SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Deebo Samuel’s first-half touchdown revived the 49ers’ season. Talanoa Hufanga’s second-half touchdown saved the 49ers’ Monday night win.
Those big plays, by this early season’s ultimate playmakers, were vital to the 49ers’ 24-9 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
As majestic as Samuel’s 57-yard, catch-and-run score was for a 14-6 cushion just before halftime, this 49ers’ season had already seen second-half leads evaporate in losses at Chicago and Denver.
So, Hufanga made sure that this lead was safe. His 52-yard interception return for a win-clinching score had the 49ers (2-2) celebrating what would be their seventh straight regular-season win over the Rams, who, in their defense, did win last season’s NFC Championship Game matchup in their house en route to a Super Bowl triumph.
The 49ers next head on a 10-day road trip, including a third annual layover in West Virginia between their Sunday games at Charlotte and Atlanta. All four teams in the NFC West are 2-2, but the 49ers are the only ones 2-0 in divisional play. That sure is a change of scenery after flopping on prime time last Sunday, in an 11-10 loss at Denver.
This sixth straight home win wasn’t a gimmie.
But once their lead got trimmed to 7-6 in the second quarter, the 49ers needed a big-time play, and Samuel delivered with his first touchdown catch of the season, and he did so in his 2021 All-Pro form.
On third-and-3, Samuel lined up left, cut inside, and once Jimmy Garoppolo’s pass barely cleared the interception-seeking Derion Kendrick, Samuel was off and running — racing 50 yards after the catch. Along the way across the field, he broke tackles (attempted by Taylor Rapp and Jalen Ramsey) while picking up blocks from George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk and Brandon Aiyuk.
The teams then traded field goals after goal-line stands, with the 49ers settling for Robbie Gould’s 25-yard kick after George Kittle nearly made a third-and-goal touchdown but stepped on the end line. Gould missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt with 8:38 remaining, ruining the 49ers’ shot at extending their lead after a 29-yard, third-and-13 catch by Samuel to the 29-yard line.
No worries, here came Hufanga, a second-year safety who’s stellar start to this season went up another notch with his second interception this season — the pick-six. He lined up in the slot then perfectly timed Matthew Stafford’s pass to Cooper Kupp, a combination that hooked up for 14 completions.
Yet, all the Rams’ scoring came via three field goals. The 49ers, like their home-opening win over Seattle, scored three touchdowns.
Touting the NFL’s top defense in terms of fewest yards allowed, the 49ers racked up seven sacks against Stafford, with ex-Ram Samson Ebukam’s second sack resulting in a fumble that Kery Hyder Jr. recovered in the waning minutes. Nick Bosa also had two sacks, while Deommodore Lenoir, Charles Omenihu and Hassan Ridgeway had one apiece.
Jeff Wilson Jr. (18 carries, 74 yards) put the 49ers ahead 7-3 with a 32-yard touchdown run on their opening possession. Preceding Wilson’s first touchdown run this season — aside from a timeout — was a third-down conversion from Garoppolo to Jauan Jennings. Asked Saturday about potentially busting through the Rams’ defensive front, Wilson presciently replied: “If that happens, we’ve got action ball. You break that first wave man and we’re all looking to hit our head on the goal post.”
The 49ers’ kept the momentum via Nick Bosa’s fifth sack this season. Lining up on the right edge of a 5-man rush, Bosa twisted to come up the middle. His second sack came on a Stafford scramble.
The Rams’ first drive chewed up the game’s first 8 minutes and penetrated the 49ers’ red zone. A second-down sack by former Rams’ linebacker Ebukam dropped Stafford for a 10-yard loss. Stafford was 7-of-7 for 52 yards on the opening stanza, with Cooper Kupp catching three targets for 27 yards.
Not only had the 49ers lost a key offensive starter to a significant injury in each of their first three games — running back Elijah Mitchell (knee), quarterback Trey Lance (ankle), left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) — they ruled out defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw after a pregame workout did not ease their concerns over his surgically repaired knee. Kinlaw, who turned 25 on Monday, was kept out of two practices last week.
Williams’ replacement, Colton McKivitz, exited in the third quarter with a knee injury, shifting Jaylon Moore in as Garoppolo’s blind-side protector.
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead also left prematurely, though he did suit up and battled through a plantar fasciitis issue in his right foot, an injury that sidelined him last game and ended a 73-start streak.
In another offensive line move, the 49ers opened the second quarter by inserting Daniel Brunskill at right guard for his season debut. Brunskill, who’s earned a glowing reputation for previous matchups with Aaron Donald, replaced rookie Spencer Burford.
