The San Francisco 49ers came into their Week 18 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams with one mission: win. They were fighting for their playoff lives, and a win would secure the final wild-card spot for them. A loss would be leaving their fate up to a different team, which is less than ideal.
It looked ugly at first, with the Rams jumping to a 17-point lead at one point. However, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo proved his mettle once again, leading the team to a huge comeback win to snatch the final NFC wild-card spot over the New Orleans Saints. This win set some pretty records in the process.
The 49ers came back from 17 down to clinch a playoff berth.
That ties the largest comeback in a season finale to clinch a playoff berth since 1990 – the 1993 Raiders also came back from 17 down to win in OT (33-30 vs Broncos).
(h/t @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/bVVu4ji0xG
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 10, 2022
Coming into the game, there were questions surrounding the 49ers' health. In particular, the QB1 spot was a huge talking point, as they had to decide between the injury but more experienced Garoppolo over star rookie Trey Lance. In the end, Kyle Shanahan decided to go with Jimmy G. It turned out to be the right option, as the veteran showed incredible poise in their comeback bid.
The win over the Rams further solidifies the 49ers dominance over Los Angeles. Much has already been made about San Francisco's immaculate record over the Rams over the last three years. A lot of that has to do with do-it-all wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who was once again a two-way presence on offense.
Now, the 49ers will be looking forward to their Wild-Card matchup against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday. Hopefully, the momentum from this big win carries over against Dak Prescott and co.
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