INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The 49ers squandered leads all through an epic night time at SoFi Stadium, up till the ultimate play of extra time Thursday night time.
The Rams went for it on fourth-and-1 from the 11-yard line. Kyren Williams, who fumbled on the 1 with a minute to go in regulation, acquired stuffed for no achieve, with defensive backs Deommodore Lenoir and Marques Sigle credited for the game-saving cease.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh sprinted onto the sector, gamers joyously scattered to have a good time, and the 49ers had emerged with a 26-23 triumph.
What a method for the injury-laden 49ers, 8 1/2-point underdogs, to rebound from Sunday’s loss to Jacksonville and enhance to 4-1 total. They’re additionally 3-0 in divisional play, with a win now over every NFC West rival. The Rams fell to 3-2 by advantage of shedding their first divisional sport of the season.
Subsequent up for the 49ers is one other street journey, Oct. 12 at Tampa Bay. Thursday’s annual go to right here launched a stretch of taking part in 4 of 5 away from Levi’s Stadium, the earliest such string since 1989 for the 49ers.
This exhausting win got here in stunningly dramatic style.
The 49ers scored on their first two possession for a 14-0 lead that put everybody on upset alert. Their lead was 20-7 within the third quarter. No lead appears protected right here, not when the 49ers blew 10-point fourth-quarter margins final 12 months in Week 3 and within the NFC Championship Recreation after the 2021 season.
In the long run, their successful factors got here from Eddie Piñeiro, who made a 41-yard discipline objective on extra time’s opening possession, his fourth discipline objective in as many makes an attempt this sport. Earlier, he had a career-long 59-yarder to place the 49ers forward with 2:52 remaining.
That overtime-opening drive started with Mac Jones delivering six consecutive completions, to Kyle Juszczyk (12 yards), Christian McCaffrey (15 and seven yards) and Jake Tonges (6 yards, twice).
Time beyond regulation ended on the following collection, courtesy of Rams coach Sean McVay’s daring resolution to go for it on fourth-and-1 quite than have Joshua Karty try a tying discipline objective; Karty made a 48-yarder with two seconds left in regulation to pressure extra time.
The 49ers led from the primary collection up till 10 ½ minutes left in regulation, however even then, they didn’t path. After Matthew Stafford slipped an 8-yard landing cross previous Dee Winters and safely to Williams, Jordan Elliott blocked Karty’s point-after kick to maintain the rating locked at 20-20.
The Rams produced back-to-back landing drives within the third quarter, the primary taking solely 2:48 off the clock earlier than Stafford delivered a 1-yard scoring strike to Puka Nacua. Their follow-up landing drive – the one capped by Williams’ 8-yard rating – featured back-to-back completions to Davante Adams but additionally defensive penalties on Lenoir and C.J. West.
JONES BATTLES
Mac Jones, beginning for the third time in 4 video games rather than Brock Purdy, directed a field-goal drive on the 49ers’ first possession after halftime for a 20-7 lead. However on the ultimate play of the drive, Jones aggravated a left-knee harm courting again to the preseason. Two weeks after once more hurting that posterior cruciate ligament within the 49ers’ home-opening win in opposition to Arizona, Jones acquired hit twice within the pocket, together with by Byron Younger on a third-and-goal incompletion earlier than Eddy Pineiro’s 20-yard discipline objective 6:33 earlier than the fourth quarter.
Jones completed 33-of-49 for 342 yards.
FIRST SCORING DRIVE
Jones capped the 72-yard opening drive with a 6-yard scoring strike to wide-open tight finish Jake Tonges, who arrange the goal-to-go state of affairs with one other 6-yard catch. After Skyy Moore botched however recovered the Rams’ “dirty ball” kickoff, the 49ers relied on a McCaffrey-heavy begin (4-yard run, adopted by two 15-yard receptions) earlier than a 35-yard catch-and-run by Kendrick Bourne acquired them into the purple zone.
Jones accomplished all 5 of his passes for 75 yards on the primary drive. Not like Jones’ beginning debut in Week 2 at New Orleans, Purdy didn’t make this journey, nor did Ricky Pearsall (knee), Jauan Jennings (ribs, ankle) and George Kittle, the latter of whom is now eligible to return off Injured Reserve, though his standing is unknown after a Week 1 hamstring harm.
SECOND SCORING DRIVE
Shanahan dialed up aggressive calls on the 49ers’ second collection that spanned 91 yards in 17 performs and 8-plus minutes. The 49ers twice transformed on fourth-and-1 (by Jones and Brian Robinson), they executed a reverse/flea-flicker to McCaffrey to the 30-yard line, Demarcus Robinson made a back-shoulder catch on the 6 on third-and-9, and, quite than safe their first speeding landing of the season, McCaffrey leaked out to catch Jones’ 1-yard scoring strike for a 14-0 lead.
RAMS’ FIRST TOUCHDOWN
With Jason Pinnock blitzing, Williams was left extensive open to attain on a 14-yard reception and reduce the 49ers’ result in 14-7 about 2 minutes earlier than halftime. Stafford completed that 8-play, 85-yard drive with 5 consecutive completions, together with a third-and-5 conversion for 21 yards in opposition to Sigle for tight finish Tyler Ferguson’s first profession catch. Stafford then dialed up passes for 22, 11, 14 after which the 6-yard rating.
PINEIRO’S POINTS
Piñeiro made a 37-yard discipline objective for a 17-7 lead as the primary half expired, capping a two-minute drill that noticed third-down conversions in Rams territory by Tonges (11-yard catch) and McCaffrey (8-yard run to the 27).
FUMBLE RECOVERY
Down 14-0, the Rams responded by reaching the 49ers’ 24-yard line. Two performs after changing on fourth-and-1, Blake Corum botched Stafford’s pitch, and it was recovered on the 49ers’ 31 by Trevis Gipson. The 49ers couldn’t convert that takeaway into factors, barely crossing midfield earlier than punting.
The 49ers’ subsequent fumble restoration was pivotal: With simply over a minute left, the Rams had marched deep into the purple zone trailing by three factors. Williams took a handoff from the 7-yard line and appeared to inch close to the objective line earlier than Alfred Collins shook off a block and swung a proper fist to punch the ball free. He recovered it himself. The 49ers finally punted and Karty made a kick with 2 seconds left to pressure extra time, however with out Collins, the Niners would have wanted a late comeback drive.
INJURIES
The 49ers’ protection, already with out Nick Bosa for the remainder of the season, misplaced two starters earlier than the fourth quarter: defensive linemen Kalia Davis (hand) and Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring). Dee Winters returned from a shoulder harm.
Initially Revealed: October 2, 2025 at 8:51 PM PDT
