over 100 for the FOURTH straight week. Gurley left for 3. Hey, let's not wear him out. Foles gets forever off play-action but flings it way out of bounds over an open Austin's head. Niners blitz on 3rd-and-7 and Austin can't stay in bounds on an out route. 0-FOR-7 on third down today. Another great punt by Hekker, 55 with no return to pin SF at their 17.

Today's stars: Gurley, Hekker, the Rams D and Boger. EIGHTEEN accepted penalties in the 1st half. Big rush by Barron and Jenkins hits Patton to break up a 1-yard flare route. Hayes does not buy play-action at all (why should he?) and his big rush leads to a similar play, with Laurinaitis blowing up V.Davis for no gain. Kaepernick hits Simpson at the marker on 3rd down, though I doubt the ball was ever across the marker. Boger's letting Fisher challenge, so it's not a forward-progress thing. Well, this game needed another lengthy officiating delay anyway. Does a Boger game ever end in under 4 hours? Good challenge by Fisher here. Boger calls Simpson short, and though he announces "2nd-and-1", the 49ers send in the punt team. 

PENALTY #9, illegal block by Cameron Lynch on the punt, pins the Rams at their 8. Gurley right for 2. Out of pistol formation, Austin BURSTS up the middle for 13 off a pad-cracker of a block by Lance Kendricks. A decent recapper would have mentioned the Rams have used a lot of pistol today by now. Gurley breaks a tackle and pumps out 7, with good work by both blocking TEs. Gurley cuts back left out of trouble in the backfield and wriggles out another 7. Quick out for 5. No, literally, to Brian Quick. Gurley loses it back, though, unable to sweep left with Aaron Lynch manhandling Kendricks at the edge. Very quiet game for Lynch, btw. Foles bails out of the pocket on 3rd-9 WELL before he had to, scrambles right and chucks the ball into the stands. There may have been nothing open, but Foles easily could have hung in better than that.

The Ram offense continues to go exactly as far as Gurley takes them and not a yard farther. Co-team MVP Hekker, though, gets the roll down to the 2 with a 61-yard kick, almost blown but downed by Cody Davis. Mike Davis is out with a hand injury and the 49ers are down to Gaskins. Robert Quinn (also quiet today) stops for 1; McDonald then holds him to 2. Quinn bats down the 3rd down pass. Fine play, but unfortunately, Jenkins had that route totally jumped for a pick-six. Excellent 3-and-out by the D anyway.

Austin loses six like a jackass on a punt he caught near midfield. Rams at their 44. Play-action rollout TE pass sort of works; amazing 1-handed catch by Kendricks for 3. He can make that catch but couldn't catch that long TD against Pittsburgh, huh? Mason off left tackle to midfield, leaving 3rd-4. The 3rd-4 play looks terrible. Benny tries to sweep right (STUPID CALL), but Brooks as usual has that pinched off and a 49er lunges through and pops the ball out of Benny's hands. Brooks scoops and scores with it, but blatantly facemasks Benny, which allows him to get to the ball. The flag flew and should save Benny's ass here. Well, we wouldn't have drama without Boger calling another staff meeting. The United Nations doesn't have as many meetings, or flags, as this crew. They get the call exactly right, though; instead of a 49ers TD, it's 1st down Rams at the SF35. Epically stupid call by Frank Cignetti there. We get another long wait because every member of the 49er organization wants, and gets, an audience with Boger. Just call Mike Pereira next time; he's got it right. Mason runs left through NaVorro Bowman for 7, then cuts back inside off another fake Austin end-around for a 1st down at the 25. Cook and Robinson completely fail to block Eli Harold and Mason gets pinned for -3. Mason left for 5, down to the 23, with Jamon Brown starting to punish some 49ers now. ANOTHER THIRD DOWN SWEEP ATTEMPT, shut off nicely by Brock, sends Zuerlein in. His 40-yard attempt is, of course, blocked. Three 49ers got through, and the last one, Dial, ran through Havenstein to get a hand on it. Well, at least the Rams burned up 5 minutes with their generally worthless offense.

Niners at their 30. Barron blitzes, is ridiculously held by Miller with no flag, and still forces Kaepernick up into trouble. He tries to bounce outside but Quinn and Laurinaitis get him for sack #2. Hustle play by Quinn, who Staley drove well behind the pocket for starters. But TruJo's at least 10 yards off Simpson the next play and gives up 15 on a slant. I expect we'll see a lot of soft zone the rest of the way. Kaepernick wants Simpson deep down the Ram sideline, but Jenkins has him blanketed. The Rams are 15 minutes away from going over .500.

FOURTH QUARTER
Kaepernick dodges Hayes and scrambles for 5 to the SF46. Nothing open on 3rd-5, and Quinn coming on a stunt, Kaepernick fires a sideline pass into the ground. Austin fair catches the punt at the 10; Jenkins commits PENALTY #9 a facemask to send them back to the 5. Gurley runs twice for 7 and gets stuffed on 3rd down, I believe making the Rams 0 FOR NINE on 3rd down today. How the hell are they winning this game?

57-yard bomb by Hekker and ANOTHER 49er special teams penalty start them at their 20. This may not be the worst game a Ram opponent has ever played in St. Louis (Oakland, last year), but the 49ers are getting close. PENALTY #10 Kaepernick long-counts Brockers offsides. Ayers holds Gaskins to 2, then Donald slips Boone and charges Kaepernick into a wild throwaway. Bubble screen to Simpson gets 10 as Jenkins is blocked out on the edge. Ethan Westbrooks gets sack #3 after Donald beats Pears late to make Kaepernick step up. 2nd-13. Shovel pass to Gaskins would have beaten the blitz but he dropped it. Hayes flushes Kaepernick on 3rd down, and he fires too high and too hard for Smith a couple of yards short.

This whole game is setting offensive football back at least 50 years. Both punters are about to be sidelined with repetitive stress injuries. From the 27, Mason up the middle for a tough 4. 10 minutes to go. Mason off right tackle for another 3.

The Rams finally convert a third-down, and then some, with a 66-yard TD from Foles to Austin. No, not a bomb, but a bubble screen that is dead-perfectly blocked. First off, play-action has the whole d-line thinking run and most of the o-line gets free runs to get ahead of the play. Whoever #18 is - is that Ken Brett again? - blocks both DBs on the edge to get Austin running room. Robinson gets out nicely and has no one to block. Barnes pancakes the first DB Britt blocked. Havenstein's ten yards downfield blocking two guys out of the play. Austin sprints through that and slips Tartt at midfield to run away for the TD! Stick a fork in the Niners. Rams 27-6.

I'm in garbage mode from here unless something really notable happens. The Rams get another 3-and-out with Quinn chasing Kaepernick out of bounds on 2nd down and Joyner holds Ellington short on a 3rd-down short hitch. Hilariously, right after I talk about the punters having repetitive stress injuries, Dawson in fact comes in to replace 49er punter Bradley Pinion and hits a pretty nice one. PENALTY #11 holding on Bailey on the return puts the Rams on their 15 with 6:30 to go. Dawson has possibly been the 49ers' best player today!

Robinson gets beaten by Eli Harold to get Mason stuffed on 2nd down, and a 3rd down inside handoff is nowhere close. 1-2-3-kick!

50-yard punt by Hekker is returned 27 across midfield by Ellington, with a block in the back not called at the outset and McQuaide missing a diving tackle. Short passes get them down to the STL24. On 3rd-2, Jenkins breaks up a quick slant to Simpson; on 4th down, he does it again. Perfect defense and Rams ball with 3:03 left. The Ram defense is going to go two straight weeks without allowing a TD.

Mason follows Kendricks up the middle for 9. Fox then throws up a graphic saying this is the Rams' first game with two 60+ yard TDs since 1961. What the? It takes me about 5  seconds to verify Torry Holt's game at Atlanta in 2000 where he had 80- and 85-yard TD receptions. Nice work, Fox. Diehl even questions the stat. You're right, David. 2:00 warning, the only drama left is to see if Fox corrects that brutally wrong "fact"oid.

My favorite two minutes in sports, the Rams in Victory Formation. Fox does not correct the TD stat from earlier. 4-3 marks the Rams' best record after 7 games since 2006. They're going to need a lot better offensive effort in Minnesota next week, but give them credit for getting this far in good shape and winning two straight games they were supposed to win.

Final score: Rams 27, 49ers 6

-$-