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It took extra time, but the 49ers managed to win their final game of the season and ensure the Rams finish negative (7-9) for yet another year.
Despite San Francisco’s season being non-salvageable, finishing 5-11, it was still a great win at home, holding out against a tough Rams team.
Blaine Gabbert wasn’t perfect, throwing an interception, but he played pretty well otherwise, completing 28 of 44 for 354 yards and a touchdown.
DuJuan Harris had 16 carries for 67 yards, also catching eight passes for 86 yards, while Anquan Boldin (5 rec, 71 yards) and Torrey Smith (5 rec, 61 yards) also contributed.
Phil Dawson kicked four field goals, including the 23 yarder in overtime to give the 49ers the win.
Case Keenum completed 22 of 37 for 231 yards, but failed to register any scores. The Rams were shut down on the ground, and without Todd Gurley, they had to go to Tre Mason, who finished with 44 yards and a touchdown off 18 carries.
A good win for the 49ers, but it may not be enough to salvage Jim Tomsula’s job.
Final Score:
San Francisco – 19
St Louis – 16
The San Francisco 49ers and the St Louis Rams face off in the final game of their 2015-16 campaigns, and what will be the last chance to see Jarryd Hayne in action for a while. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 8:25 am (AEDT).
The San Francisco 49ers are slated to have their worst season in a long time, depending on whether they win or lose against the Rams. If they win and finish 5-11, they’ll match their record from 2007; if they lose, and finish 4-12, they’ll match their record from 2005. Either way, you get the idea that this hasn’t been a good couple of months in the Bay Area.
Going forward, the 49ers will have to make some serious decisions about who they want leading their team, both at the coaching position and the quarterback position. Despite losing last week to Detroit (the 49ers third straight loss), Blaine Gabbert played well, far better than most of the performances we saw from Colin Kaepernick when he was healthy and still playing.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported earlier in the week that “Jarryd Hayne looks set to play” against St Louis, but also reported that the 49ers have activated fellow running back Mike Davis. Against the Lions, Hayne finished with nine carries for 27 yards and five catches for 20 yards, not a great showing but a much-improved stat line than earlier in the season.
The 49ers have a whopping 16 players on the injury report. Defensive tackle Quinton Dial (back) and linebacker Michael Wilhoite (ankle) are both out, with safety Jaquiski Tartt (knee) and center Marcus Martin (concussion) both doubtful to play. Wide receiver Torrey Smith (back), running back Bruce Miller (foot) and defensive tackle Arik Armstead (shoulder) are all probable to play with limited participation in practice.
Safety Eric Reid (hip), cornerbacks Dontae Johnson (ankle) and Tramaine Brock (hamstring), tackles Joe Staley (knee), Erik Pears (knee) and Trenton Brown (knee) and linebackers NaVorro Bowman (shoulder), Eli Harold (finger) and Ahmad Brooks (shoulder) are all probable to play and participated fully in practice.
The Rams have to be completely confident going into their final matchup of the season; not only are they facing off against one of the worst teams in the NFL, but they’re on a three-game winning streak and have the potential to finish 8-8. The last time the Rams broke even was 2006 – every season since then has been a losing effort, some of them disastrous.
St Louis defeated the Seahawks 23-17 last week, their second win this season over last year’s Super Bowl runner-up. Case Keenum only threw for 103 yards, but a touchdown pass to Kenny Britt combined with a Todd Gurley rushing touchdown and a strong defensive effort guaranteed the win. The Rams had five sacks, an interception, and three forced fumbles.
Nick Foles has drastically underperformed, throwing for 2,052 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, completing 56per cent of his passes for a 69.0 passer rating. Case Keenum has only thrown for 597 yards, but has four touchdowns to only one interception, completing 61per cent of his passes for a 91.9 passer rating. Todd Gurley has had a breakout rookie season, carrying the ball 229 times for 1106 yards, 10 scores and a 4.8 yards per carry average.
The Rams have eight players on the injury report. Cornerback Eric Patterson (ankle) and defensive tackles Nick Fairley (concussion) and Doug Worthington (thigh) are all out. Running back Todd Gurley (foot) is doubtful while tackle Andrew Donnal (knee) is questionable. Safety Mark Barron (concussion) and defensive tackles Michael Brockers (thigh) and Ethan Westbrooks are all probable to play, participating fully in practice.
The Rams should easily handle the woeful 49ers despite playing away from home, with a big game from Todd Gurley surely solidifying him winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. If he plays, the running back could easily light up the San Francisco defense for 150-plus yards and three scores, with St Louis’ defensive unit poised to put in a dominant effort too.
Will Jarryd Hayne finish his first season in the NFL with a memorable performance?
Join The Roar this morning at 8:25 am AEDT for live score updates and debate in our live blog.
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