The Worst Mistake the 49ers Made in Their Loss to the Rams

Plenty of mistakes were made by the 49ers in their loss to the Rams, but there was one that was the most egregious.

Sep 22, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) drops back to pass as Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske (55) moves in during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Losing to the Los Angeles Rams was inexcusable for the San Francisco 49ers.

They held a 10-point lead with seven minutes left to go. It should've been a cakewalk to the finish line for them. Instead, they completely collapsed and failed to seal the deal. That is a loss that is going to haunt the 49ers and possibly be a factor toward the end of the season for playoff seeding.

Plenty of mistakes were made by the 49ers in this game. However, there was one that was the most egregious of them all. The worst mistake made by the 49ers in their loss to the Rams can be pointed at Brock Purdy. Yes, I know Purdy played his tail off and was impressive throughout the game.

But he also made the worst mistake in the game for the 49ers. It was a mistake that could've sealed the victory and made him look like the savior. The mistake he made was in the fourth quarter with four minutes to go in the game on the second-to-last drive of the game. Purdy faced a first-down-and-20 with the 49ers up 24-17.

As Purdy snaps the ball and drops back, he initially looks to Brandon Aiyuk on the left side of the field. Aiyuk feints a block towards his defender, then releases cleanly to find wide open space downfield. Hitting Aiyuk there would've iced the game with either great field position, setting up a closer field goal, or best case scenario Aiyuk taking it to the house, which looks likely.

Brian Baldinger breaks it down beautifully below.

.@49ers I thought this could have easily been the "nail in the coffin" as @THE2ERA was wide open. Cant figure out why Brock didnt throw it. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/qMBZp6ez3v

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 23, 2024

Instead of passing it to Aiyuk, Purdy moves off of him and scans the field. It is mind-blowing to not see Purdy let it rip to Aiyuk there. He had all the time in the world on that play and ended up scrambling to eventually find the hero of the game Jauan Jennings for a measly five-yard gain.

The main issue with Purdy this season is holding onto the ball too long. As great as he was against the Rams, he made a costly mistake that could've won the 49ers the game. Yes, other players made mistakes that could've increased the likelihood of winning. If kicker Jake Moody nails the field goal, then the 49ers are likely winning.

But Purdy was a 2023 MVP finalist who was touted as a top-10 quarterback. He needs to be held to that standard. That is a play he needs to make and there is zero excuse for missing it. The game is essentially over if he launches it to Aiyuk. Passing him up does make you wonder if he lacks trust in Aiyuk. That could explain why he doesn't toss it to him.

Overall, Purdy had a strong outing against the Rams and showed that he isn't handcuffed to all of the talent on the offense. Playing great despite missing Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle was encouraging. Yet, he still made the worst mistake for the 49ers in the loss to the Rams.