The 49ers defense dominated the third quarter. They forced a turnover on the first play of the third and held the Rams offense to -12 yards. San Francisco took a 17-7 lead into the fourth.
Here’s what stood out in the third quarter:
Quick takeaway leads to quick score
The Rams started the second half with ball, but a Darrell Henderson fumble on the first play gave the 49ers possession with great field position. Arik Armstead recovered the fumble at the Rams’ 17-yard-line. It took the offense four plays to turn the mistake from the rookie running back into points. Jimmy Garoppolo was able to sneak the ball into the end zone on fourth-and-goal to give the 49ers a 14-7 lead.
49ers defense creating pressure
The 49ers turned up the heat to start the second half. The defense forced a Los Angeles three-and-out on the Rams’ second drive of the third quarter. The series saw the 49ers get in the Rams backfield on all three plays. DeForest Bucker and Fred Warner had a tackle for loss each and K’Waun Williams created pressure that forced a Jared Goff incomplete pass.
Coleman drop makes offense settle for field goal
The 49ers offense was once again in prime position to score a touchdown. After a 21-yard completion to Dante Pettis, the 49ers had a first-and-goal at the 3-yard-line. They quickly found themselves in a third-and-goal situation. On the third down play, Garoppolo had Tevin Coleman wide open in the flat but Coleman couldn’t haul it in forcing the 49ers to kick a field goal, giving them a 17-7 lead.
