The San Francisco 49ers were given all they could handle by the Los Angeles Rams, who put up a great fight. The Niners avoided overtime with two big gains that helped secure the win in the last two minutes of regulation.

Jimmy Garoppolo was the deciding factor. He made the throws on two third-and-16 plays that helped complete the late drive and give the 49ers a 34-31 victory. If it weren't for his brilliant quarterbacking under pressure, the Rams might have kept their playoff hopes alive.

The first of the two third-and-long plays was the intermediate-range pass between Garoppolo and Kendrick Bourne. It was a spectacular pass under heavy Rams pressure to keep the drive alive with roughly 1:50 left.

The second important conversion was the spectacular pass Garoppolo made to Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders did a fantastic job of getting himself open, and Jimmy G recognized the coverage bust and made the right pass in the perfect spot.

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Thanks to these two plays, the Niners managed to kick a last-play field goal and leave no chance for the Rams to get another possession. It was a game of epic proportions that offered many highs and lows for the fans.

This win makes the Niners 12-3 while the Rams will miss the playoffs this year after making the Super Bowl just last year. Given how resiliently San Francisco played in this game, it's going to be fascinating to watch the 49ers play playoff football.