49ers Rally Past Rams After Controversial Final Play Call on Thursday Night Football

The San Francisco 49ers triumphed over the Los Angeles Rams 26-23 in a tense overtime game marked by critical coaching decisions and turnovers. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan opted to run the ball three times near their own end zone to burn the Rams' timeouts, prioritizing clock control over aggressive passing, a strategy influenced by previous costly mistakes. The Rams, despite a strong offensive showing from quarterback Matthew Stafford, suffered a key fumble by running back Kyren Williams at the 1-yard line late in regulation and were ultimately stopped on a fourth-and-1 run in overtime, a play call by coach Sean McVay that drew fan criticism but had Stafford's support. McVay acknowledged the poor play selection and expressed regret for putting his team in a difficult position, while Stafford emphasized the team's need to improve execution and close out games. The loss dropped the Rams to a 3-4 record, casting doubt on their playoff prospects and highlighting their struggles with turnovers, which proved decisive in the tightly contested NFC West matchup. Both teams showed resilience, but the 49ers' defensive plays and Shanahan's clock management ultimately secured the victory.