1st QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS, 49ERS 3 – RAMS 0
The 49ers ran a corner blitz on 1st and 10, sending Walt Harris after Marc Bulger. Bulger just got it away, but overthrew his intended target. Following a 4-yard run by Steven Jackson, Bulger delivered the ball to Donnie Avery along the 49ers sidelines for a first down at the Rams 32. An interception by safety Mark Roman was erased due to an offsides infraction on Aubrayo Franklin. The Rams stayed on the ground with Steven Jackson taking the next two snaps and picking up the needed five yards after the penalty to again move the chains. Harris got Keenan Burton down on an end around after just 3 yards by diving and taking out the receiver's ankles. The two teams traded penalties on the next two plays, eventually leading to a 2nd and 7 down that Jackson gained only two yards on. On 3rd and 5 from the 47, Bulger threw a hurried pass to Jackson, who was well covered.
Back as punt returner for the first time in a few weeks, Allen Rossum got only four yards before a pair of Rams defenders teamed up to take him down at the 49ers 21-yardline for their first start of the game.
The offense was held to a three and out with Shaun Hill's 3rd and 8 try for Isaac Bruce coming closest to being completed to Rams CB Fakhir Brown.
Andy Lee's 57-yard punt was returned by Dane Looker to the Rams 34-yardline where Jeff Ulbrich and Dashon Goldson quickly got him down along the Rams sidelines.
Jackson gained 7 yards on the ground, and then another 5 by using two counter runs to move the chains in just two downs. Bulger completed a short 3-yard pass to Avery, but then took an incomplete strike downfield to him. A completion to the tight end Joe Klopfenstein on third down set up a 4th and 1 play at the 49ers 45. The Rams opted to go for it, with Jackson following his center for a 2-yard carry and a first down. Nate Clements knocked away a slant pass to Torry Holt. On 2nd and 10, Bulger threw a short ball over the middle to Darby, who ran into the umpire and then was taken down by Takeo Spikes after a six-yard pickup. On 3rd and 4, Joe Staley slammed Darby down after a 1-yard gain. The Rams again went for it on 4th and 3 but Harris nearly picked off Bulger's pass to Avery in the end zone.
Hill found Bryant Johnson for an 11-yard gain to move the chains, but the receiver did leave the field with a limp. Michael Robinson lined up in the wildcat and kept the ball for himself for a 2-yard run. On 2nd and 8, Hill threw a short ball to Isaac Bruce, who had room to run for 21 yards. Another throw to Bruce was off the mark, leading to a 2nd and 10. Johnson dropped a quick slant throw, leading to a 3rd and 10 at the Rams 30. Vernon Davis lost the ball in the air on a shot to the end zone, bringing on Joe Nedney for a 48-yard field goal and a 49ers 3-0 lead with 2:00 left in the quarter. The 7-play drive covered 34 yards.
Starting out after the kick return from the 28-yardline, Bulger hit Daniel Fells, who broke free from one tackle to move the chains with a 12-yard gain. Another short throw to Jackson was negated due to a block in the pack penalty, leading to a 1st and 20, but the Rams overcame most of it with an 18-yard strike to Holt. A 2-yard run by Jackson ended the first quarter with a first down for the Rams at the 50.
**2ND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS, 49ERS 3 – RAMS 13
**Bulger started off the quarter with a 16-yard strike to Holt for a first down at the 49ers 33-yardline. A short throw to Darby gained another 8 yards, leading to a 2nd and 2 play where Justin Smith helped lead the way with a stop for no gain. On 3rd and 2, the Rams tried to set up a screen play but the defense had it covered, which brought on Josh Brown for a 43-yard field goal to tie the game with 13:07 to go in the quarter. The 8-play drive covered 47 yards.
Runs of 6 and 5 yards by Foster moved the chains for the 49ers, but on 1st and 10, Foster got only a yard before he was stonewalled by the Rams. On 2nd and 9, Hill had time but couldn't find a receiver, and then took off to his right for a big 24-yard scramble along the 49ers sidelines. Vernon Davis caught a short pass and outran his two blockers and a few Rams defenders for a 17-yard gain, but safety OJ Atogwe took it away from him at the end of the play for a turnover at the Rams 18-yardline.
Following an incompletion, Jackson burst up the middle for a 7-yard gain that would have gone for more if Justin Smith hadn't chased him down from behind. On 3rd and 3, Avery had a step on Donald Strickland, but he dropped the first down reception.
Donnie Jones hit a rare bad punt that was pinned by the Rams at the 49ers 40-yardline.
The 49ers went deep with Hill looking for Davis on 1st and 10, but Davis drew double coverage, and was well underthrown as Otogwe picked off the pass.
The defense came up with another three and out after the turnover, leading to another Rams punt.
Foster got three yards on his first down run, but Brown got around Foster on a corner blitz to strip the ball from Hill on the next play. Fortunately Foster recovered, but the play lost five yards. On 3rd and 13, a short throw to Foster earned only six yards and the 49ers had to punt.
Lee's punt bounced into the end zone, giving the Rams the ball at the 20 with 4:46 to go in the quarter.
Clements tripped up Jackson by the ankle for a 4-yard gain on first down, but Jackson then used his speed to get the left edge for a 12-yard run and a first down at the 36. Jackson got only a yard on his next carry with Michael Lewis quickly bringing him down, but on 2nd and 9, Bulger found Avery for an 18-yard completion. Jackson gained 12 yards after taking a direct snap out of the wildcat formation. A 3-yard run by Darby was followed by another hard hit by Lewis that broke up a pass over the middle. On 3rd and 7, Bulger hit a wide open Burton for a 30-yard touchdown and a 10-3 Rams edge.
Rossum got the kickoff return out to the 32-yardline, with the offense picking up a first down with Hill passes to Josh Morgan (7 yards) and Jason Hill (6 yards), but Hill then overthrew Bruce and was picked by Ron Bartell at the 32-yardline.
Darby took a short pass play 15 yards before the 49ers got him down at his 47-yardline. Ray McDonald then jumped off-sides, giving the Rams another five free yards before allowing Darby to again pick up big yards into 49ers territory with a 25-yard pass play. The Rams ran one more play before bringing Brown on for a 38-yard field goal to increase St. Louis to a 13-3 halftime lead.
3RD QUARTER HIGHLIGHT, 49ERS 3 – RAMS 13
The 49ers started off the second half with the ball, but the on 3rd and 3, Hill was nearly picked off by linebacker Will Witherspoon.
The 49ers pinned Lee's punt at the 7-yardline with the defense then holding the Rams to a three and out offensive series.
Hill took a shot for Bruce, but despite diving for the ball, the receiver couldn't make the grab. Hill was then dropped for back to back sacks.
Dominique Zeigler made a diving ankle tackle to immediately bring Looker down on the ensuing punt return.
A holding call put the Rams in a 2nd and long and the defense was able to hold the Rams again to a three and out.
Hill found Bryant Johnson for a 21-yard completion out at the Rams 48-yardline. Foster gained 8 yards on the ground on a 2nd and 10 play, but was stopped for no gain on his 3rd and 2 try. The 49ers went for it on 4th and 2 and got it with a Hill 5-yard scramble up the middle.
Following an incompletion, Hill was picked off by Bartell, who got the ball to the 49ers 35-yardline on the return.
Jackson picked up a fresh set of downs with a couple of run plays, followed by an interference call against Clements, which advanced the Rams to the 49ers 41-yardline. Jackson gained six yards, followed by a 3-yard Darby run to set up a 3rd and 1 play. Jackson's 1-yard run required a measurement but it was enough to move the chains. A 15-yard pass to Holt advanced the Rams to the 16-yardline. A run play for no gain ended the quarter.
4TH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS, 49ERS 17 – RAMS 16
The Rams got inside the 10, but the 49ers defense kept them out of the end zone, forcing a 22-yard field goal instead. The eight minute drive put the Rams up 16-3 at the start of the final quarter.
A 6-yard run by Foster was followed by two Hill incompletions and another 49ers punt.
The Rams took over at their 38 with 10:49 to go in the game.
Jackson caught a short pass for 4 yards and then gained five yards on the ground before punching out a 3-yard gain to move the chains on 3rd and 1 for a Rams first down. Parys Haralson sacked Bulger for an eight yard loss, followed by a 5-yard run by Jackson. Officials ruled that Jackson was down before fumbling at the end of the play, but Mike Singletary challenged the call. He lost, but Bulger's third down pass on the next play was incomplete and the Rams were forced to punt.
The offense got the ball back at their 20 after a touchback on the punt with 7 minutes left in the game.
Hill went to Bruce for a 12-yard completion, and then followed it up with an 11-yard completion to DeShaun Foster. After another 6-yard throw to Bruce, Hill scrambled for 17 yards and a first down in St. Louis territory at the Rams 34. A neutral zone infraction helped the 49ers go from a 3rd and 10 to a 3rd and 5 play that Hill converted on with a 15-yard throw to Johnson. Hill then looked for Bruce on three straight passes of 4, 7 and 3 yards apiece, the last which was good for a TD and Bruce's 1000th career catch.
The 11-play, 80 yard drive ended with 4:08 in the game and trimmed the Rams lead to within six.
The defense stopped the Rams after a three and out series with J. Smith starting things off with a sack and then Clements finishing it off by breaking up a pass to Holt on 3rd and 6.
Following the punt, Hill got the ball back at his own 33 with 2:27 remaining.
The drive started off shaky with a 7-yard sack, but another neutral zone infraction gave the 49ers back 5 yards. On 2nd and 12, Hill hit Bruce for an 8-yard pickup, moving him ahead of Tim Brown on the all-time receiving list. Hill then connected with Johnson for a 13-yard play to convert the 3rd and 4 down, before airing out one deep for Josh Morgan. Morgan and Jason Hill both had a shot at getting the ball, but the rookie came down with the 48-yard TD. Nedney's extra point put the 49ers up a point with 1:22 to go.
On a 4th and 9 from his own 38, Bulger looked for Avery. Harris got his hands on the ball for a deflection, but Avery was able to make the grab and get both feet down along the Rams sidelines for a first down at the 49ers 45. (Officials reviewed and upheld the catch). Jackson was then stopped for a 3-yard loss by Patrick Willis. On 2nd and 13, Bulger's pass for Avery was picked off by Tarell Brown, sealing the win for the 49ers.
