Credit: Photo by Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

At the end of the San Francisco 49ers 13-16 defeat in overtime to the St. Louis Rams, the Niners were stunned they had let this one get away from them.  In a game that had all the markings of an instant classic between the two rivals the contest again ended in overtime, but this time with a clear winner.  The Rams were able to score ten points in the final three minutes to force the game into the extra quarter.  With the game 26 seconds away from ending for the second straight time in a tie between the teams, Rams rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein kicked a 54-yard game winning field goal.

There are many reasons for the 49ers loss to the Rams and they all involved each aspect of the game.  On offense, the Niners could not hold onto a lead and made costly mistakes.  The defense did its job must of the game, but it could not keep the Rams offense on their side of the field late in the fourth quarter and overtime.  The Rams made the Niners D pay the price with two field goals over 50-yards that forced overtime and later won the game for St. Louis.  On special teams, kicker David Akers put San Francisco up 13-10 late in the fourth quarter, only to miss a game winning 51-yard field goal in overtime.  Then there is Jim Harbaugh calling for a read-option play on third down, late in the fourth quarter and deep in Rams territory.

The faithful call led to a fumble, the Rams only touchdown of the game and the Niners third loss of the season could be the difference in playoff seeding and home field advantage.  Until then, the 49ers will lick their wounds and limp back to San Francisco to square off against the Dolphins on Sunday.

Game Gold Nugget Awards

Scale

= OUTSTANDING

= VERY GOOD

= GOOD

= AVERAGE

= HORRIBLE

OFFENSE

After Colin Kaepernick marched the Niners down the field on an 11-play, 60-yard touchdown drive on their second possession of the game, the offense would only score six points the rest of the game.  The next six offensive drives for the Niners gained 35 yards and only four first downs.  Frank Gore ran in the touchdown on the drive and gained 34 yards on his first three runs.  However, he finished the game with only 24 yards on his final 20 carries.

Kaepernick was equally handicapped by the Rams defense with three sacks and two pass completions of 20 or more yards.  One of his costly mistakes was a third-quarter safety that put the Rams on the board for the first time of the game.  Late in the fourth, with the Niners up 10-2, Kaepernick fumbled on 3^rd-and-3 read option play at San Francisco’s 17.  The fumble was picked up by Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins and ran into the end zone for a touchdown.

Regardless of whether or not the play should have been called with the Niners so deep in their own territory, Kaepernick should have executed the pitch to Ted Ginn Jr.  It would have been even better had Kaepernick simply held onto the football and ran it for little or no gain.  Instead, he tried to make a play to convert on third down and this might have been where his inexperience was a problem.  A more experienced QB would have recognized the Rams blitz and held onto the football.  The Niners defense was playing really well up until that point, so they likely would have held onto the lead.  Kaepernick did, however, answer back with a 50-yard run that set up a go-ahead 33-yard field goal.  But in overtime, the Niners offense did not score.

You have to give credit to the Rams defense as they caused the Niners offense off balanced by disrupting the timing of their plays.  On most plays it looked as if they knew what was coming based on the schemes and formations the Niners were running.

DEFENSE

The Niners D held the Rams to just 293 total yards and three points in regulation.  The Rams offense had to punt on their first five drives and running back Stephen Jackson was held to an average of 2.3 yards on 21 rushing attempts.  Despite the solid play by San Francisco’s defense, they allowed QB Sam Bradford and his offense to answer back after the Niners went up 13-10 late in the fourth quarter.  On the drive, Bradford had runs of 14 and 11 yards that help set up a 53-yard field goal by Zuerlein, sending the game into overtime.

In the first half, the defense limited St. Louis to just 85 yards and four first downs.  However, in the second half the D looked tired and did not have the same punch as the previous half.  After recording 13.5 sacks over the past three games, the defense were only able to bring Bradford down two times in the loss.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The positive: Andy lee landed six punts inside the 20-yard line and had a net average of 45.0.  The negative: Despite making a 33-yard field giving the Niners the lead with a 1:34 left in regulation, he missed his second overtime field goal against the Rams that could have won the game.  Akers missed a 51-yard field goal with the kick drifting right with 4:16 left in overtime.  Akers missed a 41-yard field goal in the 24-24 tie against the Rams.

Akers was Mr. Automatic last season, but this year he has missed 3 of his past 7 field goals from 40 to 49 yards and missed 1 of 5 field goals of 50 or more yards.  He has been dealing with a pelvis injury which might explain his lack of coming up clutch twice against the Rams.  Still, if he is too hurt to be effective the Niners need to bring in another kicker.

Akers on the missed field goal,

It’s a game of inches, and I probably missed it by 3 or 4 inches to the right. Just feel horrible for letting my teammates, organization and fans down. I thought I hit it great.

COACHING

Calling a read option pitch was not a wise decision by Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, especially being at their own 17-yard line.  Harbaugh was outcoached by Jeff Fisher as the Rams defense seemed to know what was coming on plays which threw the offense out of rhythm. Fisher and the Rams figured out how to stop San Francisco’s various formations, schemes and shifts.  With two games left against division opponents they have previously played, a readjustment on offense might be needed.  Even worse, the Niners committed 11 penalties for 97 yards.

Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Its official, Colin Kaepernick is going to start at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.  At a press conference after practice on Wednesday, Jim Harbaugh announced Kaepernick would be under center saying,

The rationale is that we have two quarterbacks that we feel great about as the starting quarterback, both have earned it, both deserve it. Alex over of a long period of time, Colin by virtue of the last few games. We believe Colin has the hot hand and we’ll go with Colin.

Harbaugh’s declaration of Kaepernick being the starter for Sunday is something most Niners fans already expected after the way he played against the Bears and Saints.  But Kaepernick is starting just for this weekend’s game, so we will go through all of this again next week.  It’s a great problem for the 49ers to have, two quarterbacks who are playing hot and are capable starters, especially because of the amount of concussions suffered by QB’s in recent seasons.  Harbaugh should really just name a starter moving forward so the team and fans don’t have to go through this every week.

Since the week before the Bears game, when Harbaugh was contemplating starting Alex Smith or Kaepernick, I believe he already knew Kap would be his starter.  Not just for that game, but for the rest of the season.  Harbaugh can continue saying he is going with the hotter hand, but let’s not forget the 49ers moved up to the second round to draft Kaepernick in 2011.  Harbaugh did not draft Smith.  So Smith is not his ‘guy’ but someone he inherited.  Had Smith not played so brilliantly last season, Kap would have started at some point, ready or not, because that is the future at QB for Harbaugh and the 49ers.  That future is already here.  Simply put, Kaepernick is Harbaugh’s ‘guy’.

Still, even if Kap leads the 49ers to the playoffs, it is Super Bowl or bust for San Francisco.  Because with Smith under center last season, he led the Niners to the NFC Championship and it was not his fault the team lost.  If Kaepernick leads the 49ers to victory this Sunday, he will be the team’s first QB since the 1970 merger to win his first three starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The San Francisco 49ers play against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday in a matchup of NFC West rivals.  All-time the 49ers have an edge over the Rams with the series 62-61-2, with San Francisco winning seven of the last eight games.  Both teams are coming off their bye, but the 49ers are 2-0 under Jim Harbaugh in games after the bye week.

Of all the 49ers biggest rivalries, the Rams is the one I get the most excited about each season.  During the 1990’s when the Rams played in Anaheim, CA, and before they moved to St. Louis, I attended each game the 49ers came into the town.  I grew up and lived in Orange, CA which is about 15 minute drive to the Big A where the Rams called home.  My dad was a huge Rams fan (he still is now, but remains bitter over them moving to St. Louis) and had season tickets, so he would take me along to the 49ers game.  From what I remember the 49ers dominated the Rams each game I attended and won.  The most lasting memory for me at a game was watching Jerry Rice make a one-handed catch against the Rams:

St. Louis Rams (3-5) vs. San Francisco 49ers  (6-2)

Where: Candlestick Park

Kickoff: Sunday, 1:25p.m. PT/4:25 p.m. ET (Fox)

The Line: 49ers favored by 11 points

Weather: Mid 50s. Mostly cloudy

The Rivalry

Matchups: 125

Series Record: 49ers lead series 62-61-2

49ers Home Record vs. Rams: Series tied 31-31-1

49ers Away Record vs. Rams: 49ers lead series 31-30-1

First Meeting: October 1, 1950, Rams win 35-14 at San Francisco

Last Meeting:  January 1, 2012, 49ers win 34-27 at St. Louis

Current Streak: 49ers have won last two games.

Longest 49ers Win Streak: 17 (December 17, 1990 – December 27, 1998)

Longest Rams Win Streak: 10 (November 29, 1970 – September 28, 1975)

Most 49ers Points: 48 (December 27, 1987): 48-0 at San Francisco

Most Rams Points: 56 (November 9, 1958): 56-7 at Los Angeles

49ers Shutouts: 8 (Last December 5, 2011), 49ers win 26-0 at San Francisco

Rams Shutouts: None

The 49ers and Rams have only met once in postseason since 1950.  The teams faced off in the NFC Championship game on January 14, 1990, with the 49ers winning 30-3 in San Francisco in route to the Super Bowl.

The Numbers

• 841:  In 11 games versus the Rams, RB Frank Gore has recorded 841 rushing yards and 11 TD’s on 190 carriers.  Gore has rushed for over 100-yards four times against the Rams.
• 3.5:  Amount of sacks recorded in a game by Justin Smith against the Rams in 2009, a career-high.
• 17:  Punter Andy Lee has pinned 54.8 pct. (17 of 31) of his punts inside the opponents 20-yd. line, ranking 2nd in the NFL.  In a 2009 game against the Rams, Lee posted a single-game career-high 5 punts downed inside the 20-yardsline.
• 12.5:  Since 2009, DT Justin Smith has registered 12.5 sacks against NFC West opponents, ranking t-12th in the NFL and 1st among defensive tackles.
• 4:  WR Michael Crabtree has registered a TD catch in each of his last 4 games against the Rams.
• 168.6:  49ers rushing yards per game, ranking 1^st in NFL.
• 12.9:  Average amount of points the 49ers allow each game this season, ranking 1^st in the NFL.
• 7.5:  Sacks collected by Aldon Smith this season, tied for 7^th best in the NFL.
• 34:  Points the 49ers have scored on their first possession of the second half this season, tied for 1^st in the NFL (NY Giants).
• 28:  Since 2009, the 49ers are 28-3 when winning the turnover battle.
• 38:  San Francisco has converted 12 takeaways (6 INTs, 6 FRs) into 38 points this season.
• 9:  Since December 1, 2011, San Francisco has committed just 9 turnovers, t-1st in the NFL over that time span.
• 4.55:  49ers defense has allowed just 4.55 yards per play this season, 1^st in the NFL.
• 184:  The 49ers are ranked 2nd in the NFL allowing 184.0 passing yards per game this season.
• 14:  In last matchup between the Rams and 49ers, kicker David Akers took a direct snap on a field goal attempt and threw a 14-yard TD pass to Michael Crabtree for his first and, so far, only touchdown pass of his career.
• 78:  Ted Ginn returned his first punt return for a TD with the 49ers in 2010 against the Rams on 78-yard return.
• 3:  Interceptions by Rams CB Cortland Finnegan this season.

The Connections

• 49ers LB Aldon Smith starred at the University of Missouri from 2008-2010 and was a First-Team All-Big 12 selection. He won Missouri’s Defensive Lineman of the Year Award in 2010.
• 49ers DT Justin Smith is from Holts Summit, MO, and attended the University of Missouri from 1998-2000.
• 49ers TE Delanie Walker went to the University of Central Missouri from 2004-2006.
• Before signing with the 49ers in 2011, LB Larry Grant played for the Rams from 2008-2010.
• Rams head coach Jeff Fisher was the defensive backs coach for the 49ers from 1992-1993.
• From 1987-1993 when Jim Harbaugh was a quarterback for the Chicago Bears, Rams assistant head coach Dave McGinnis was the linebackers coach for the Bears.
• 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and Rams offensive line coach Paul Boudreau were on the same staff with the New Orleans Saints from 1987-1993.
• Fangio was the special assistant to the head coach and 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman was the assistant offensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2006-2007, while Rams special teams coordinator John Fassel was on the same staff as an assistant special teams coach with the Ravens.
• Rams quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti held the same position with the 49ers in 2007.