Team effort sparks Rams comeback win over 49ers

Against all odds in a hostile sea of red. Clearly it was one of the Rams' most satisfying regular season wins since the team returned to Los Angeles in 2016. And for a season home opener, it rivals Sean McVay's smashing debut victory as the Rams head coach in 2017. Sunday's unlikely 27-24 comeback thriller over the archrival 49ers at SoFi Stadium was significant on multiple levels.

"It took all phases. It really did," said quarterback Matthew Stafford, whose leadership was the catalyst that prompted the Rams to their first win of the season. "Some big kicks, a return, a couple of plays on offense. Our defense started getting off the field. That's what it takes and I was just proud of our guys."

The Niners quickly jumped to a 14-0 lead before 70,000+ fans in attendance, the majority dominating the numbers and noise factor wearing red jerseys... a now-common sight when the Rams host the 49ers. The Rams had never comeback from a 14+ point deficit during the McVay era. But a complete team effort spearheaded scores on the team's last four drives of the game that transformed the stadium into a resounding blue wave by the end.

McVay noted Stafford's contribution: "I thought he delivered the ball accurately all throughout the day. I don't know what his numbers were, but I thought he was outstanding today. He had crunch time production. He had great grit. Great leadership."

The victory gives the Rams (1-2) very welcome momentum going into Week 4's road game against the Chicago Bears (1-2) at Soldier Field, Sunday, 10 a.m. PT. It's obviously a critical game for both NFC teams as only 7% of teams starting the season with a 1-3 record since 1990 have qualified for the NFL Playoffs. The Rams have won the last three head-to-head games versus the Bears.

The Bears have lost their last two games and any momentum from winning their home opener in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Former USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has taken every snap for the Bears this season. They have been competitive in each game and enter Sunday's matchup with the Rams as a 3-point favorite.

Statistically, Williams has shown improvement with each game including attempting 52 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns in last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Bears solid defense along with the special teams rallied the team to a win from a 17-0 deficit in Week 1. Wide Receiver DJ Moore leads the team with 19 catches for 168 yards, joined by Rome Odunze (20 catches /156 yards/1 TD) and Cole Kmet (17 catches/128 yards/1 TD). D'Andre Swift is their leading rusher with 37 carries for 68 total yards, including six pass receptions for 46 yards.

There were standouts from all three phases in the Rams win over the Niners. It's an encouraging sign given the rash of injuries that have compromised the team's playing roster which reads like a who's who: wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, offensive guards Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson, offensive tackle Joe Noteboom, and safety John Johnson III.

Stepping up to the challenge reads like a who's that... but not anymore. Undrafted rookie Xavier Smith made a 38-yard scintillating punt return late in the fourth quarter to set up the 37-yard winning field goal by rookie kicker Josh Karty, who received a game ball for the clincher. 2nd-year punter Ethan Evans and long snapper Alex Ward were noted by McVay. So too were running backs Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers, wide receiver Tutu Atwell and tight end Colby Parkinson. The list goes on.

The offensive front line may have been the most impressive. "Beaux Limmer making his second start as a center as a rookie, Logan Bruss made his first start as a left guard," said McVay. "Getting Alaric Jackson back and having Rob Havenstein with his second start at the tackle position. Kevin Dotson's really been the only one that's been able to remain healthy of that group. I thought Colby did a nice job." All five players mentioned each lined up for 100% of the team's offensive downs.

The game started ominously for Los Angeles, very similar to the previous week's humbling loss in Arizona. Quarterback Brock Purdy and the Niners torched the Rams on the first two drives of the game with touchdown tosses to wide receiver Jauan Jennings. They also connected for a touchdown on the first drive of the second half for their second 14-point lead of the game.

49er head coach Kyle Shanahan lamented: "I think it was a frustrating game throughout it. I thought we had every chance to win that game... a number of times in the game we had opportunities to run away with it, especially early in the game, that 14-point lead. We hadn't really moved the ball on our 'D' and it started with that fake punt."

That fake punt was a key factor in the Rams abruptly changing the flow of the game with six minutes left in the first half. On 4th-and-six in punt formation from their own 43-yard line Rivers caught the Niners off-guard, taking a short snap off-center to rush seven yards for a first down to midfield. Nine plays later Stafford completed a 15-yard touchdown to Williams, who flipped into the end zone in entertaining fashion. Williams finished with two touchdown catches along with a 4-yard rushing touchdown that tied the game, 24-24, with less than two minutes remaining in the game. The 14-7 halftime deficit was a victory in itself given San Francisco's early dominance.

"You just have to appreciate the good moments, figure out why they happened. Why did we win this game? We played well in certain areas and have to continue to do that," said Stafford looking to capitalize on the historic comeback when very few gave his team a chance against their greatest rival. "The stuff that inevitably we'll need to fix and get better at... attack those things and have some fun next week."