LA Rams go ugly. Stafford’s pick 1 of several woes in the second half

The game has taken an ugly turn. The first half in this one had been all LA Rams. Well, until the San Francisco 49ers found a connection between quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to move the ball within range for a last-second field goal. At the time, the Rams were still leading by a score of 17-3. It was all going to be okay, right?

Well, so much for dreams and hopes. The 49ers came out after getting the second-half kickoff to drive the ball down the field for a touchdown. That was certainly an eye-opener. Until that point, the Rams defense seemed to have everything under control.

But the game-changing play occurred for the LA Rams when the score was still 17-0. The Rams had the ball on a third-down and less than one yard to go. The problem? The Rams opted to go with an empty backfield, giving the 49ers pass rush no reason to hesitate at the line of scrimmage. Instead, Stafford go sacked, the Rams had to punt the football to the 49ers, and the rest is history.

Rams breaking hearts

The game has been an emotional roller coaster. In the second half, the Rams seem to have abandoned the run, setting up empty backfields that allow the 49ers to get their pass rush groove on.

Meanwhile, it’s the 49ers’ commitment to the rush that has allowed them to tie this one up. Their offense has rushed the football 20 times, now up to 88 yards.

The 49ers’ defense meanwhile has been able to focus exclusively on rushing the quarterback, and the Rams offense has once more played right into their hands. With no risk of defending a run, the 49ers are bringing four and five pass rushers and Stafford’s comfort level in the pocket has plummeted.

The Cardinals are leading. The Rams do not look like their offensive line can handle this Niners pass rush. The score is tied, but everything that was working for the Rams in the first half has gone the other way now in the second half.