Jauan Jennings breakout game not enough as Rams steal one in 27-24 loss over 49ers

Well that didn’t go to plan, as the Rams ripped the hearts out of the 49ers with a last-second-game-winning field goal.

The San Francisco 49ers suffered a heartbreaking loss to their NFC West foe Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, losing 27-24. The Red & Gold were up by 10 points with less than 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and 14 points midway through the third quarter. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a big enough lead, as the home team to mounted a comeback, taking the lead with only two seconds remaining via a 37-yard try from rookie kicker Joshua Karty.

SF is now 1-2 on 2024 season, needing to go back to the drawing board to figure out what is wrong. The team’s Week 3 loss makes it the first in the division this year, after going 8-0 against the NFC West in 2023.

The 49ers came into SoFi Stadium ready to rebound from a Week 2 loss in Minnesota. And they got started early, going on an eight-play, 70-yard drive to the endzone. Quarterback Brock Purdy hit wide receiver Jauan Jennings for the 13-yard score to open the contest 7-0 for the visitors.

SF came back out on the next drive and delivered the exact same result. Purdy & Co. marched down the field on 13 plays to cash in again. The final play of the drive saw Jennings gets the rock from four yards out to double his TD total on the game, and the 49ers’ lead to 14-0. The Tennessee product finished with a career game of 11 catches for 175 receiving yards and three TDs.

Can’t tell if that’s Jauan Jennings or 49ers legend Randy Moss.

📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/4yn3FZbMTA

— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024

SF was seemingly running away from the contest in the first half. Then, the Rams ran a fake punt on fourth down to convert, giving LA hope they could make it competitive. And that they did, finishing the same drive with their first TD of the game. Running back Kyren Williams caught a 15-yard slant, summersaulting over 49ers’ defenders to put points on the board midway through the second quarter.

“I told them last night: You’ve got to take their hope away,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said postgame.

Things seemed to be back in order when the 49ers got back on offense in the second half.

SF went 11 plays for 91 yards, culminating in a 31-yard pass to Jennings for six. That drive took six and a half minutes of the game clock, and put the road team up 21-7.

Unexpectedly, that would be the last time the 49ers would find paydirt Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, QB Matthew Stafford and the Rams mounted a comeback, scoring on their final four possessions to slowly chip away at SF’s lead. Even still, the 49ers had a chance to put it away late, via a Jake Moody 55-yarder. The second-year kicker wasn’t able to convert however, missing it wide right.

That gave the Rams’ the ball at their own 45-yard-line with 2:43 remaining. SF’s defense would be the culprits on this one, allowing a 50-yard bomb to WR Tutu Atwell to make it first and goal for LAR. They would score a touchdown two plays later to make it a tie ball-game.

San Francisco struggled to move the chains on the next series, forced to punt after only five plays. Then, the 49ers’ special-teams woes reared their ugly head, allowing a 37-yard put return to 50-yard-line.

The next play, the defensive issues resurfaced as linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was called for pass interference. Now in field-goal range, the Rams got in position to allow Karty an opportunity. And he cashed in, crushing the hearts of the 49ers simultaneously, 27-24.

A lateral school-yard effort was attempted by the 49ers, but it wasn’t enough to comeback from a gut-wrenching loss.

Amidst the late-game collapse, Purdy still had a stellar performance Week 3. He finished with 292 passing yards, three TDs and a 137.1 QB rating. He also had a fumble in the contest.

It seemed like Brock played his ass off,” Shanahan stated.

Final from LA. pic.twitter.com/zvQlNFEJWU

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 22, 2024

SF has now loss their second game in a row, making them 1-2 on the year. The 49ers will look to bounce back from a defeat to the Rams in Week 4, returning home for a clash with New England Patriots.

San Francisco 49ers 2024 Schedule:

Regular Season

• Sunday, September 29th vs. New England Patriots – 1:05 pm PDT
• Sunday, October 6th vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1:05 pm PDT
• Thursday, October 10th @ Seattle Seahawks [TNF] – 5:15 pm PDT
• Sunday, October 20th vs. Kansas City Chiefs [SB LVIII Rematch]– 1:25 pm PDT
• Sunday, October 27th vs. Dallas Cowboys [SNF] – 5:20 pm PDT

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