49ers Coaches Snatch Defeat From the Jaws of Victory, Lose to Rams 27-24

Special teams and late mistakes waste a career game from Jauan Jennings

Sep 22, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) fouls Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (89) in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has a bias toward playing veterans over younger more talented players. And in this game, that was the margin of defeat.

A wide-open Ronnie Ball drops a ball that short-circuited a potential game-winning drive. Why Bell over Jacob Cowing? Too late to ask that now. De'Vondre Campbell beat all game, including a critical pass interference play. He was the fateful year too old last year, his play doesn’t warrant the starts now.

Combine that with special teams whoppers and the Rams win a critically important early game 27-24.

The Niners were down key players but had the game won, until late coaching decisions and resulting poor execution gave the game away.

Blame can certainly be placed on Special Teams coordinator Brian Schneider whose teams contributed to a loss yet again with a successful fake punt by the Rams and giving up a 37-yard punt return with the game hanging in the balance. As well as kicker Jake Moody missing left on a key field goal.

The loss can also be placed on a secondary giving up 93 yards to Tutu Atwell and a run defense that gave up critical conversions by Kyren Williams.

It all adds up to a self-induced defeat. When you get the details wrong in football, you tend to lose. Details such as playing Bell over Cowing and starting Campbell are like karma, it always catches up with you.

The Niners find themselves at 1-2, losing the tiebreaker to the Rams and opening 0-1 in the division.

In a game the Niners needed to right the ship, the ship started to sink.

Game Balls

Jauan Jennings – 11 catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Plugging Jennings into the Deebo role and the Kittle role paid off in a career game. One benefit of having players out is the opportunity for others to ascend. Jennings made a clear statement that he needs more targets and a larger role in the offense.

Talanoa Hufanga – Second on the team in tackles with seven in his first game back after a long injury layoff.

Penalty Flags

The Coaching Staff – Outcoached again, and for the second week in a row they’ve contributed directly to a defeat.

Jake Moody – He was drafted with the intent of making field goals of over 50 yards with the game on the line, and in the NFL he’s proven so far that he can’t be counted upon.

Next Week

Home for the Patriots in a game where the Niners will need to find their confidence. The next eight weeks include two games against undefeated Seattle, Kansas City, and then closes with cold weather games in Green Bay and Buffalo. The opening weeks have operated as a substitute for camp, but camp ends once the Niners head up to Seattle on October 10th.