Sean McVay inexplicably handed 49ers a gift in their Week 5 overtime win

There's no question the San Francisco 49ers earned their 26-23 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football in Week 5.

Yet Rams head coach Sean McVay might have made it a little easier for his counterpart, head coach Kyle Shanahan.

On the final play of the game and trailing by three, LA's offense was at the Niners' 11-yard line and facing a 4th-and-1 with 3:41 left in the extra frame. It was a "gimmie" field goal from that range, and while San Francisco would have had a shot to march down the field in response and secure a game-winning score of its own, the fact quarterback Mac Jones was banged up in the second half would have made that a much more difficult proposition.

Instead of settling for a probable (and uninspiring) tie, McVay opted to go for it on an inside run by running back Kyren Williams, only to witness rookie safety Marques Sigle deliver a play-stopping hit just shy of the line to gain:

Game over. The 49ers held on and won, 26-23.

After the game, McVay admitted to reporters he whiffed on that specific play call.

Sean McVay admits gaffe on final play that ensured 49ers a win

Hindsight is 20-20, of course, and the Niners certainly won't complain about the outcome. And, if Williams had secured the first down, the chances of Los Angeles winning the game in overtime would have been exponentially better.

But, it didn't happen. And "what ifs?" don't matter.

It's a point McVay acknowledged to reporters after the game, going as far to say "it was a bad call."

"I'm pretty sick right now," McVay said. "I'm sick of the spot that I put our group in to end the game. But, hey, these are the tough beats that you've got to be able to learn from and move forward, and that's what we're going to do."

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, meanwhile, gave credit where it was due, acknowledging San Francisco's defense by saying, "They did a nice job of stopping it."

Indeed, the 49ers responded the best way possible. And it turned out to be the key difference in those final moments.

While the Niners ultimately made the play, they can at least take some comfort in McVay's aggression.

Especially when it worked out in their favor.