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The Los Angeles Rams let a winnable game slip through their fingers in overtime, falling 26-23 to the San Francisco 49ers. Matthew Stafford threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns, but all those mistakes at the worst moments were enough to turn potential points into turnovers.
Sean McVay’s very bad decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 49ers’ 11-yard line ended the Rams’ night. Instead of kicking a 29-yard field goal to tie the game, McVay kept his offense on the field. He had different plans; he was looking to grab the game and take the win home. But Kyren Williams got stuffed at the line, and it was game over for team.
After the loss, McVay called it “a bad call by me” and admitted feeling “pretty sick” about putting his players in that spot. The analytics actually supported going for it, with a win probability of 49.1% versus 38.6% for kicking. But numbers really tend not to account for execution.
The play call itself was the real problem. After both teams took a timeout, the Rams lined up in a heavy set. Everyone in the stadium knew they were running it. San Francisco sealed off the running lanes and engulfed Williams before he even moved.
This was predictable and poorly designed. Stafford was dealing all night long. Why not give him the ball with play-action or a rollout? The Rams could have been more creative to create matchups rather than run into a loaded box.
Even kicking the field goal made sense. Trust your defense one more time and keep the game alive. The problem was that McVay was too aggressive without the right play design.
Although McVay took full responsibility for his error, the result will not change. The game ended at that point; had they called another play, it could have been different.
Williams’ fumble in the final minute was yet another reason this game went to overtime when the Rams should have won in regulation. With just over a minute left and Los Angeles down 23-20, Williams burst to the 1-yard line with a clear path to the end zone.
Then Alfred Collins punched the ball out. The 49ers recovered, and the game-winning touchdown vanished instantly.
He took full responsibility afterward, saying, “But I feel like mine was the one that let the team down.” This was his seventh lost fumble since 2023. That’s definitely a troubling pattern for someone handling this many crucial touches.
The film shows Collins delivering a perfect punch-out as Williams hit traffic at the goal line.
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playFOOTBALL! pic.twitter.com/fgKXfFU6jF
— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2025
This single play completely changed everything. Instead of taking a 27-23 lead with under a minute left, the Rams had to scramble for a field goal just to force overtime. The emotional swing was massive.
Ball security fundamentals need work, especially near the goal line, where...
