SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ A year after playing in the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams will be sitting out the playoffs.
A 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night at Levi's Stadium ended the Rams' chances to advance to the postseason for a third consecutive season under coach Sean McVay.
Robbie Gould's 33-yard field goal as time expired ended dropped the Rams' record to 8-7 and ended, for all practical purposes, the Rams' season.
The Rams were aiming to buy themselves at least one more day of hope. A win would have forced them to wait until Monday to see whether the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Green Bay Packers.
But that became moot when Gould's kick split the uprights.
They will play the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday at the Coliseum with a chance to finish 9-7. That's a far cry from their 11-5 record in 2017 and the 13-3 mark that propelled them on their playoff run last season.
It's also a major disappointment for a franchise that gave its coach, general manager and quarterback extensions before the season _ and will be moving into a new stadium in 2020.
Jimmy Garoppolo was clutch down the stretch for the 49ers, who improved to 12-3 and remained in contention for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the playoffs.
The Rams intercepted two passes and sacked Garoppolo six times in the second half, but it was not enough to thwart the 49ers under third-year coach Kyle Shanahan.
Rams quarterback Jared Goff completed 27 of 46 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns, but he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
Todd Gurley rushed for 48 yards and two touchdowns in 15 carries.
Garoppolo completed 16 of 27 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.
The Rams trailed 24-21 at halftime after 49ers linebacker Fred Warner intercepted a Goff pass and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown with less than a minute left.
Rams cornerback Darious Williams intercepted a pass on the first series to set up the Rams for a momentum swing. But the offense could not move the ball and Greg Zuerlein missed a 52-yard field-goal attempt.
But midway through the third quarter, the Rams got the ball and Goff connected with Robert Woods for gains of 11 and 26 yards. Goff put the Rams ahead when he found Cooper Kupp for a 22-yard touchdown and a 28-24 lead.
The 49ers got the ball with just under nine minutes left, and Garoppolo used his tight ends to full effect. He connected with George Kittle for 36 yards and Ross Dwelley for 25. Rams safety Eric Weddle was penalized for unnecessary roughness for a hit on Dwelley, moving the ball to the nine-yard line.
On third down at the four, Garoppolo rolled to his right to escape pressure and then fired a pass to Kittle in the end zone for a 31-28 lead with 6:06 left.
With the crowd chanting "Beat L.A.," Goff threw completions to Brandin Cooks and Tyler Higbee to set up Zuerlein's 52-yard field goal that tied the score with 2:30 left.
But Garroppolo's 46-yard pass to Emmanuel Sanders on a third-and-16 play set up the game-winning field goal.
Deebo Samuel and Raheem Mostert rushed for touchdowns and Warner returned his interception for a touchdown as the 49ers overcame an 11-point deficit to take a 24-21 halftime lead.
Just as the Rams did the first time they played the 49ers, they put together an impressive scoring drive to start the game. But unlike in October, when McVay called seven consecutive running plays, he mixed runs with several impressive passes by Goff, including one for 24 yards to Josh Reynolds and another for 20 to tight end Higbee.
Goff capped the drive by rolling to his left and then throwing back to his right for a 12-yard touchdown to Cooks.
Richie Jones' 81-yard kickoff return set up the 49ers at the Rams' 18-yard line, but the defense proved stout and forced the 49ers to settle for a field goal.
Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who was voted to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive season, intercepted his first pass for the Rams with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.
Goff delivered several outstanding passes during a nine-play, 67-yard drive that Gurley capped with a five-yard touchdown run for a 14-3 lead.
Garoppolo answered with completions to receiver Samuel and fullback Kyle Juszczyk before Samuel took a handoff on a fly sweep around the left side for a 19-yard touchdown, pulling the 49ers to within 14-10.
Goff connected with Higbee three times during the ensuing possession, including one that set up Gurley's second touchdown and put the Rams ahead by 11 points.
But Garoppolo calmly brought back the 49ers, with four completions during a nine-play drive that Mostert finished with a 16-yard touchdown run.
That set the stage for Warner.
Rams running back Malcolm Brown was in the right flat, where Warner jumped the route and picked off Goff's pass. He dashed down the sideline for a 46-yard touchdown and a 24-21 lead.
