In their 2023 regular season finale, the Los Angeles Rams decided to rest several of their key veterans against the San Francisco 49ers because they had clinched a playoff berth the previous week.
A win meant that the Rams would be the No. 6 seed, while a loss and a Green Bay Packers win would make them the No. 7 seed. However, Sean McVay and the rest of the organization deemed it more worthy to rest their key players, so Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams and several members of the offensive line sat against the 49ers.
However, it didn’t end up mattering as the backups were able to lead Los Angeles to a win and set up a Wild Card round matchup against the Detroit Lions.
Both teams were able to score touchdowns on their opening drives as Elijah Mitchell rushed in the game’s first touchdown while Puka Nacua came down with the Rams’ first score of the afternoon. All eyes were on Nacua, who needed four receptions and 29 yards to break the rookie record for both stats, and after his touchdown catch he was just two receptions and one yard away.
San Francisco, knowing about the Rams’ efforts to get Nacua the records, made sure to double and even triple him one some plays that forced Carson Wentz to look at Davis Allen in the middle of the field. Allen got the start for Higbee and tied for the team lead in receptions with four for 25 yards.
The 49ers took a 20-7 lead into halftime after scoring 13 points in the second, though the Rams lucked out as kicker Jake Moody missed his first field goal attempt within 40 yards.
However, the L.A. defense really stepped up in the second half as they finally slowed down San Francisco’s rushing attack and forced Sam Darnold into some obvious passing down situations. Meanwhile, Nacua finally broke the records early in the third quarter as he came down with a pair of receptions and was promptly removed from the game.
The catch. The pass 🤌
📺 @NFLonFOX | @ASAPpuka 🤝 @cj_wentz pic.twitter.com/Y9XnZLHWD9
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 7, 2024
THERE IT IS! THE RECEIVING YARDS ROOKIE RECORD!
📺 @NFLonFOX | @ASAPpuka pic.twitter.com/uYmZRNvuUO
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 7, 2024
AND THE ROOKIE RECEPTIONS RECORD!
📺 @NFLonFOX | @ASAPpuka pic.twitter.com/Gw9g7a96UK
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 7, 2024
Carson takes it himself! Touchdown!
📺 @NFLonFOX | @cj_wentz pic.twitter.com/rP6vWLMbIf
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 7, 2024
For the lead!
📺 @NFLonFOX | @tutuatwell pic.twitter.com/7SclzxNsjF
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 7, 2024
FUMBLE! WE'RE ON IT!
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/dpNzlAiicg
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 8, 2024
The Rams scored six points in the third after Wentz found Tyler Johnson in the end zone for his first touchdown of the season, but Brett Maher missed the extra point to make it 20-13. However, the fourth quarter followed a similar script as L.A. was the only team to score.
Wentz kept the 49ers defense on their heels with his keepers, and he punctuated his first start with the team with a 12-yard scamper to make it 20-19 San Francisco. However, Wentz was able to hit Tutu Atwell on the ensuing two-point conversion to give the Rams a 21-20 lead.
The defense came up with the play of the game on San Francisco’s final drive as they forced a Darnold fumble that they recovered to seal the win.
Up next for Rams…
The Rams will hit the road to take on the Lions on Sunday Night Football. There are numerous storylines that will surely be talked about throughout the week as the franchises have been tied together since the infamous Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade.
