- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
49ers Defense Provides Bright Spot in Otherwise Lackluster MNF Win over Rams
- Updated: September 13, 2016
A year ago at this time the San Francisco 49ers gave us the seemingly annual “huh?” Week 1 result when they beat the Minnesota Vikings. Then they won only four more games after that and fired their head coach.
But at least then we knew the Vikings would be a quality NFL team in 2015, or at minimum a competent one. The Los Angeles Rams haven’t been either of those things for quite some time.
They had the league’s worst offense in 2015 while averaging just 297.6 yards per game. Their per-game average of 17.6 points ranked 29th, and they scored only 31 touchdowns (also 29th). So even though every NFL win carries some meaning, it’s difficult to find a grand statement hidden among the rubble of Monday’s bumbling, ugly 28-0 49ers win.
But, hey, at least they inched Jeff Fisher one loss closer to officially being the worst NFL head coach who can somehow always find employment.
Friendly PSA: Jeff Fisher is 10 losses away from becoming the head coach with the most career losses in NFL history. 9 more after tonight.
— Nick Mensio (@NickMensio) September 13, 2016
The scoreboard will tell you the Niners trounced an inferior divisional opponent. But that only became true late when the Rams seemed to shrug and finally get the business of losing over with.
The Rams had punted nine times when the third quarter was in its final minutes, and overall they converted just three third-down attempts. And yet, because the stench coming from San Francisco’s offense was only slightly less pungent, the Rams still found themselves just shy of red-zone territory with a little over one minute remaining in the third quarter.
That sequence may seem like a foggy memory now, just as the rest of the game hopefully does. Forgetting the beating offensive football took Monday is probably wise. But before a fourth quarter that was essentially extended garbage time, the Rams were threatening to make it a one-score game.
Their hopes ended when Rams quarterback Case Keenum …
