Game grades, analysis from cathartic 49ers beatdown over rival Rams

The 49ers had their season on the line and answered the call with a 31-14 beatdown of the Rams. Niner Noise grades the performance.

The San Francisco 49ers-Los Angeles Rams game was season-defining.

In Week 8, such a statement seems like obvious hyperbole, but this was no exaggeration. A win kept the Niners at 3-0 in the NFC West division, only a game behind the first-place Seattle Seahawks with a game to play, while a loss would put San Francisco at 3-5 with a rough schedule upcoming and no clear path to either the division or a Wild Card spot.

So, season-defining.

Football Outsiders (h/t Akash Anavarathan of Niners Nation) had the 49ers’ playoff odds at 66 percent with a win and 33 percent with a loss.

For the first half, it felt like the Niners didn’t understand how important the game was. The offense was average, and the defense allowed two touchdowns. The lone bright spot? A trick-play touchdown toss by running back Christian McCaffrey:

The second half started with more angst… until the switch flipped.

A McCaffrey receiving touchdown, a McCaffrey rushing touchdown, a tight end George Kittle receiving touchdown, and by the time it was all said and done, San Francisco had run 24 straight points on the Rams, pummeling them in a dominant second half that Niner Noise noted needed to occur.

It was the ultimate get-right game for the running game, passing game, defense, and special teams. You name it, it got better.

Here are grades from the contest.