This was not pretty.
The Los Angeles Rams totaled only 185 yards and Case Keenum threw two interceptions as they were shutout, 28-0 by the division-rival San Francisco 49ers.
The offense never was able to get anything going. Keenum completed less than half of his passes and averaged less than four yards per throw. That lack of downfield pressure made it easier for the Niners to keep Todd Gurley in check as he managed only 47 yards on the ground.
The Rams punted on 10 of their 13 possessions with seven of those being three-and-outs. The 49ers also turned both of those Keenum interceptions into touchdowns.
With the offense non-existent, the pressure switched to the defense to make some things happen, but they simply couldn’t do enough.
The Niners got on the board near the end of the first quarter with a 10-play drive that culminated with a Carlos Hyde 11-yard touchdown run. A couple of drives later Navorro Bowman picked off a tipped Keenum pass and the Niners quickly moved down the field to take a 14-0 lead on Shaugn Draughn’s 3-yard run.
The Rams defense tried to do its part in the second half, holding the Niners to four straight three-and-outs to begin the half, but the offense was unable to get anything going. Late in the third, as the Rams were finally driving Keenum would make a bad read and throw the ball straight into the hands of Niners LB Ray Ray Armstrong, ending the Rams best drive of the night.
The 49ers would go on to drive 77 yards with Gabbert finding Vance McDonald to extend the lead to 21-0 and putting the game out of reach.
Somehow things would get uglier for the Rams as star DT Aaron Donald would get ejected midway through the fourth quarter after ripping Niners WR Quinton Patton’s helmet off. He followed up by making contact with an official which led to a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and the automatic ejection.
All in all, the first season in Los Angeles couldn’t have gotten off to an uglier start. Hopefully the Rams can figure something out before their home opener next Sunday.
