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49ers vs. Rams: The Good, Bad and Ugly from San Francisco in Week 16

By Peter Panacy

Dec 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) celebrates scoring the game-winning two-point conversion with teammate San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Rod Streater (81) in the 49ers 22-21 win over the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) celebrates scoring the game-winning two-point conversion with teammate San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Rod Streater (81) in the 49ers 22-21 win over the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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December 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Rod Streater (81) celebrates with wide receiver Aaron Burbridge (13) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) his touchdown scored against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
December 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Rod Streater (81) celebrates with wide receiver Aaron Burbridge (13) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) his touchdown scored against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

The Good

It’s somewhat odd to actually write about a 49ers win for a change.

And while quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s future with the Niners remains in doubt, one can’t ignore his fourth-quarter efforts to help get San Francisco back into the win column.

San Francisco was trailing 21-7 with just over five minutes remaining in regulation. All signs pointed to yet another Niners defeat. But Kap managed to scramble on a 10-yard run into the end zone to cut Los Angeles’ lead to just seven points.

And the 49ers defense managed to hold on the following drive, forcing a punt and giving the offense a chance to tie things up.

This unit did, after Kaepernick found wide receiver Rod Streater for a 10-yard touchdown pass to close the Rams lead to just one point.

Instead of going for just a game-tying extra-point attempt, head coach Chip Kelly elected to go for two.

It worked. Kap scrambled right and found the end zone to put the Niners ahead 22-21:

Kaepernick’s efforts certainly got most of the limelight. But one should credit San Francisco’s defense a bit as well.

The 49ers sacked Rams quarterback Jared Goff four times, and rookie defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Ronald Blair recorded a sack each. In all, the Niners held the Rams offense to just 177 all-purpose yards — an accomplishment, even if Los Angeles’ offense isn’t very good.

Hey, San Francisco managed to hold Rams running back Todd Gurley to less than 100 yards again.