49ers’ late-game magic keeps them in control of playoff positioning
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have their issues. They also still have control of everything they want and need in the NFC playoff picture.
On a night when the Niners’ defense struggled to slow the Los Angeles Rams and the offense was rarely in rhythm, they once again found a way to win, this time behind some late Jimmy Garoppolo magic and kicker Robbie Gould‘s 33-yard winning field goal as time expired Saturday night.
The 49ers’ 34-31 victory moved them to 12-3 on the season and set in stone the simplest of Week 17 formulas: win at Seattle against the Seahawks and they will be NFC West division champions, the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and the road to the Super Bowl will go through Levi’s Stadium.
For much of the game against the Rams, the Niners looked like a team that was on its way to a second consecutive loss against a team they were favored to beat. Such a defeat would have put the Niners’ chances at a first-round bye, a bye they desperately need after not having had one since Week 4, in serious peril. In that scenario, they would have needed a win in Seattle plus some help to have a chance to get a bye and the top seed.
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Instead, the Niners remain in control, though they have plenty to fix if they’re going to finish the job in Week 17.
The toll of their many injuries and whatever leftover issues they have from a three-game gantlet against the Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints looks to have their gas tank running low.
But there was still enough to find a way to win, setting up a massive collision against their most hated NFC West rival next weekend in Seattle.
Describe the game in two words: Must have. After a disappointing loss last weekend against Atlanta, the Niners needed to get back on the winning side and, more important, remain in control of the potential for a first-round bye and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. There were plenty of issues to worry about coming out of this game, but all that the Niners desire is still within their control after this victory.
QB breakdown: Garoppolo was under fire for much of the night as his protection rarely held up. But even when the quarterback had time to throw, he wasn’t very sharp, and the turnover issues that plagued him earlier in the season crept back in as a result.
Until the Niners needed it the most.
Trailing 28-24 in the fourth quarter, Garoppolo finally got time to throw and directed a six-play, 91-yard drive that culminated with him breaking out of the pocket and finding tight end George Kittle for a 7-yard touchdown and a 31-28 lead.
On the game’s final drive, with the score tied at 31, Garoppolo fired an 18-yard dart to receiver Kendrick Bourne on third-and-16 and then hit Emmanuel Sanders for 46 yards on another third-and-16.
Aside from that, Garoppolo had his struggles, throwing two interceptions, one to Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey and another to Darious Williams that Ramsey had deflected. All told, Garoppolo finished 16-of-27 for 248 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for a passer rating of 71.2, but he delivered when it mattered.
Troubling trend: For most of the season, the Niners’ offensive line has operated at a high level in both pass protection and the run game. But with center Weston Richburg lost for the season because of a torn right patellar tendon, that group has shown some warts in recent weeks, and those were on display again Saturday.
Also without starting right guard Mike Person, who has been battling a neck injury, the Niners rarely gave Garoppolo time to throw. When he did get his passes off, he rarely did so from a clean pocket. The Rams sacked Garoppolo six times and hit him eight times.
Person should return sooner than later, but Richburg will not. Ben Garland, who replaced Richburg in the starting lineup, had multiple issues with shotgun snaps Saturday and struggled to stay in front of Rams pass-rushers on dropbacks. Garland has been effective in the run game, but Richburg’s presence is undoubtedly missed.
Yes, the Rams boast some solid pass-rushers in the likes of Aaron Donald and Dante Fowler Jr., but that’s the kind of talent the 49ers will see in the playoffs. If they don’t get their issues up front fixed sooner or later, it could show up in the postseason.